Andre the Giant scores to beat Siya's Racing
SUNDAY WRAP: Andre Esterhuizen scored one of Harlequins’ four tries as his team beat World Cup Springbok teammate and captain Siya Kolisi’s Racing 92 in a Champions Cup outing.
Harlequins won 31-28 away to Racing 92 in a thrilling encounter in Paris, as Marcus Smith converted all four tries, including his own, and added a drop-goal.
Smith and Andre Esterhuizen touched down in an enthralling first half for Quins, who led by three at the interval as halfback duo Nolann Le Garrec and Antoine Gibert notched tries for Racing.
In first half, the two equally matched sides scored two converted tries apiece with Smith’s drop goal being the only difference as Harlequins went in 17-14 up.
The hosts then surged 28-17 ahead as Le Garrec crossed again before flank Ibrahim Diallo did likewise.
But Quins hit back with two quick tries from Alex Dombrandt and Jack Walker to snatch victory in Pool Two.
It was a half defined by a trading of brilliance between Le Garrec and Smith, with the scrumhalf striking first when he finished off a flowing move.
Smith responded in kind, and Harlequins soon added a second via centre Andre Esterhuizen. The visitors then went ten points up when Smith scored a drop goal, but fly-half Antoine Gibert crossed to keep the hosts firmly in the match.
They took the lead moments into the second period with Le Garrec picking up his second try and the hosts maintained their supremacy. Even despite Smith producing a try-saving tackle to deny Racing their fourth try, it eventually came via flanker Ibrahim Diallo as Racing picked up their bonus-point.
But immediately Harlequins struck back.
First No.8 Alex Dombrandt broke through, and then they took the lead through prop Jack Walker.
Racing 92 pushed for a winner, opting to go for the try rather than take the draw, and there was hope when Harlequins’ lack of discipline saw second row Dino Lamb handed a yellow on the 80th minute.
But the French side had no time to take advantage, a late knock on right by the tryline ending their hopes.
Racing 92 will now travel to Belfast to face Ulster, while Harlequins will host another French side in Stade Toulousain.
* Continue below …)
An asbolutely MASSIVE @MarcuSmith10 drop goal proved to be the difference for @Harlequins 💪
Instant #InvestecChampionsCup highlights ⬇️
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 10, 2023
Leinster sink holders La Rochelle
La Rochelle began their bid for a third-straight Champions Cup title with a 9-16 loss at home to Leinster on Sunday in a repeat of last season’s Final.
Ireland wing Jordan Larmour scored the game’s only try for Leinster moments after both teams were reduced to 14 men as Jonathan Danty and Joe McCarthy were sin-binned following a 12th-minute tussle.
Harry Byrne nailed the conversion as Leinster replied to Antoine Hastoy’s early penalty for the hosts in driving rain on the Atlantic coast.
Another Hastoy kick reduced the gap to a point, but Leinster took a 10-6 lead into half-time as Ciaran Frawley replaced the injured Byrne and immediately slotted over a penalty.
Hastoy again cut the deficit for La Rochelle but two more penalties from Frawley, the second a monster 60-metre effort with time expiring, secured victory for the Irish province.
“It’s only round one for starters, so it’s not getting too excited at the moment, but we talked before the game that the conditions were going to play a big part,” said Leinster head coach Leo Cullen.
“It was forecast all week, so we tried to prepare accordingly,” he added.
“That’s the type of game it was going to be, a very hard game to chase because of the conditions.”
La Rochelle have also made a sluggish start in the Top 14, losing five of nine games, and take on South Africa’s Stormers next Saturday in their second Pool Four fixture.
“Leinster were hungry and it showed,” said La Rochelle Director of Rugby Ronan O’Gara.
“The best team won tonight. We had opportunities but didn’t take them. This defeat must be used as a lesson.”
Leinster, adjusting to life without the retired Johnny Sexton, are chasing a record-equalling fifth title after falling short against La Rochelle in successive finals.
The French side won 27-26 last season to hoist the trophy in Dublin.
Only Toulon have won the tournament on three straight occasions.
* (Continue below …)
A 60M PENALTY WITH THE LAST KICK 🤩
Instant #InvestecChampionsCup highlights of @leinsterrugby defeating the reigning champs ⬇️
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 10, 2023
Sharks feast in France
English Premiership leaders Sale Sharks produced a storming second-half display to beat a lacklustre Stade Francais in their opening Pool Four fixture in Salford.
Leading 6-5 at half-time, Sale stepped up a gear in the second half scoring 22 points unanswered with tries from Tom O’Flaherty, Jonny Hill and Sam Dugdale.
England flyhalf George Ford opened the scoring with a penalty in the 13th minute before Jeremy Ward found himself in space after a searing break from fullback Leo Barre to put Stade Francais in front.
Ford, however, put Sale back on top just before half-time with his second penalty.
