Toulouse resist brave Harlequins fightback in 10-try Champions Cup thriller
Toulouse 38 Harlequins 26
If the collective challenge of Premiership clubs was going to be extinguished before a Champions Cup final in north London later this month, one could hardly have picked a more absorbing occasion for them to bow out on.
Harlequins, urged on by travelling support that was as persistent as they were, promised to “swing the bat” and delivered on that promise time and again, even as they began the first half staring down a 31-12 deficit.
Antoine Dupont had scored twice during an intoxicating first period in which Toulouse preyed ruthlessly on turnovers at the breakdown and in the line-out. The rhythm and variation of the hosts’ attack would have blown away lesser opponents terminally. But Harlequins, mirroring Northampton Saints in Dublin a day earlier, refused to relent.
Peato Mauvaka, the storming hooker, was another influential try-scorer for Toulouse and Paul Costes, a 21-year-old centre with a hugely exciting future, oozed class among more familiar names such as Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament and François Cros. Matthis Lebel and Juan Cruz Mallía bookended the display of Toulouse, who will have a chance to avenge heavy losses to Leinster at the semi-final stage of their past two Champions Cup campaigns.
This season’s decider should be another absorbing affair, hinging on a clash of distinct styles. It could be one of the best in the rich history of this competition. Ugo Mola said his team had broken a “glass ceiling”, but knows a formidable adversary awaits. Stephan Lewies, the Harlequins captain, rued the way which Toulouse had been “handed points on a platter”. Danny Wilson, his head coach, was disappointed yet proud.
“First of all, there’s the positive of coming out in the second half and solving problems,” he said. “We won the second half in Toulouse, scored four tries in all and looked like Harlequins again. But the damage was done in the first half. We’ll look back at this game as a group and be frustrated with our first-half performance but very proud of our second-half performance.”
On the one hand, Harlequins could have been optimistic given they had already engineered two stirring wins in France this term. They outlasted both Racing 92 in the pool stage and edged Bordeaux Bègles by one in a thrilling quarter-final comprising 83 points.
More ominously, Toulouse had ransacked The Stoop back in December, winning 47-19. Given the abundance of France internationals at the disposal of Mola, Harlequins were confronting a similar task to the one met by Northampton on Saturday. And things began just as ominously, Lebel going over from Romain Ntamack’s floated pass after Flament had risen to nab a line-out throw.
A fast start ⚡️@StadeToulousain showing how lethal they can be in the opening minutes!#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/JQdkfPieGV
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
Marcus Smith slipped in for a response to reward his forwards’ toughness and continuity before Mauvaka dotted down at the tail of a Toulouse drive.
🃏@Harlequins are up for the challenge today 💪
After multiple phases, Marcus Smith is the one to pierce the line and put Quins in front!#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/JYRxVu1HXX— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
A typically busy Will Evans capitalised on a runaway maul for number two on the back of a contentious 50:22 from Louis Lynagh.
50-22 ➡️ try time@Harlequins hit back with a maul of their own. #TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/eZiVKuBvc2
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
Then came a purple patch for Toulouse. Flament pickpocketed Chandler Cunningham-South, who was otherwise menacing in the Harlequins back row, at the base of a ruck to score before Dupont bagged an opportunistic, quick-fire double.
The majestic scrum-half followed up a cute grubber from Costes before supporting a charge from Mauvaka. Wilson’s charges looked weary, especially in the build-up to Dupont’s second, but tapped into their rich history of entertaining rear-guards.
Give @StadeToulousain a chance and they'll pounce 🔥
Antoine Dupont cashes in after a rapid Toulouse counter-attack!#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/ZUoD8v3yGH— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
.@StadeToulousain are turning it up a notch now 🥵@Dupont9A goes in for back-to-back tries. #TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/08RWRqjqky
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
During half-time, Charley, the Harlequins mascot, was decapitated during a game of one-on-one against Ovalion, its Toulouse counterpart. Charley recovered his fluffy head and scored to clinch the contest. To their immense credit, Harlequins exhibited comparable determination in the second period. They mixed pragmatism and set-piece muscle with free-wheeling ambition, leaning heavily upon the scrum and the maul as well as the fizzing Tyrone Green at full-back.
