Quins too mighty for Stade
Nick Evans steered Harlequins into an all-English Challenge Cup semifinal as he notched 17 points in his side's 29-6 victory over Stade Francais Paris at Stade Jean Bouin.
In a repeat of the 2011 Final, which Quins won with a last gasp try and touchline conversion, the decision by Gonzalo Quesada not to pick his top team certainly played a part in the home side's downfall.
But his opposite number, Quins Director of Rugby Conor O'Shea, sent in his full complement and told them to play with adventure. They tried and failed in a first-half of five penalties, but took a more direct route to victory in the second half.
Two penalties apiece from Evans and home flyhalf Morne Steyn meant the scores were level as the clock went into the red zone at the end of the first-half. But a penalty on the fringe of a ruck allowed Evans to land a 40-metre penalty to give his side a slender lead at the break.
Steyn missed with a second shot within two minutes of the re-start before England fullback Mike Brown struck the decisive blow of the game with a try in the 45th minute that owed everything to the direct, driving approach work of Dave Ward, Chris Robshaw and Nick Easter.
Evans added the conversion to increase the lead to 13 points and the only advantage Stade could manage was at the scrum. But they couldn't turn that pressure into any more points, a third penalty going past the posts from replacement Vincent Mallet.
Evans added a penalty just before the hour mark to turn the screw tighter and then centre dropped a long range goal to make the game safe. The centre Tim Molenaar put the icing on the cake with a try three minutes from time which Ben Botica converted off the touchline.
Quins, who started the season in the European Cup, are three time winners of the Challenge Cup and will now have to go to Franklin's Gardens to try to stay on course for a fourth title.
There are three other English Premiership sides in the quarterfinals. Bath host Brive on Sunday and then London Wasps host Gloucester.
The scorers:
For Stade Français:
Pens: Steyn 2
For Harlequins:
Tries: Brown, Molenaar
Cons: Evans, Botica
Pens: Evans 4
DG: Evans
Teams:
Stade Français: 15 Peter Lydon, 14 Richard Kingi, 13 Paul Williams, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Djibril Camara, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Clement Daguin, 8 David Lyons 7 Olivier Missoup, 6 Nicolas Garrault, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Gerhard Mostert, 3 Davit Kubriashvili, 2 Laurent Sempéré (captain), 1 Zurabi Zhvania.
Replacements: 16 Michael Van Vuuren, 17 Romain Frou, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Pierre Rabadan, 21 Vincent Mallet, 22 Adrea Cocagi, 23 Julien Arias.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Ollie Lindsay-Hague, 13 Tim Molenaar, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Sam Smith, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Chris Robshaw (captain), 6 Luke Wallace, 5 George Robson, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Paul Doran Jones, 19 George Merrick, 20 Tom Guest, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Ben Botica, 23 Paul Sackey.
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees : Ian Davies (Wales), Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
