Evans boot secures historic win
All Black Nick Evans kicked 20 points as he lead Harlequins to a historic 25-9 win over Castres Olympique in the opening match of the new European Champions Cup.
The 20 points from the boot of Evans and a Danny Care try clinched it for Quins, with three Rory Kockott penalties all that the French club had to show.
The two sides were level 3-3 at the break after a penalty each from Castres' South African-born scrumhalf, Kockott, and Quins flyhalf Evans.
In the second half Evans went on to add a further half-dozen penalties, and set up England scrumhalf Danny Care's try, which he duly converted.
Whilst the home side enjoyed much of the possession in the first period Castres held their own with a determined defensive display, making 81 tackles before the break.
Four minutes after the restart Evans put Quins ahead against a side struggling in the French Top 14.
After he'd kicked two more penalties and two from Kockott the game entered the last quarter delicately poised at 12-6 to Quins.
A sublime chip over his namesake Max Evans set up Care for the first try of the new Cup campaign in the 66th minute.
Evans converted and got a couple more penalties to get Quins off to a solid start to Pool Two.
Double defending champions Toulon begin the defence of their European crown at home to Scarlets on Sunday, while last year's beaten finalists Saracens entertain French heavyweights Clermont in the revamped competition on Saturday.
Now known as the European Champions Cup, the tournament has been pared down to 20 teams (seven English, six French, three Irish, two Welsh, one Scottish and one Italian) in five pools, the product of more than two years of political wrangling between the English, French and Celtic nations.
Only the five pool winners and the three best pool runners-up will qualify for the knock-out stage.
The scorers:
For Harlequins:
Tries: Care
Cons: Evans
Pens: Evans 6
For Castres:
Pens: Kockott 3
Teams:
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 George Lowe, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Luke Wallace, 5 George Robson, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Will Collier, 2 Dave Ward, 1 Joe Marler (captain).
Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Sam Twomey, 20 Joe Trayfoot, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Jordan Turner-Hall, 23 Ollie Lindsay-Hague.
Castres: 15 Geoffrey Palis, 14 Max Evans, 13 Christopher Tuatara-Morrison, 12 Thomas Combezou, 11 Rémy Grosso, 10 Rémi Talès (captain), 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Jannie Bornman, 7 William Whetton, 6 Ibrahim Diarra, 5 Piula Faasalele, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Yohan Montes, 2 Brice Mach, 1 Saimone Taumoepeau.
Replacements: 16 Marc-Antoine Rallier, 17 Mihaita Lazar, 18 Paea Faanunu, 19 Mathieu Babillot, 20 Christophe Samson, 21 Julien Dumora, 22 Romain Cabannes, 23 Cédric Garcia.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sean Brickell (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)