Early in the second half, one of several scrum penalties earned field position and there was a stroke of fortune when André Esterhuizen’s grubber ricocheted back to the burly centre. Smith could find Cadan Murley, who finished acrobatically, and converted from the touchline.
A 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 finish in the corner from Cadan Murley 😮💨
Can @Harlequins bring it back from here?#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/mCZ2nQIXUM— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
Harlequins kept swinging. On a warm afternoon, when defenders’ legs are beginning to get heavy, Green must be among the scariest opponents in the sport. Moments after releasing Lynagh down the right, he linked with Murley to slice Toulouse up the middle. Thriving in chaos, Green roamed into first-receiver and straight through.
Comeback loading? ⏳
Can @Harlequins do it again? 👀#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/g1tCjTl6Mt— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
Suddenly, Harlequins were within five. Evans and Luke Northmore stifled Toulouse with jackal turnovers out wide, setting up a captivating final-quarter shoot-out. Just as they were eying a victory for the ages, Harlequins blinked again.
A yellow card for Jack Walker, following a clumsy clear-out on Dupont, arrived with 14 minutes to go. Both Mola and Dupont acknowledged it as a critical turning point. Andrew Brace and his television match official (TMO) Olly Hodges deliberated on the collision as a Who Wants to be a Millionaire-style heartbeat played over the stadium speakers, which cannot have been helpful. They could not ask the audience, who were jeering vociferiously.
Mallía’s try followed immediately and Harlequins were finally snuffed out after Brace reversed a penalty when Joe Marler cuffed Thomas Ramos. At the final whistle, as Harlequins crossed the touchline and thanked their fans, the departing Esterhuizen cut a disconsolate figure. He and Will Collier, a fantastic tighthead prop, will take some replacing. All they can do now, as Toulouse look forward to a mouth-watering revenge mission against Leinster, is channel pride and dejection into the race for a top-four spot in the Premiership.
Match details
Scoring: 5-0 Lebel try, 5-5 Smith try, 5-7 Smith conversion, 10-7 Mauvaka try, 12-7 Kinghorn conversion, 12-12 Evans try, 17-12 Flament try, 22-12 Dupont try, 24-12 Kinghorn conversion, 29-12 Dupont try, 31-12 Kinghorn conversion, 31-17 Murley try, 31-19 Smith conversion, 31-24 Green try, 31-26 Smith conversion, 36-26 Mallía try, 38-26 Ramos conversion
Toulouse: B Kinghorn; J Cruz Mallia, P Costes (S Chocobares, 70), P Ahki, M Lebel (T Ramos, 54); R Ntamack, A Dupont (c); C Baille (R Neti, 61), P Mauvaka (J Marchand, 51), D Aldegheri J Merkler, 61), T Flament, E Meafou (R Arnold, 56), F Cros, J Willis (M Castro-Ferreira, 72), A Rouma
Replacement not used: P Graou
Harlequins: T Green; L Lynagh (S Riley, 71), L Northmore (O Beard, 76), A Esterhuizen, C Murley; M Smith, D Care (W Porter, 63); F Baxter, J Walker (J Evans, 78), W Collier (S Kerrod, 63), I Herbst (G Hammond, 72), S Lewies (c), C Cunningham-South, W Evans (J Chisholm, 68), A Dombrandt
Yellow card: Walker 66
Attendance: 32,494
Toulouse v Harlequins: As it happened
05:22 PM BST
Goodnight!
And thanks for following with us.
So close for both of the English sides, but ultimately the class and depth of Leinster and Toulouse told.
That duo will meet in the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday May 25.
Check back to the Telegraph Sport page for all the latest reaction and analysis.
05:10 PM BST
Alex Dombrandt, Quins No 8, to TNT
Pretty raw, straight after the game. The damage was done in the first half. We didn’t come out and fire our shots. We made too many errors out of system and a team like Toulouse put us away for that.
Second half, much more like us - we won it 14-7 - but the damage was done in the first half.
The breakdown was not us. A few decisions didn’t go our way but that’s rugby. A lot of damage was done from what we could control.
Looking back on the journey we’ve had, it would be easy to say we had a good run at it, but we missed an opportunity. We could have been in the final. We have to dust ourselves down, with two Premiership games to come, and hopefully we can make some more history.
