Dancing alongside to upbeat trance music, Toulouse’s fanatical help stood 10 deep to welcome Antoine Dupont and Co to this European semi-final.
As they did so, they unfurled a large banner on which was written the slogan ‘Pink Kingdom’. The house followers booed the arrival of Harlequins stars Joe Marler and Marcus Smith.
Marler embraced the abuse, breaking right into a trademark grin and holding his hand to his ear. Residence heroes Dupont, Romain Ntamack and Englishman Jack Willis lapped up the adulation.
Welcome to Toulouse’s yard. Their kingdom. This match befell on the metropolis’s soccer floor somewhat than the standard Stade Ernest-Wallon, however the identical mantra applies. Toulouse refuse to countenance dropping at residence. And so it was as soon as once more.
Harlequins gave it every part. And extra. As they launched a shocking second-half fightback within the residence of rugby’s equal of Actual Madrid’s Galacticos, their scrum coach Adam Jones pleaded for cool heads.
Jack Walker’s late sin-binning proved essential as Harlequins had been overwhelmed by Toulouse
Walker was proven a yellow card after he made contact with head of Antoine Dupont
English rugby’s nice entertainers ignored him, embracing the chaos of a exceptional event.
It was almost sufficient for what would have been the best win of their historical past. In the long run, Jack Walker’s late sin-binning proved essential.
Walker made contact with the top of Dupont. The house crowd known as for blood. Walker noticed yellow not crimson, however the color of the cardboard was immaterial because it stemmed Quins’ momentum simply when it was at its peak. The affect was terminal.
First-half breakdown issues and line-out points had been additionally expensive, and Toulouse march on to face Leinster in Tottenham within the remaining on Could 25. ‘The harm was achieved within the first half,’ stated Quins head coach Danny Wilson. ‘Breakdown turnovers towards the very best facet on the earth result in tries.
‘We are going to look again on this sport and be annoyed however I’m pleased with the boys for successful the second half. The issue was the counter-ruck within the first half. We switched off in that space. We had been conscious that was coming.’
Harlequins captain Stephan Lewies struck the same notice: ‘For those who give Toulouse 28 factors on a platter it’s going to be robust. For those who take away our errors, it’s what might have been.’
Toulouse began at breakneck pace. Tempo, energy, panache. It was all on present and crimson shirts had been in every single place. Residence wing Matthis Lebel opened the scoring from a botched Quins line-out.
Quins had crossed by means of Marcus Smith and Will Evans however trailed by 19 factors on the break
After wins at Racing 92 and Bordeaux, Harlequins had been concentrating on a 3rd French away scalp of the season. However though they scored first-half tries by means of Smith and Will Evans, they had been too typically blitzed on the contact space and counter-rucked off the ball.
Toulouse hooker Peato Mauvaka was excellent, scoring as soon as. Thibaud Flament additionally pounced on a Quins error and the magnificent Dupont crossed twice, as he at all times appears to do.
The hosts’ lead was 31-12 on the break, however quickly it regarded just like the tables could possibly be turned.
Cadan Murley completed acrobatically within the nook after which Tyrone Inexperienced ran a stunning line to cross. Smith’s boot made it 31-26.
Unexpectedly it was Harlequins who had been rampant. That they had tidied up their breakdown points and stole a few Toulouse possessions, however then got here Walker’s mistimed lunge at Dupont.
‘After they decelerate replays endlessly they will result in refereeing selections,’ stated Wilson. ‘It harm us once we had momentum and had been proper within the sport.’
All the way down to 14 and behind on the scoreboard with time operating out, Walker’s card instantly modified the sport’s complexion.
When he was despatched to the sin-bin, Toulouse had not scored within the second half. With a person benefit, they quickly put that proper.
Juan Cruz Mallia scored within the nook late on to ebook a spot within the Champions Cup remaining
Juan Cruz Mallia dived over within the nook to finish dialogue over the ultimate outcome. There was nonetheless time for Marler to have a pointless dust-up with Tomas Ramos, which price Quins a penalty.
Dupont stated: ‘At half time we stated we wouldn’t decrease our depth as a result of we all know Harlequins by no means quit.
‘However we didn’t get out of our half very nicely and after they have momentum, they’re onerous to cease.
‘Now we have now an opportunity to boost the trophy. We’ll be towards a well-recognized opponent who will need it as a lot as us, having misplaced within the final two finals.’
