Toulouse vs Exeter | Who won the backrow battle?

Stade Toulousain edged Exeter Chiefs 43-40 in a thirteen-try shootout on 18 October. Zack Wimbush scored inside the first minute and went on to a hat-trick, and Exeter led 26-24 at half-time. Toulouse were down to 14 men from the 15th minute after Rodrigue Neti’s red card, but a penalty try, tries from Ange Capuozzo, Teddy Thomas and Joshua Brennan, and a Matias Remue double kept them in front. Henry Slade missed a penalty from the right on the final whistle that would have levelled it.

Lets look at how both teams backrows played;

Toulouse’s back row won the battle on the numbers, and Théo Ntamack was the main reason. In 59 minutes before he was replaced, the No. 8 made 14 carries for 62 metres, crossed the gain line 11 times and won 11 rucks. He also made 11 tackles without a miss and won a turnover. Efrain Elias played 80 minutes and was the grafter, making 16 tackles without missing one, winning 8 rucks and 5 mauls, and landing a dominant tackle. His 10 carries made only 3 metres, though, so he did the dirty work rather than the damage. François Cros made 17 tackles, missing one, before going off on 72 minutes. Toulouse played a man down from the 15th minute, so the trio’s tackle count (44, against Exeter’s 40) is the more impressive for it.

Exeter’s back row was more mixed. Greg Fisilau was their best, with 12 carries for 17 metres, six gain-line carries and 11 rucks won over a full 80 minutes, though he gave away two turnovers and made two handling errors. Ross Vintcent set up Will Butt’s try on 47 minutes and was part of the maul that produced Jack Yeandle’s try, but he made only 10 tackles in his 59 minutes. Ethan Roots made 16 tackles and won a turnover, but he barely featured with the ball, with 2 carries for no metres.

Across the three, Toulouse made 69 carrying metres to Exeter’s 22 and won 23 rucks to 18. Exeter’s back row had the single most visible moment in Vintcent’s try assist, but Toulouse’s trio did far more over the match.