05:06 PM BST
Jack Willis, Toulouse flanker, to TNT
I can’t believe it. A hell of a match and fair play to Quins. I can’t wait for that match in a few weeks. A really cool feeling.
Regularly I look back on what happened at Wasps and the heartache there. I feel very lucky that a club like this has welcomed me in.
We said all week to prepare for the unexpected. We had to stay calm and collected but we did that. It was shaky at one point - we know what Quins can do - but we saw it out.
I can’t put into words what it would mean to win in a few weeks. Something I’ve dreamt of since growing up. A long way to go but that’s the aim.
05:04 PM BST
That Ntamack tackle
Having now properly seen it, it did look suspect and worthy of another look. Would Quins have won had Ntamack been sent off? Impossible to say. My gut says ‘no’ but it would certainly have been closer at the death.
04:55 PM BST
Tough to disagree!
Saw some of the best of Toulouse but also why they have struggled against Leinster in recent seasons
Defence will have to be much better in the final because they won't get as much loose ball
Fair play to Quins, great to watch. Wouldn't say no to a Saint-Quins Prem final— Paul Eddison (@pauleddison) May 5, 2024
04:53 PM BST
Ntamack’s tackle on Esterhuizen
A few in the comments seem to be upset that there was no sanction for Ntamack’s high-looking tackle on Esterhuizen.
We might not have seen the angles on our screens, but referee Andrew Brace asked the TMO to check and was told there was no head contact.
When I next see footage, I can judge for myself. Until then, I suppose we have to trust the TMO...
04:51 PM BST
The score that clinched it
Could that be it? 👀
A well-worked @StadeToulousain try finished by Juan Cruz Mallia to extend their lead 👏#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/ioHds49ugQ— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
04:49 PM BST
Full-time: TLS 38 HAR 26
A bridge too far for Quins in the end. A valiant effort but Toulouse’s first-half lead was too much.
04:48 PM BST
80 mins: TLS 38 HAR 26
Toulouse are penalised for off feet at the ruck after an Ntamack cross-kick but that’s the game.
Harlequins go quickly but they cannot get the two scores.
04:47 PM BST
78 mins: TLS 38 HAR 26
Toulouse knock on on halfway down the blindside and Quins give it a final crack of the whip.
Marler bursts through the middle! A great carry and offload to Riley.
Quins are in behind and they have a penalty! But it’s reversed because Marler chose to slap Ramos on the back of the head.
Fair enough. Silly, needless, game over.
04:43 PM BST
76 mins: TLS 38 HAR 26
Chocobares makes a big hit on Northmore in midfield and the centre knocks on.
Time is running out for Quins, as Toulouse put into a scrum.
04:42 PM BST
75 mins: TLS 38 HAR 26
Harlequins will have their final roll of the dice from a line-out on the Toulouse 10-metre line. With two scores requires, it’s now or never.
The line-out came about from a deep Green kick that was returned rather sloppily by Ramos.
04:38 PM BST
72 mins: TLS 38 HAR 26
Oh dear.
Quins attempt a counter from deep but Smith’s pass to Murley - under little pressure - asks too much of the wing.
Murley knocks on and Toulouse will put in just outside the visitors’ 22.
04:35 PM BST
CON RAMOS: TLS 38 HAR 26
The lead is back to 12 - and there are 11 minutes remaining.
04:35 PM BST
TRY MALLIA: TLS 36 HAR 26
That could well be that.
Toulouse suck the Quins forwards in, with Marchand scrapping like a cage fighter.
Eventually, the hosts go wide. Ramos passes a bit early to Mallia and the wing has a lot to do, but he steps in to brush aside the desperate challenges of Lynagh and Northmore to score in the corner.
04:33 PM BST
YELLOW CARD WALKER: TLS 31 HAR 26
‘Careless not reckless and a genuine, legal attempt to clean’
Walker is saved with just a yellow but, by the time he returns, with Toulouse against 14, the match might be gone.
The hosts go to the corner...
04:32 PM BST
66 mins: TLS 31 HAR 26
It is getting a bit cagey.
There’s a trading of quite poor kicks from Dupont and Murley with both teams desperately after field position.
Evans mis-times his jackal on halfway and the Quins flanker is penalised.