Sale dominated the second period with Ford adding another penalty before left wing O’Flaherty slipped through some flimsy tackling to score in the corner.
Ten minutes later, Sale found the same corner, this time with Raffi Quirke finding room for lock forward Hill to slide in.
Dugdale then went on the charge from a tap penalty close to the French line and bulldozed his way through for the try.
Tom Curtis fired over the conversion to complete a fine afternoon for the English.
All Sunday’s scores and scorers follow below the pool standings ...
Sale Sharks 28-5 Stade Français
The scorers
For Sale Sharks
Tries: O’Flaherty, Hill, Dugdale
Cons: Curtis 2
Pens: Ford 3
For Stade Francais
Try: Ward
Teams
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Sam James, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Ben Curry (captain), 6 Sam Dugdale, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Ben Bamber, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Si McIntyre.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Josh Beaumont, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 Tom Curtis, 23 Connor Doherty.
Stade Francais: 15 Leo Barre, 14 Kylan Hamdaoui, 13 Jeremy Ward (captain), 12 Pierre Boudehent, 11 Peniasi Dakuwaqa, 10 Joris Segonds, 9 Hugo Zabalza, 8 Mathieu Hirigoyen, 7 Ryan Chapuis, 6 Julien Ory, 5 JJ van der Mescht, 4 Pierre-Henri Azagoh, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Lucas Peyresblanques, 1 Clement Castets.
Replacements: 16 Mamoudou Meite, 17 Sergo Abramishvili, 18 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 19 Paul Gabrillagues, 20 Baptiste Pesenti, 21 Jules Gimbert, 22 Tanginoa Halaifonua, 23 Lester Etien.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Ian Kenny (Scotland), Jonny Perriam (Scotland)
TMO: David Sutherland (Scotland)
La Rochelle 9-16 Leinster
The scorers
For La Rochelle
Pens: Hastoy 3
For Leinster
Try: Larmour
Con: Byrne
Pens: Frawley 3
Yellow cards: Jonathan Danty(La Rochelle, 11), Joe McCarthy (Leinster, 11)
Teams
La Rochelle: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Ulupano Seuteni, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Jules Favre, 10 Antoine Hastoy, 9 Tawerra Kerr-Barlow, 8 Yoan Tanga, 7 Levani Botia, 6 Paul Boudehent, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Thomas Lavault, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Pierre Bourgarit (captain), 1 Reda Wardi.
Replacements: 16 Sacha Idoumi, 17 Joel Sclavi, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 Rémi Picquette, 21 Judicaël Cancoriet, 22 Teddy Iribaren, Hugo Reus.
Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Garry Ringrose (cc), 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Jimmy O’Brien, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Will Connors, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan (cc), 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter.
Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Ciarán Frawley, 23 Charlie Ngatai.
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales (England), Paul Dix (England)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
Racing 92 28-31 Harlequins
The scorers
For Racing
Tries: Le Garrec 2, Gibert, Diallo
Cons: Le Garrec 4
For Harlequins
Tries: Smith, Esterhuizen, Dombrandt, Walker
Cons: Smith 4
DG: Smith
Yellow card: Dino Lamb (Harlequins, 79)
Teams
Racing 92: 15 Henry Arundell, 14 Vinaya Habosi, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Francis Saili, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Antoine Gibert, 9 Nolann le Garrec, 8 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Ibrahim Diallo, 5 Boris Palu, 4 Cameron Woki, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Guram Gogichashvili.
Replacements: 16 Jannick Tarrit, 17 Eddy Ben Arous, 18 Thomas Laclayat, 19 Baptiste Chouzenoux, 20 Jordan Joseph, 21 Clovis le Bail, 22 Tristan Tedder, 23 Henry Chavancy.
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Nick David, 13 Will Joseph, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt (captain), 7 Will Evans, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Dino Lamb, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Sam Riley, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Irne Herbst, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Will Porter, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Oscar Beard.
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ireland), Paul Haycock (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Leicester Tigers 35-26 Stormers
The scorers
For Leicester Tigers
Tries: Kata 2, Pollard
Cons: Pollard 3
Pens: Pollard 3
For the Stormers
Tries: Morabe, Skosan
Cons: Matthee 2
Pens: Matthee 3
DG: Matthee
Yellow card: Lee-Marvin Mazibuko (Stormers, 64 – foul play, shoulder to the head)
Teams
Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Josh Bassett, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Solomone Kata, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 Ollie Chessum, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Julián Montoya (captain), 1 Francois van Wyk.
Replacements: 16 Archie Vanes, 17 James Cronin, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Kyle Hatherell, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Dan Kelly.
Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Hendré Stassen, 3 Brok Harris (captain), 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16: JJ Kotze, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Cornel Smit.
Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
Assistant referees: Adrien Marbot (France), Evan Urruzmendi (France)
TMO: Cédric Marchat (France)
* Sources: @ChampionsCup & AFP
