Here are Harlequins’ player ratings after Sunday’s 38-26 defeat to Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final at Le Stadium.
Harlequins player ratings v Toulouse
15 Tyrone Green: They ran a strong line in the build-up, leading to an early try from Marcus Smith and an even better try with a cross in the second period. Green, who made few mistakes and received high balls well, scored an impressive 125 meters from 13 carries. 8
14 Luis Raina: A great kick from the Italian international at 50:22 in the first half led to Will Evans’ reversal from a maul. He saw more ball after the break and gave his all before being substituted in the second half. 7
13 Luke Northmore: He played second fiddle to the outstanding Paul Costes in the first half, but like Harlequins, he improved as the game progressed. He earned a key breakdown penalty with an hour left. Five
12 Andre Esterhuizen: Quins needed more physicality than ever against this powerful French team, and he brought it with his carries and tackles. They will miss the Springboks next season. 7
11 Kaydan Marley: He looked for work in midfield in the first half and reaped the rewards in the second half. This was a great finish by Marley from the left sideline, and he contributed significantly to Green’s scoring moments later. A highly expressive performance from a promising England player. 8
Antoine Dupont doubles Toulouse to set up Champions Cup title showdown with Leinster
10 Marcus Smith: He backed up the try himself when the boys were on the outside, which paid off as he approached the uprights and brilliantly assisted Marley’s goal. He has looked calmer and more mature as a fly-half in recent high-pressure games as he has outperformed Romain Ntamak. 8
9 Danny Care: Emmanuel Meaf was destined for a yellow card for a ruck violation in the first half, so he probably won’t tap and go if given another chance. The veteran, who enjoyed a fight with the great Antoine Dupont, had an otherwise solid performance with a slight loss. 6
Planet Rugby player evaluation key.
loose forward
8 Alex Dombrandt: Toulouse dominated the breakdown for the most part and Quins struggled to make the impact he would have liked, with limited possession options. Four
7 Will Evans: While I was solid at the breakdown as usual, I raced over behind the maul. The burly flanker had nine tackles and a whopping 13 carries on the day. 7
Toulouse vs Harlequins: 5 points on how ‘remarkable’ François Clos caused havoc and cost Quins an ignominious managerial fee
6 Chandler Cunningham-South: They were forced out of the line early on before Matthijs Lebel got a try, but then Thibaut Flament found the pocket in open play and scored. But Cunningham South responded. Hulking’s carry and ripping Mee-Faw rounded out a great performance from the youngster. 8
5 Stephen Lewis: It was another industrious display from the South African, who did a lot of work in ruck time, making eight tackles and 10 carries. 6
4 Irne Herbst: Today’s Harlequins need his physicality more than ever, and Herbst leads the way in that department. He was also busy in the wild. 6
Impressive props
3 Will Collier: Like Esterhuizen, Collier is a player Harlequins will miss next season. He was active throughout the match in set-pieces with French international Cyrille Bayle and also contributed on the field. 7
2 Jack Walker: The first stolen lineout had little to do with his throw, and after that he was winning for the most part. However, Dupont’s dangerous clear-out, which earned him a yellow card, was an error in judgment and affected his evaluation. 6
1 Finn Baxter: The highly promising loosehead once again played solidly at set pieces and was busy moving around the field during his 50 minutes on the field. He has six carries and seven tackles to his name. 7
Replacement: James Chisholm and Will Porter added some bite to the flow of the game, and Joe Marler played similarly until his moment of madness against Ramos, costing him sidefield position and possession. Five
read more: Toulouse player review: Antoine Dupont’s brace and Francois Clos’ masterclass lead France to Champions Cup final