Hang on, Walker has clocked Dupont in the head at the ruck. This could be red? At first glance it looks at least a yellow.
To the TMO we go...
04:27 PM BST
Quins’ fourth score
Comeback loading? ⏳
Can @Harlequins do it again? 👀#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/g1tCjTl6Mt— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
04:26 PM BST
62 mins: TLS 31 HAR 26
Evans knocks on in midfield with Quins hunting again, and Toulouse put in.
Dupont darts down the blindside but two phases later it’s Quins popping up with it!
The visitors sniff a counter, and Lynagh brings the long pass out, but Murley cannot quite locate the support inside with the offload.
Toulouse will put into the scrum but Quins are on top - the hosts are struggling to get out of their own half.
04:23 PM BST
60 mins: TLS 31 HAR 26
Quins keep pushing, but Aldegheri gets down to win a holding-on penalty.
But with Toulouse on the attack around halfway, Costes slips and Northmore replies in kind!
Smith gives his side a line-out from a tight angle inside the Toulouse half.
This remains in the balance and, undoubtedly, it is a Quins purple patch.
04:20 PM BST
57 mins: TLS 31 HAR 26
Quins on the attack again here after a Toulouse breakdown penalty and Smith threads a kick into touch on Toulouse’s five-metre line. A great nudge.
But Toulouse go quickly and Kinghorn clears up to wards halfway. It will be a Quins throw, mind you.
04:16 PM BST
CON SMITH: TLS 31 HAR 26
It’s a five-point game. Madness!
Ramos is on for Lebel, incidentally.
04:16 PM BST
TRY GREEN: TLS 31 HAR 24
My. Word. They obviously read my thoughts at half-time!
Green counters and offloads to Murley, who is in space, entering the Toulouse 22.
Walker clears ruck, Quins recycle quickly, and with Toulouse reeling Green cuts a fabulous line to score under the sticks.
04:14 PM BST
Dispatch from Toulouse
Joe Marler and Julien Marchand enter the fray, replacing Fin Baxter and Peato Maucvaka, respectively. Two decent players join a game that is coming to the boil. Harlequins have been admirably composed after the break... ah. As I type that, Thibaud Flament springs for another line-out steal.
(The Quins line-out has struggled today)
04:13 PM BST
Quins hope
A 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 finish in the corner from Cadan Murley 😮💨
Can @Harlequins bring it back from here?#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/mCZ2nQIXUM— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
04:12 PM BST
50 mins: TLS 31 HAR 19
Quins are sniffing another opportunity here, recycling the ball well with Esterhuizen, Northmore and Green finding holes.
But Toulouse attack the breakdown again with a counter-ruck. It’s a real mess - with players from both sides off feet - and Toulouse will put into a scrum on their own 22.
Marler and Marchand are on in each respective front row.
04:08 PM BST
CON SMITH: TLS 31 HAR 19
A fabulous strike from Smith on the left touchline.
Hope for Quins!
04:08 PM BST
TRY MURLEY: TLS 31 HAR 17
Hello! Game... on? And what a finish it is from Murley.
Quins suck Toulouse in with the maul and after a deflected Esterhuizen grubber, a long Smith pass sends Murley in at the corner.
The wing used all the space available, leaping early to dot down, with his body airborne and out of play.
04:06 PM BST
45 mins: TLS 31 HAR 12
A positive attack from Quins, with Evans, Herbst and Cunningham-South all dynamic and getting the visitors up to the Toulouse five-metre after an initial Northmore bust.
Penalty Quins - and they go to the corner...
04:04 PM BST
42 mins: TLS 31 HAR 12
Ahki marmelises Green on the counter and Quins look a bit frantic - albeit the tempo is good.
Toulouse knock on an up-and-under and Quins put in.
Scrum penalty! The visitors kick down into the Toulouse 22 and will throw in.
04:01 PM BST
The teams are back out
Can Quins do it?
You feel it’s vital they score first.
03:56 PM BST
The winning score?
.@StadeToulousain are turning it up a notch now 🥵@Dupont9A goes in for back-to-back tries. #TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/08RWRqjqky
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
Or is it too early for that?
Quins, comeback kings that they are, will fancy their chances still but 19 points away at Toulouse, against a side in this mood, feels too much.
