Rampant Toulouse ruthlessly expose Exeter

Thibaud Flament scored Toulouse's fourth try to claim a first-half bonus point

Exeter Chiefs: (7) 21

Try: Wyatt 2, Hodge Con: Slade 3

Toulouse: (35) 64

Tries: Dupont, Marchand, Lebel 2, Flament, Barassi 2, T Ntamack, Kinghorn, Graou Con: Ramos 7

Ten-try Toulouse produced another clinical display in defence of their Investec Champions Cup title to thump Exeter Chiefs in a bonus-point victory at Sandy Park.

The reigning champions crossed the whitewash through Antoine Dupont, Julien Marchand, Thibaud Flament, Theo Ntamack, Blair Kinghorn and Paul Graou, with two tries apiece for Matthis Lebel and Pierre-Louis Barassi in an emphatic performance.

Exeter have endured a dismal season so far but they adhered to director of rugby Rob Baxter's pre-match call for positivity and registered three consolation tries through Josh Hodge and a Tommy Wyatt double.

Toulouse were in control throughout and their huge victory is the second time they have scored more than 60 points in a week after their comfortable win over Ulster in their European opener.

The French giants sit top of Pool 1 with a maximum return from their opening two games, and with a trip to South Africa for a meeting with Sharks next.

Exeter are yet to register a point and are above bottom club Ulster by virtue of having scored two more points.

Europe, beware

Toulouse are the most successful team in the history of the competition but the six-time winners are not resting on their laurels.

They may have been tempted to rest some of their stars for a game with the side propping up the Premiership table, but they named an XV littered with international pedigree, including talisman Dupont.

The diminutive scrum-half opened the scoring following Francois Cros' break to take the pass on the inside and run through unopposed.

If that was the alert reaction, next came the well-crafted line-out routine as the driving maul positioned itself at the back of the line before driving over the line for Marchand to dot down.

Man-of-the-match Barassi came to the fore for the third try, making a terrific break from deep inside Toulouse territory and carrying into the Exeter 22 for Lebel to cut back against the covering Chiefs defenders and dive under the posts.

Exeter hit back through Wyatt after Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's powerful break close to the touchline but Toulouse quickly restored their advantage as Flament latched on to Dupont's flat missed pass to run in and seal the first-half bonus.

Dupont was at it again with another slight of movement and clever pass to free Barassi for their fifth try inside the opening half, before another crisp backs move two minutes after the break ended with Lebel crossing out wide as Toulouse kept the foot on the throat.

Wyatt responded again with another run in as Juan Cruz Mallia mistimed his attempt at an interception, but it was a rare bright moment on a disappointing night for the hosts as Barassi doubled his tally down the other end soon after.

Hodge was the beneficiary of Tamati Tua's break to chase down his own hack through for Chiefs' third try, but Toulouse had the final say as replacements Theo Ntamack, Kinghorn and Graou added further gloss to the scoreline.

In this form, no-one would begrudge Toulouse a seventh star on their jersey.

Line-ups

Exeter: Hodge; Feyi-Waboso, Hammersley, Tua, Wyatt; Slade, Townsend; Goodrick-Clarke, Frost, Painter, Tuima, Capstick, E Roots, Vermeulen (capt), Vintcent.

Replacements: Yeandle, Blose, J Roots, Jenkins, Fisilau, Becconsall, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush.

Toulouse: Ramos; Mallia, Barassi, Chocobares, Lebel; R Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Neti, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Cros, Willis, Roumat.

Replacements: Cramont, Ainu'u, Merkler, Brennan, T Ntamack, Castro-Ferreira, Graou, Kinghorn.

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)