Just snow stopping hero Jacob
The Blues moved six points clear at the top of the group by producing the sort of performance that took them to three European titles.
The Chiefs, however, will point to a hugely controversial moment early in the second half, when they felt they should have had a penalty try that would have put them 10-8 ahead after Leinster hooker Sean Cronin was sin-binned for a high, try-saving tackle on Jack Nowell.
Leinster dominated the opening quarter and will have been annoyed to reach the midway point of the half still pointless.
Superb scrum-half Luke Mcgrath had a try chalked off after a foot in touch by Johnny Sexton, who also missed a 45metre penalty.
Giant lock Devin Toner also had a possible score disallowed, when referee Romain Poite overruled television match official Eric Gonthier because the video footage failed to show a clear grounding of the ball.
Exeter’s England prop Harry Williams was sin-binned in the 17th minute for collapsing three successive five-metre scrums, but the
Chiefs’ decision to keep eight forwards in the pack proved a wise move as they destroyed Leinster at the next scrum and another chance for the visitors went by. However, three minutes later, they capitalised on their one-man advantage when Sexton’s crossfield kick found skipper Isa Nacewa lurking on the wing, and, when the ball was recycled, Sexton crossed over. Exeter hit back with a Gareth Steenson penalty, but Sexton kicked a simple one of his own when Chiefs’ Australian scrum-half Nic White was penalised for a no-arms tackle.
The hosts threw everything at Leinster in the closing stages of the half, but they were thwarted by some top class defence.
Exeter failed to take advantage of Cronin’s sin-binning in the second half, but, almost as soon as Leinster were back up to their full complement, Exeter broke through. Lovely hands by the backs saw Olly Woodburn put fellow winger James Short over in the corner, but Steenson just failed to find the target with the touchline conversion, so it remained level at 8-8.
Leinster piled on the pressure but they had to settle for a Nacewa penalty, with Sexton still recovering from a knock.
A try by number eight Jack Conan 10 minutes from time, converted by Nacewa, after they had gone through numerous phases, gave the visitors breathing space, and they cleverly saw the game out.
LF