03:54 PM BST
Dispatch from Toulouse
An intoxicating half and, while Harlequins contributed with two tries and some patient stuff, Toulouse have blown them away, really. The variety and dynamism of the hosts’ attack is something to behold. They possess so many threats, with the synergy of Dupont and Ntamack dictating their flow beautifully. Singling out individuals feels slightly unfair, but Costes and Mauvaka have caught the eye. Harlequins have to respond quickly and convincingly to keep in touch.
03:51 PM BST
Toulouse’s fourth
The hosts in a nutshell. Quins over throw a line-out on halfway and, incredibly, that’s curtains. Was Kinghorn offside at the kick? Possibly, but it’s fabulous play nonetheless.
Give @StadeToulousain a chance and they'll pounce 🔥
Antoine Dupont cashes in after a rapid Toulouse counter-attack!#TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/ZUoD8v3yGH— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
03:46 PM BST
Half-time: TLS 31 HAR 12
Quins half-heartedly attempt to counter but Northmore kicks into the Toulouse half and Kinghorn jogs the ball out for half-time.
What a half from the hosts; what a mountain to climb for Quins. When they’ve had the ball in the Toulouse 22, they have looked dangerous, but that has not happened anywhere near often enough. Toulouse have been allowed to dictate territory and possession - and tempo.
And when they turn it on, the hosts are irresistible.
03:45 PM BST
39 mins: TLS 31 HAR 12
Quins are caught offside from the restart - Saints fell foul of that yesterday, too - and so Toulouse put into a scrum on halfway.
And they’re off again. Dupont breaks from the base and Kinghorn feeds Lebel. The wing gets into the Quins 22 but Care gets back well to intercept his speculative offload.
03:42 PM BST
CON KINGHORN: TLS 31 HAR 12
Straightforward for the Scot and the hosts’ lead is now 19.
03:42 PM BST
TRY DUPONT: TLS 29 HAR 12
This is becoming... insurmountable.
It’s beautiful phase play after a Roumat turnover. Dupont taps quickly, Ntamack and Ahki combine delicately, before Mauvaka picks from the base and bursts through!
He’s hauled down a metre short but who’s there, again, to dot down? That’s right, Dupont.
03:38 PM BST
CON KINGHORN: TLS 24 HAR 12
No knock-on and the try stands.
On the replay, however, it looks like Kinghorn might have been a touch in front of Costes as he kicked.
Still, the full-back converts the score and the tit-for-tat pattern of the game is shattered.
03:36 PM BST
TRY DUPONT: TLS 22 HAR 12
Quins overthrow their line-out - another mix-up in that area - and Toulouse, in the blink of an eye, are off!
Costes - again - leaves Smith for dead in midfield before putting boot to ball. It’s a foot race, Murley does well to get back but the ball is loose as Kinghorn tries to dive on it.
Dupont picks up and dots down and it’s Toulouse’s fourth.
The TMO is checking whether there was a knock-on in the scramble...
03:35 PM BST
32 mins: TLS 17 HAR 12
A sweeping Toulouse move - with Dupont and Costes involved - comes to nothing after a knock-on.
Quins put in inside their own half, the scrum goes down and it’s going to be reset.
Oh, no, there’s some chatter from Aldegheri and it’s a Harlequins penalty!
03:33 PM BST
Lynagh’s 50:22; Quins’s second try
50-22 ➡️ try time@Harlequins hit back with a maul of their own. #TOUvHAR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/eZiVKuBvc2
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 5, 2024
03:32 PM BST
A Toulousain dispatch
Breathless start here - hard to believe a quarter has gone already - and what is obvious is that compounding penalties to concede cheap metres is going to be costly. Then again, Andrew Brace also tends to reward breakdown aggression. Jackallers are going to need to strike a fine balance.
03:31 PM BST
MISSED CON KINGHORN: TLS 17 HAR 12
Well if these kickers keep kicking like this, we might not get 50 points apiece!
Still, five tries after 28 minutes. Madness.
03:30 PM BST
TRY FLAMENT: TLS 17 HAR 12
I can’t keep up!
Quins take the restart deep in their own territory and can’t control the ball in the ruck. The Toulouse counter-ruck causes the ball to squirt free. Care pops up to Cunningham-South but there’s confusion and the ball bounces off the flanker’s chest, straight into the arms of Flament, who charges over.
