Soon after half-time the threat of total humiliation was hanging in the air for Harlequins. Driven forward by a dynamic display from Zach Mercer, the former Bath No 8, Montpellier’s potent mix of ruthless attack and bruising defence looked likely to overwhelm the Premiership champions. But after a resourceful second-half fightback when George Hammond, André Esterhuizen, Joe Marchant and Louis Lynagh all scored tries, Quins carry hope into the second leg at The Stoop on Saturday.
A sun-kissed stadium in the south of France appeared to be the perfect setting for hot-stepping Quins to showcase their expansive offloading game with Fabien Galthié, the grand slam-winning France coach, watching from the stands. But the first half became a harsh lesson for a side that had won their previous five Premiership matches. Tabai Matson, the Quins senior coach, had called Montpellier “the kickingest team in the French league” but the script in this clash of styles did not develop in the way he hoped.
