Exeter 22-34 Leinster: Chiefs falter after fast start against brilliant Irish

REIGNING European champions , save for an inspired opening salvo, were well and truly beaten by past masters who will tackle the French giants single handed in the semi-finals at the end of the month.

The four-time former winners of the European Cup kept cool to came back from 14-0 down. They tighten their defence, in which MOM Robbie Henshaw was brilliant, to nullify Exeter in virtually every department.

In so doing they recorded their fifth straight win over the Chiefs in Europe, and bear in mind this was achieved after Johnny Sexton departed with yet another knock to the head in the first half. Ross Byrne stepped up to the plate in Sexton's absence and vindicated all those who have been singing his praises.

And yet all this came after a scintillating start from Exeter who struck in the third minute with a sharply-taken try from Tom O'Flaherty that spoke of a Leinster defence missing a game back together after the return of the contingent.

Sam Simmonds picked up from a solid scrum 45 yards out and made good ground before passing out the back for Ollie Devoto and then Joe Simmonds to send O'Flaherty through a gaping hole in midfield.

All of this was in contrast to last week against when Exeter conceded two early scores, and Chiefs built on that with another spectacular score after a multi-phase attack in which they looked constantly to keep the ball alive. Eventually it came to O'Flaherty in space, cleverly delaying his pass to make that extra half yard and the in-form Chiefs wing hit the turbo.

Leinster retaliated with a barnstorming run down the left flank by James Lowe which saw Hugo Keenan held up by Devoto on the line. They were held up on the line again moments later when Jonny Gray slid his hand under the ball in an important intervention as Leinster then sealed off at the next ruck and were pinged.

Exhilarating stuff and already it seemed that Leinster had to score next to maintain a foothold in the game, which is exactly what they did. Sexton took off down the and again located the lively Keenan who made good ground before offloading to Lowe.

The powerful Kiwi might have flattered to deceive in the Six Nations but remains a potent attacking weapon and made no mistake, running the ball close into the post for an easy conversion.

It was a big momentum shift and it was Leinster who began to dominate even though Sexton had just departed injured. His replacement Byrne made an immediate impact from a lineout ball on the left, shifting the ball nicely for the speedy Keenan to hit the line at pace and put Larmour in for a sweetly-taken try.

Byrne converted brilliantly on the half hour after which Leinster started calling the shots and a well won turnover from Ronan Kelleher gave Byrne another opportunity to showcase his kicking prowess, this time from 45m out.

By an arm hair: Leinster wing Jordan Larmour scores in the corner despite the best efforts of Joe Simmonds. Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Exeter's lack of a jackal was costing them dear as Leinster won a series of penalties and gradually turned the screw and Leinster went another three points ahead on half-time when Jonny Hill was penalised for what initially looked like a great hit on Byrne.

Slow motion, however, showed the right, wrapping arm, riding up to his hit a glancing blow to the fly-half on the head. Such are the times that we live in that Hill's challenge could have been a red card, yellow card, penalty or even a contender for hit of the season. Referee Mathieu Reynal opted for a straight penalty and Exeter sensibly didn't argue the point.

After the break the game continued apace with Exeter winning an early penalty, going for the corner and, with their first 5m lineout of the game, piling over through Dave Ewers.

Simmonds couldn't nail the conversion but moments later was on target with a penalty as Chiefs reclaimed the lead, a short-lived advantage with Byrne replying in kind from medium range when Ewers' tackled a man without the ball.

Leinster were sensing blood and next came another sensational finish by Larmour, whose recent career had stalled a little with injuries. He twisted powerfully in the corner to hold off a strong challenge from Joe Simmonds but this time Byrne could not convert.

Exeter were not at their clinical best and still coughing up important penalties and in the 65th minute replacement Jannes Kirten was lucky to avoid a yellow card when he, like Hill, hit Byrne with a marginal high tackle.

It was frenetic stuff from Exeter and lacking their normal intent and discipline, the penalties kept coming. Leinster in contrast showed all their experience – and excellence – as they comfortably ran the clock down.

Exeter 22 

Tries: O'Flaherty 3, 8, Ewers 42

Conversions: J Simmonds 4, 9

Penalties: J Simmonds 47

EXETER: Hogg 6; Woodburn 5.5 (Whitten 60, 6), Slade 7, Devoto, 7 O'Flaherty 8.5; J Simmonds (c) 6.5, Maunder 5 (Townsend 59, 6); Moon 7 (Hepburn 50, 5), Cowan-Dickie 7 (Yeandle 63, 6), Francis 7 (Williams 50, 4), Gray 6 (Skinner 59, 5), Hill 7, Ewers 7, Vermeulen 6 (Kirsten 51, 5), S Simmonds 6

Not used: Skinner

Leinster 34

Tries: Lowe 17, Larmour 29, 57

Conversions: Sexton 18, Byrne 30

Penalties: Byrne 32, 40, 50, 66, 79

LEINSTER: Keenan 7; Larmour 8.5, O'Loughlin 7, Henshaw 8.5, Lowe 7 (Kearney 79); Sexton 6 (Byrne 28, 8.5), McGrath 8; Healy 7.5 (Byrne 52, 7), Kelleher 8 (Tracy 71, 7), Furlong (Porter 55, 8), Fardy 7 (Baird 50, 7.5), Toner 7.5 (Moloney 71, 7), Ruddock 8, Van der Flier 8.5, Conan 8

Not used: O'Sullivan

REFEREE: Mathieu Reynal (Fr)

Star man: Robbie Henshaw – Leinster