03:28 PM BST
MISSED CON SMITH: TLS 12 HAR 12
Smith cannot convert - sloppy from him - and the scores are level.
03:27 PM BST
TRY EVANS: TLS 12 HAR 12
Another perfect riposte from Quins!
Toulouse got absolutely nowhere near stopping the Harlequins maul and Smith has a moderately difficult conversion to retake the lead.
03:26 PM BST
24 mins: TLS 12 HAR 7
Smith puts the bomb up but it’s a little too long and Ntamack takes with ease, clearing up to halfway.
Quins throw in - Cunningham-South is putting himself about again - before Lynagh puts boot to ball and slides a grubber down to the Toulouse five-metre.
It’s into touch - and it’s a 50:22. Wow! Quins throw in five metres out.
03:22 PM BST
CON KINGHORN: TLS 12 HAR 7
Kinghorn takes his time but that one is successful, from the left side of the field.
03:21 PM BST
TRY MAUVAKA: TLS 10 HAR 7
And they have. Toulouse take the lead.
This could be 50 points apiece if it carries on!
03:20 PM BST
17 mins: TLS 5 HAR 7
Toulouse drive from the line-out maul with Mauvaka conducting at the back. The ball is over the line and Toulouse think they have scored.
Up to the TMO...
03:18 PM BST
16 mins: TLS 5 HAR 7
Two fabulous turnovers - one from Evans and the next from Mauvaka - ends with a Toulouse penalty as Baxter tries his hand for a third in 10 seconds, but Brace thinks the prop is illegal.
Toulouse kick down to the Quins 22 and will throw in.
03:16 PM BST
CON SMITH: TLS 5 HAR 7
Almost directly in front of the posts - and Quins lead!
03:16 PM BST
TRY SMITH: TLS 5 HAR 5
What a response! Smith squirts over to a chorus of boos.
It came after a tremendous run of phases. Esterhuizen, Cunningham-South and Dombrandt all punched holes. Care and Smith dictating tempo.
They’re back in it.
03:13 PM BST
12 mins: TLS 5 HAR 0
Another penalty for Quins as Toulouse are not pinged for not rolling away. So soft after the hosts put real pressure on the Quins line-out.
03:12 PM BST
11 mins: TLS 5 HAR 0
Massive for Quins - a scrum penalty!
Aldegheri collapses under pressure from Baxter and the visitors clear.
03:11 PM BST
9 mins: TLS 5 HAR 0
A penalty off the restart gives Toulouse and easy exit.
And Dupont is off from the resulting line-out, taking his side up to the 22. Harlequins think they have won it back but Meafou hits the ruck like a train to secure the ball for Toulouse.
The hosts rattle through the phases and Harlequins are clinging on. Toulouse are five metres out but Mauvaka’s offload to Mallia goes forward so the English side will escape with a five-metre scrum.
Given how the start has gone, if they escape here trailing by just five points that will feel like a victory.
03:07 PM BST
MISSED CON KINGHORN: TLS 5 HAR 0
It was wide on the left and tough so it’s not as bad as it could have been for Quins.
03:06 PM BST
TRY LEBEL: TLS 5 HAR 0
Too easy.
A stolen line-out, another sumptuous offload from Meafou; Mauvaka flicks to Ntamack and the long pass sends Lebel over.
That was Harlequins shooting themselves in the foot. You can’t lose five-metre line-outs to this lot.
03:05 PM BST
4 mins: TLS 0 HAR 0
Dupont goes cross-field to Mallia off the boot and the wing is in acres of space but the bounce does not favour him.
Quins throw in on their own five-metre line. Stolen by Flament!
03:04 PM BST
2 mins: TLS 0 HAR 0
It’s frenetic!
Quins look to attack out wide immediately but they’ve under-resourced the breakdown and a Costes counter-ruck wins the ball back.
And Toulouse are off, sweeping up the field. There’s a gorgeous offload from Meafou to Flament in there and the tempo is high. Kinghorn with a good carry, too.
But there’s a been a Quins knock-on so it’s the first scrum on the visitors’ 22. Toulouse put-in.
03:01 PM BST
Kick-off
Ntamack gets us under way!
