Here’s how we assessed Hugo Mora’s accusations following Toulouse’s 38-26 win over Harlequins in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final.
Toulouse player rating v Harlequins
15 Blair Kinghorn: We missed two shots on goal, but in the end it didn’t matter. The Scotland international showed why he was chosen over Thomas Ramos in this match. He was sharp and precise in all aspects of the game, shifting to the wing almost unfazed in the second half. 7
14 Juan Cruz MarÃa: A few precious chances came his way, but the Argentine did an incredible job converting one of them and getting his name on the scoresheet. A solid outing at the end. 6
13 Paul Kostos: It was another great change from the 21-year-old rising star, who hit over 80 meters and created holes in the Quins defense. Harlequins managed to find the gap between him and Pita Aki, but overall he defended well and also added great performances to his repertoire. 8
12 Pita Aki: Along with Romain Ntamak, he was guilty of attempting a rather poor tackle on Marcus Smith, but it was one of the few flaws that marred his performance. He made a great chop tackle and combined well with Ntamak to create chances for Costes and others. 7
Toulouse vs Harlequins: 5 points on how ‘remarkable’ François Clos caused havoc and cost Quins an ignominious managerial fee
11 Matisse Level: He received a great pass from Ntamak and crossed for a try, but there were concerns about his defense and he was replaced by Ramos in the 55th minute. Four
10 Roman Ntamak: Smith barely attempted a tackle as he breezed past him to score. Although he had some weaknesses in defence, he impressed in attack, throwing a nice skip pass 30-odd meters to Lebel for the score. He kicked well with his hands, ran his offense well and made good decisions. 7
9 Antoine Dupont: It was a prank for the captain, who pulled off his usual tricks to lead his team to the Champions Cup final once again. He was a proven semi-finalist in all aspects of the game, kicking well and keeping the Quins defense on alert throughout the game. Toulouse are a completely different team, with two of Les Bleus’ superstars starting. 8
Antoine Dupont doubles Toulouse to set up Champions Cup title showdown with Leinster
Planet Rugby player evaluation key.
loose forward
8 Alexandre Luma: A solid game from the No. 8 who was effective in the lineout, made some successful tackles and had plenty of carries. A few missed tackles and his two bad passes affect his rating. 6
7 Jack Willis: Despite concerted efforts to neutralize Quins’ influence, he continues to thrive in Toulouse with blockbuster breakdown performances. There was a huge round of applause as he left the pitch. 8
6 François Clos: Thibault Flamand’s try was a direct result of Cross’s breakdown brilliance and the relentless work rate of a world-class back rower. This is a staple of his game and he was brutally effective throughout the match. His sensational form continued this year, leading him in tackles and deservedly being named Player of the Match. Back row master class. 9
Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals and kick-off times confirmed
tight five
5 Emmanuel Mairfoux: He caused all sorts of headaches for the Harlequins defense, regularly attracting multiple defenders with his offloads and making him a nightmare to defend. He always attacked defenders before passing and was effective at breakdowns and defense. Huge shift from a huge second line player. 7
4 Thibault Flament: The other forward gave an excellent performance and showed his boundless potential. He set the tone for Toulouse’s performance by grabbing a try from Chandler Cunningham-South and then scoring a try with a superb lineout steal. 8
3 Dorian Aldegueri: He was beaten in a scrum by Harlequins’ rookie loosehead Finn Baxter and conceded a stupid penalty for backchatting. He got a key turnover before coming off the bench in a fairly mediocre game. Four
2 Pete Mauvaca: The all-action 50-minute shift included one try, two clean breaks, eight tackles, one turnover and 43 meters. His lineouts were on point and made for some truly breathtaking changes. 8
1 Cyril Baille: He once again impressed with his best scrum performance as Will Collier, but he was also effective in other situations such as big clear-outs, tackles and carries. 6
Replacement: Notable standout players included Julien Marchand and Richie Arnold, but Ramos was chosen to replace him, adding more life and speed to the backline. Despite Quins’ pressure, the bench managed to hold on for the win. 7
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