Harlequins comeback foiled as Marcus Smith misses late conversion

Harlequins 33 Montpellier 20

Harlequins stumbled at the very last step of another great escape attempt, their Champions Cup campaign ending in dramatic style after a missed conversion from Marcus Smith allowed Montpellier to prevail from a topsy-turvy last-16 tie by a single point.

Smith, who had landed four previous shots at goal and had conjured a stunning team try finished by Joe Marchant, saw his strike drift to the left of the posts following Louis Lynagh’s finish. It would have given Harlequins, inspired by captain Alex Dombrandt, the advantage for the first time of this two-legged affair in the 156th of its 160 minutes.

As it was, a 33-20 victory was quite not enough for the English champions to atone for their 40-26 loss in France six days earlier. Montpellier, current leaders of the Top 14, clung on to reach the quarter-finals.

“I think we showed that we didn’t come here just to take your sun and drink your beer,” said Phillipe Saint-André, their director of rugby, after his much-changed team, featuring a 19-year-old scrum-half and a 20-year-old fly-half, had contributed much to a compelling game. “We came here to play rugby.”

Tabai Matson, the Harlequins senior coach, was confident that Smith would take the setback in his stride. “He will be disappointed, like all the players who have really high standards – it’ll hit him,” Matson said.

“Europe is over. That’s the big thing, and that’s gutting. But we play Leicester next week and it’s about how quickly you bounce.”

Jonah Lomu Rugby, the cult video game that celebrated its 25th birthday this year, had a ‘classic match’ mode that immersed users in tricky situations from the past. Harlequins supporters must feel as though they have been living out similar scenarios in real-life, often on a difficult setting. Their players have become comeback connoisseurs thanks to total conviction in their attacking prowess.

A lightning start followed the script perfectly, appeasing enthusiastic home support. Marchant hared after Smith’s kick-off and forced a spill. Will Collier made a dent and Dombrandt cut a trademark angle off the shoulder of his fly-half. Huw Jones collected a well-timed pass to score. Despite tenacious defence led by Will Evans, who emerged from an opposition maul with the ball and later cut down Paul Willemse to foreshadow another turnover, Montpellier responded.

Handré Pollard had already missed a long-range penalty when his centre partner, Yvan Reilhac, burrowed over from a close-range scrum. Montpellier had drawn criticism for their selection, with a crucial league encounter against Bordeaux looming next Sunday, yet exhibited the depth of their squad.

Evans, fit again following a leg break that derailed the end of last season, instigated Harlequins second by surging away from a maul. Danny Care directed some fast phase-play and Dombrandt ghosted through once more. This time, the back-rower stretched over himself.

Louis Forsans, a highly promising playmaker, converted a penalty earned by Montpellier’s scrum on the back of Julien Tisseron’s sparkling break. Then came a try that took the breath away. Mike Adamson, the referee, penalised Harlequins at the breakdown and Pollard clipped towards touch.

Care leaned over the touchline to catch and flick the ball behind his back, keeping it in-field. That allowed Smith to collect deep inside the Harlequins 22. England’s incumbent number 10 switched with André Esterhuizen, fixing at least two defenders, but sold a convincing dummy. He goose-stepped through the Montpellier chase and hitch-kicked once more when out in the open before feeding Cadan Murley. Marchant was in support to complete a hypnotic, 85-metre move.

Again, the visitors replied. Forsans located Tisseron with a delicate kick-pass and the score was back at 21-17 for the day, keeping Montpellier’s aggregate lead at 10 points. Evans and Dombrandt combined to shift the momentum once more. The former dived in for a charge-down that brought a five-metre scrum, from which the latter threw a clever cut-out pass to Lynagh.

Smith nailed the touchline conversion and Harlequins began the second period just three behind Montpellier. Edgy errors crept and Montpellier’s maul eked out a penalty that Pollard landed. With 20 minutes remaining, Zach Mercer entered the fray as a replacement for Willemse. His team were under immense pressure, having conceded two line-out penalties in succession. Adamson signalled for another infringement, so Harlequins opted to take a scrum five metres out.

Joe Marler and Wilco Louw splintered Montpelliler, winning two further penalties. Care tapped and Montpellier crept offside, somehow avoiding a yellow card. A third scrum assembled, and this one – a complete mess – required a re-set. At the next set piece, Harlequins were dominant and Jeremie Maurouard was sin-binned.

That brought back Guilhem Guirado with Montpellier sacrificing Pierre Lucas, their left wing. And, although they conceded yet another penalty in a labyrinthine series of scrums, Montpellier survived. Smith slipped over, yet did so after ghosting behind Jones. Adamson correctly identified obstruction.

All that meant Harlequins still needed a converted try. They did the hard part, Lynagh slicing through from Smith’s pass.

But the conversion, struck from 15 metres inside the left touchline faded wide. Harlequins endeavoured to seize victory from their own half. Montpellier clung on, though, and progressed beyond the famed escape artists.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 5-0 Jones try, 7-0 Smith conversion, 7-5 Reilhac try, 7-7 Forsans conversion, 12-7 Dombrandt try, 14-7 Smith conversion, 14-10 Forsans penalty, 19-10 Marchant try, 21-10 Smith conversion, 21-15 Tisseron try, 21-17 Forsans conversion, 26-17 Lynagh try, 28-17 Smith try, 28-20 Pollard penalty, 33-20 Lynagh try
Yellow card: J Maurouard, 67

Harlequins: H Jones; L Lynagh, J Marchant, A Esterhuizen, M Smith, D Care; J Marler (S Kerrod, 77), J Walker (J Gray, 77), W Collier (W Louw, 50), M Symons, H Tizard, G Hammond, W Evans (L Wallace, h-t), A Dombrandt
Replacements not used: L Gjaltema, W Edwards, N David

Montpellier: J Tisseron; G N’Gandebe, Y Reilhac, H Pollard (A Bouthier, 70), P Lucas; L Forsans (G Doumayrou, 42), A Eymeri (M Doan, 50); M Nariashvili (R Rodgers, 48), G Guirado (J Maurouard, 48), H Thomas (T Lamositele, 48), F Verhaghe, P Willemse (Z Mercer, 59), F Ouedraogo (B Chalureau, 50), Y Camara, A Bécognée

Referee: M Adamson (Scotland)

Attendance: 12,400