EXETER Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, says it’s imperative his side ‘don’t get into our shells’ in the wake of their 64-21 Investec Champions Cup defeat at home to Toulouse.

The six-time tournament winner were in irresistible form at Sandy Park, collecting five first-half tries from Antoine Dupont, Julien Marchand, Matthis Lebel, Thibaud Flament and Pierre-Louis Barassi to leave the Chiefs reeling.

Lebel and Barassi completed doubles early in the second period before Theo Ntamack, Blair Kinghorn and Paul Graou scored as Toulouse took their try tally to ten.

Tom Wyatt’s double, plus a score for Josh Hodge, were rare highlights for the hosts, but it means Baxter’s side have now lost both of their Champions Cup fixtures, as well as seven straight defeats in the Gallagher Premiership.

Sunday’s loss equalled Exeter’s heaviest defeat in the competition and it was the most points they had conceded at home since gaining Premiership status back in 2010.

“I don't mind us playing these types of games, because you do have to learn,” said Baxter. “Playing against good teams should make you better. The important thing is that we do get better from today and we don't go into our shells.

“When we were a team that built ourselves - and I don't want to keep banging the same old drum - sometimes you have to take your licks, but it's the experience you gain from it that prepares you for the next time. That's where we are at the moment.

“There were a few things they did that were almost undefendable and difficult for us to get on top of. At the same time, we also look like a team that is struggling with that level of confidence to just let us play. We managed to free ourselves a little bit for a period after half time - and all of a sudden it looked like things could move our way - but that's what we are working on.

“That's what we wanted it to be like from the start, but you can just see we are in this place where we can't quite take those opportunities.”

The Chiefs must quickly regroup for this Saturday’s Premiership clash away to Sale Sharks, who will include former players Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jonny Hill and Tom O’Flaherty within their ranks.

Baxter added: “For us, we need to play games of rugby. We don’t need to run away from games of rugby, we need to embrace them and get on and play them. That is how we are going to improve. We are training well and you can see from the lads that they are not lacking in fighting spirit.”

Exeter Chiefs next return to Champions Cup action again on Saturday, January 11 when they tackle Bordeaux-Begles in their latest Pool One fixture.

Like Toulouse, the French outfit have collected maximum points from their two fixtures so far, having beaten both Leicester Tigers (42-28) and Ulster Rugby (40-19).

Chiefs: J Hodge; I Feyi-Waboso, B Hammersley (W Haydon-Wood 40), T Tua (Z Wimbush 64), T Wyatt; H Slade, S Townsend (W Becconsall 71); W Goodrick-Clarke (K Blose 40), D Frost (J Yeandle 59), E Painter (J Roots 40); R Tuima (D Jenkins 48), R Capstick; E Roots, J Vermeulen (c, G Fisilau 49), R Vintcent.

Tries: Wyatt (2), Hodge; Conversions: Slade (3); Penalties: N/A.

Yellow Card: Townsend

Toulouse: T Ramos; J-C Mallia (B Kinghorn 51), P-L Barassi, S Chocobares, M Lebel; R Ntamack, A Dupont (c, M Castro-Ferreira 63); R Neti (D Ainu’u 54), J Marchand (G Cramont 54-62), D Aldegheri (J Merkler 48); T Flament, E Meafou (J Brennan 51); F Cros (T Ntamack 54), J Willis (P Graou 63), A Roumat.

Tries: Dupont, Marchand, Lebel (2), Flament, Barassi (2), T Ntamack, Kinghorn, Graou; Conversions: Ramos (7); Penalties: N/A.

Referee: A Brace.

Attendance: 13,832.