03:01 PM BST
The teams are out...
...to much fanfare. Fireworks and coloured smoke.
‘Toulousain! Allez, allez, allez!’ gets going.
And Harlequins’ first ever Champions/Heineken Cup semi-final is about to begin.
03:00 PM BST
Dispatch from Toulouse
On the one hand, Harlequins have already engineered two rollocking wins in France this Champions Cup campaign. They outlasted both Racing 92 in the pool stage and edged Bordeaux-Bègles by one in a match comprising 83 points.
On the other hand, Toulouse utterly bullied Harlequins at The Stoop back in December, winning 47-19. In a funny sort of way, given the number of France internationals at the disposal of Ugo Mola, this is similar to the challenge that faced Northampton Saints yesterday… that is to say, it is going to be seriously tough.
If you were to plot a potential path to victory for Harlequins, you would say that they will need to eke out a number of scrum penalties over the 80 minutes, to keep Antoine Dupont quiet – or at least relatively subdued – and to capitalise if and when there are any lapses from Toulouse.
You sense Harlequins will need to rule the breakdown, too. Expect Will Evans, Alex Dombrandt and André Esterhuizen to go after the ruck area aggressively.
02:55 PM BST
Five minutes until kick-off
Here is a recap of today’s teams. It should be a cracker.
Toulouse: B Kinghorn; J Cruz Mallia, P Costes, P Ahki, M Lebel; R Ntamack, A Dupont (c); C Baille, P Mauvaka, D Aldegheri, T Flament, E Meafou, F Cros, J Willis, A Roumat.
Replacements: J Marchand, R Neti, J Merkler, R Arnold, M Castro-Ferreira, P Graou, S Chocobares, T Ramos.
Harlequins: T Green; L Lynagh, L Northmore, A Esterhuizen, C Murley; M Smith, D Care; F Baxter, J Walker, W Collier, I Herbst, S Lewies (c), C Cunningham-South, W Evans, A Dombrandt.
Replacements: S Riley, J Marler, S Kerrod, G Hammond, J Chisholm, W Porter, J Evans, O Beard.
Referee: Andrew Brace
02:54 PM BST
Hostile reception
Boos for Marcus Smith as the Harlequins team is read out*
*French crowds love a boo— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) May 5, 2024
02:47 PM BST
An interesting selection
As in the quarter-final, Blair Kinghorn of Scotland is preferred to Thomas Ramos at full-back by Ugo Mola.
Still, not a bad replacement at 60 minutes, is it?
02:45 PM BST
Danny Wilson, Quins head coach, to TNT
Toulouse kick the least in terms of teams we have played this season. So you’re probably going to see a lot of ‘hold onto your hats’. There is a pragmatism attached to that but we’ve come here to have a crack!
You heard him - hold onto your hats, folks!
02:44 PM BST
Harlequins’ injured full-back
Superb.
Nick David amongst the fans in full kit 🃏 pic.twitter.com/diNTRNsCLF
— Harlequins Podcast (@harlequinspod) May 5, 2024
02:37 PM BST
Jerome Kaino, Toulouse assistant, to TNT
Exciting! We’re very excited to be lucky enough to be in another semi-final. And to be at home is special as the last three or four years we’ve had to travel. Fired up.
We haven’t managed to cross that hurdle as you said but we won’t take the home advantage for granted. It’s special, coming up against a world-class team. It’s about respecting our opponents and respecting what to have to do on the field.
When we played there, four and a half months ago, we knew if we could get our game going then it would work well. But we’re expecting a totally different team.
Antoine’s got the x-factor. But to have a pivot and work our game around him is incredible. He’s one in a million - world class. We’re lucky to have him on our side.
02:35 PM BST
A reminder!
Toulouse demolished Harlequins 47-19 in this competition just before Christmas.
I’ve just remembered I was there reporting on the game (a lot has happened since!) but Toulouse’s stars were sublime that night.
If they hit that level again, Quins will do well to live with them.
Relive that December match here.
02:27 PM BST
A Toulousain dispatch
I’ve reached my seat here at Stadium de Toulouse, having walked down the Garonne river from Place Capitole. Plenty of Harlequins supporters have travelled and are making themselves heard. There was even a green flare as the visitors disembarked from the coach at the ground about half an hour ago.
