Exeter Claims Thrilling Victory Over Benetton with Slade's Winning Penalty

In a nail-biting finish, a late penalty kick by Henry Slade secured Exeter's 44-41 win over Benetton, setting the stage for a semi-final showdown against Ulster in Belfast. The match saw a dramatic turn of events when Jacob Umaga's try put Benetton ahead 41-38 with just 15 minutes left to play. However, Slade's precision kicking leveled the score four minutes later and then sealed the victory with another penalty in the 78th minute, much to the dismay of the home crowd. The first half was marked by intense action, with Exeter taking an early lead through Olly Woodburn's try and a penalty try, extending it to 24-14 after Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's score and Slade's conversion and penalty. Benetton fought back to level the score by halftime, thanks to an outstanding try from Onisi Ratave and Umaga's conversion and penalty. The second half saw Exeter regain the lead through Harvey Skinner's converted try, only for Bautista Bernasconi to pull Benetton level again. The visitors then took a 38-31 lead when Andrea Zambonin scored, but Umaga's second penalty and subsequent try, which he converted, gave Benetton their first lead since the eighth minute. Ultimately, Slade's decisive kick won the game for Exeter. In another quarter-final match, Investec Champions Cup titleholders Bordeaux overcame Toulouse 30-15, earning a semi-final spot against Bath. Despite Toulouse's strong start, Bordeaux's resilient defense held firm until Maxime Lamothe scored off a maul in the 23rd minute. Toulouse responded immediately, but a red card given to Dorian Aldegheri for a high-danger challenge late in the first half swung the momentum in Bordeaux's favor. The visitors capitalized on this advantage in the second half, with Matthieu Jalibert and Ben Tameifuna scoring crucial tries, and Maxime Lucu landing a long-range penalty to seal Bordeaux's victory.