Both sides had standout individuals out wide, with Leinster’s Jordan Larmour and Exeter’s Tom O’Flaherty contributing a brace of tries apiece, but ultimately Leinster’s territorial superiority and defensive energy was decisive. Even in the absence of Johnny Sexton, who was forced off inside the first half-hour, the Irish province fully deserved their victory.
Exeter, who went 14-0 up early on, were left to regret their inability to take their customary grip on proceedings in the final 30 minutes. “We can play better than we did today,” acknowledged Rob Baxter, their director of rugby. “We’ll be frustrated with some things on review but a lot of that is credit to Leinster. They kept an intensity in the game which meant we never really settled.”