We’re still about 40 minutes from kick-off and Romain Ntamack has just taken to the pitch to warm-up. On his way, he stopped to give his dad, Emile, a peck on the cheek. The latter was on the touchline on punditry duty.
I cannot personally see past a win for Toulouse here, but it would be very interesting if Harlequins started in a completely different manner to Northampton Saints yesterday and built an early lead.
(My colleague agrees with me, then - sorry Quins!)
02:25 PM BST
Where’s your money?
Let me know in the comments.
I’m going, with a heavy heart, Toulouse by 10 - but it will be some game.
And, if that is the case, what a final we have in store. And can you believe that Leinster and Toulouse have never met in a European final?
But there’s still 80 minutes awaiting us and Harlequins will have plenty to say about that!
02:17 PM BST
Head-to-head
There are tasty clashes all over. This match is overflowing with sub-plots and narrative. Given the level of the respective attacks, it would be somewhat bizarre to pick the front rows, but the scrum battle today - after what happened in Bordeaux - is fascinating.
The clash at half-back, however, is a cut above. An all-international quartet in Danny Care and Marcus Smith against Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. That is worth the admission fee alone?
What's Danny Care saying to Antoine Dupont here? 👀
45 mins to go, watch @StadeToulousain v @Harlequins live on @francetvsport, @beinsports_FR, @tntsports, @ITVRugby, @SuperSportTV & @FloRugby 📺#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/qRn9Ffxpst— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) May 5, 2024
02:10 PM BST
ICYMI
Leinster became the first side to book their place in this season’s final with a three-point victory over Northampton in Dublin yesterday. The Irish province dominated for 60 minutes before a thrilling Saints comeback gave the hosts the mightiest fright.
Read Gavin Mairs’s report from Croke Park by clicking here.
02:04 PM BST
Confirmed line-ups
Toulouse: B Kinghorn; J Cruz Mallia, P Costes, P Ahki, M Lebel; R Ntamack, A Dupont (c); C Baille, P Mauvaka, D Aldegheri, T Flament, E Meafou, F Cros, J Willis, A Roumat.
Replacements: J Marchand, R Neti, J Merkler, R Arnold, M Castro-Ferreira, P Graou, S Chocobares, T Ramos.
Harlequins: T Green; L Lynagh, L Northmore, A Esterhuizen, C Murley; M Smith, D Care; F Baxter, J Walker, W Collier, I Herbst, S Lewies (c), C Cunningham-South, W Evans, A Dombrandt.
Replacements: S Riley, J Marler, S Kerrod, G Hammond, J Chisholm, W Porter, J Evans, O Beard.
Referee: Andrew Brace
01:50 PM BST
Good afternoon!
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of the second semi-final of this season’s Champions Cup as Harlequins travel to Toulouse for a place in the final on May 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
After Northampton’s narrow loss to Leinster yesterday, Harlequins are left to fly the English - and British! - flag in the Champions Cup today. This Harlequins dynasty has pulled off some remarkable victories - arguably none more so than in the quarter-final victory against Bordeaux - but today, in south-west France, would top them all. Toulouse are the Rolls Royce of France’s domestic scene; currently second in the Top 14 by two points despite having almost an entire matchday 23 away with World Cup commitments at the start of the season.
Just as with Leinster yesterday, too, Toulouse are not at “home”, but as good as, with this match moved away from the usual Stade Ernest-Wallon to the “neutral” Le Stadium across the city, the ground of the Toulousain football team. Although there will be fewer home comforts, a febrile atmosphere will be guaranteed in one of the world’s great rugby towns.
If Harlequins are to do the unthinkable today, then that Bordeaux spirit must be distilled and reopened with potency. Of course, the characteristic razzle-dazzle has to function but thinking back to that quarter-final and the titanic showings of props Fin Baxter and Will Collier is a reminder of the English side’s physical prowess, too. They will need it all today. It all has to fire against a Toulouse side - with Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack at the helm - that can cut teams open from all areas. Would a win become Harlequins’ greatest day in this competition? Certainly. And the greatest victory for an English side. Certainly up there.
One thing is for sure: we’ll all have to strap ourselves in. All the team news and confirmed line-ups are next!