Following Harlequins’ thrilling 42-41 victory over Bordeaux and Begles in the Investec Champions quarter-finals, here are five takeaways from the game at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
top line
Harlequins and Bordeaux Begles produced one of the best Champions Cup quarter-finals in recent memory, with Quins reaching the EPCR semi-finals for the first time in their career. This performance cannot be underestimated. It was brave, bold and even brazen in a timeless game.
The lead changed hands four times in the second half alone, but with Quins tired from the scorching heat, UBB, thanks to an immense impact from the bench, pulled off an incredible comeback, finishing off a thrilling attack with a stunning showed an attack. The fearless Harlequins man is sure to rate this victory as one of his greatest achievements.
Will Porter (2), Will Evans, Alex Dombrandt and man of the match Tyrone Green scored tries for Quins, so the visitors had UBB take a vital kick close to the post to take the lead. You might want to thank Maxim Luk for missing it, but the ball went wide and Quins capped off a memorable victory with a brilliant restart exit, leaving Bordeaux pinned to their own half for the final two minutes of the game.
It was chaotically awesome and a completely deserved underdog victory.
quinn ball
Harlequins described their approach before this match as an opportunity to swing the bat, and on a day set for stroke play only, their top order featured players like Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. I just made hay in a way that brought a smile to my face.
The first half was filled with dazzling shots from Quins’ middle order, or in rugby terms their back row, and their mobility shined under the sun, making it a truly fulfilling game. Chandler Cunningham-South caused havoc in the Bordeaux defense with his thunderous carries, often bringing in two or three players to change the focus of UBB’s main line.
Dom Brandt loves fast tracks and his runs were all over the place, giving Porter a nice off-road to beat the post. But amidst attacking ambitions, Quins’ openside Evans added Joe Root-esque steadiness, committing a number of spectacular turnovers and responding to Pete Sam’s rattling clear-outs and counter-racks. Nothing was more impressive than India Rubber’s shot in the face. It was only fitting that Evans ended the first half with a nice short-range touchdown after some strong work on a driving maul by Quins’ tight five.
It was an unforgettable day for the brilliant back-row. Despite talk before the game that the English players were struggling in the French heat, their mobility and athleticism made the difference, especially in the crucial breakdown exchanges. brought about.
Harlequins claim historic Champions Cup win with thrilling 83-point win over Bordeaux vs. Begles
second half troubles
Once again, the Quins’ offense in the second half tended to be less than sacking, which cost them dearly. But it took a moment of greatness before Nicolas Deportaire collected a pass from Hugo Bonifatius from his bootlaces and burst through the Quins’ line, allowing the France international center to curl in with a fine arc into the corner. there were.
With Luuku moved up to number 10 as UBB’s playmaker, the hosts unloaded an impressive and capped bench. Quins were lucky not to concede a second try in two minutes, but that man Porter rose to the occasion again and held Bordeaux on the final line. A last gasp attempt at defense.
Quins won by one point and advanced to the semis for the first time 🤯
What an incredible match! Instant reaction? 😱#InvestecChampionsCup ? @Harlequin pic.twitter.com/1ckmvgx5FD
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 13, 2024
Luuku’s speed and intelligence simply changed the team’s attacking dynamics, bringing width and pace to a backline that looked constrained in the first half, while up front, Guido Petty’s influence near the breakdown was extremely important.
With the visiting team really tired in the Atlantic heat, Quins opted for a long-kick strategy that could give Bordeaux the possession they needed (about 68% in the second period) against a tired defensive line. I was able to do it, but coaches may lament this when they review it. game. Knock-ons, missed tackles and breakdowns began to creep into a tired Quins game as Luuku applied pressure with an exquisite kicking game, and mistakes began to take their toll, but the visitors held on and in the end they exchanged tries. Ta. They managed to maintain that important one-point advantage.
medium pacer
Despite a spate of early scores from Quins’ top order, it was the big men throwing the heavy balls that gave the visitors forward momentum. Finn Baxter played against Ben Tameifuna, one of the best tightheads in the world, and was an absolute force in scrum time, easily destroying scrums with Will Collier who were around 40kg lighter than his opponent. It further enhanced its reputation. . Featuring Irne Herbst, who excelled in carries and crashes, Quins’ tight five produced two memorable scores. The second goal, a crucial one that would determine the course of the second half, was scored by Dom Brandt.
However, as these big forwards tired, UBB began to target them and when confusion between Jack Walker and Baxter on the short side caused the match to change direction again at the start, Louis Vier-Bialley again I was able to jump out for a great finish. of the last quarter.
Quins tried hard to stay the course, but a nasty bounce from Louis Reiner from a kick and gather from Biel Bialley gave Bordeaux the lead thanks to some great Romain Bros, allowing the hosts to cut back on their lead. However, a brilliant shot from the visiting Londoners saw them turn things around again, firing past Raina and sending in Green for the decisive goal.
missing man
Quins will be without Danny Care and Joe Marler, with Joe Launchberry injured before kick-off with a hamstring problem, compounded by Mathieu Jalibert and Damien Penault being left out of Bordeaux’s line-up. You could say that the list has been erased by itself.
Indeed, one could argue that a fresh Marler after 50 minutes would have made a big difference, but Porter and Baxter, who came on in place of the injured Quins, both put in performances that rank among the best of their careers. .
For UBB, the 10 points were a problem as Mateo Garcia struggled to get the backline into the game, despite Deportele and Yoram Moefana being active in midfield. Luk needed to be switched to number 10 to get the hosts back into the game, but it was too late. Yannick Blue will understandably regret not starting the versatile French half-back at fly-half from the off.
read more: Bordeaux player ratings: Front row teased as Romain Bulos’ ‘blockbuster’ in Champions Cup epic, but to no avail
