By Connor Johnson
La Rochelle’s Investec Champions Cup campaign came to an end at the hands of Harlequins. 12 points from Marcus Smith, including the clinching penalty with a minute to go, helped the visitors secure a home tie with Leicester Tigers in the Round of 16.
Harlequins travelled to South West France, knowing a win would grant them a home tie in the next round. With the hosts just needing a single point to qualify for the round of 16, anything less would spell disaster for the former back-to-back champions La Rochelle.
But after an uneventful opening 10 minutes, La Rochelle sparked into life with Ihaia West breaking through the Harlequins defence. West threw a couple of dummies, one inside one outside, before offloading to Niniashvili off the ground to go over the line. West would then convert the extras to give La Rochelle a 7-0 lead.
The visitors would be banging on the visitors’ door after multiple phases following a Quins lineout, but Bryn Bradley lost the ball just mere metres from the whitewash, and La Rochelle would be able to clear their lines.
Quins would have a chance to get points on the board after Boudehent was called by referee Andrea Piardi to release Chandler Cunningham-South, but the lock didn’t oblige. Marcus Smith then gave something for Harlequins to cheer, after their consistent pressure following La Rochelle’s try.
After a flurry of penalties from the hosts, Uini Atonio would be sent to the sin bin seconds before half time after sinically collapsing the Harlequins maul when it looked destined for the try line. La Rochelle cracked under the pressure, unable to contain the Quins’ attack after a few phases, as they found Cadan Murley in the corner to give the visitors a lead going into the break, with Marcus Smith slotting through the conversion.
HALF TIME: LA ROCHELLE 7-10 HARLEQUINS
A possible turning point in the game came 13 minutes into the second half, as Harlequins won a scrum penalty and were able to set up shop with a lineout. Bradley then gave a clever offload to Cunningham- South, he would be stopped, but Tyrone Green wouldn’t, who side in over under the sticks. Marcus Smith would give his side a 10-point lead with a little over 25 minutes to go.
Harlequins, only a couple of minutes after going two scores up, would be reduced to 14 men. Marcus Smith was given 10 minutes on the sideline after head-on head contact with Jules Favre, but the TMO ruled that he wasnt in a fair position to tackle conventionally without a high degree of danger.
La Rochelle would halve the defecit after a Harlequins lineout went astray, as replacement Hastoy broke free down the left, following a slip from Nick David. Leyes would come in on the overlap, aiding the home side before offloading to the Jack Nowell to go over and breathe some life back into the Stade Marcel Deflandre, to set up a frantic final 20 minutes.
In a flash, La Rochelle would turn defence into attack, from just outside their own 22. Alldritt burst through, fresh off the bench, and raced away from Harlequins defenders before handing the ball off to Thomas Berjon to turn the game on its head. A try of speed and power, showcased what La Rochelle is all about, just before the visitors would get Marcus Smith out of the sin bin.
When you thought the momentum had swung back to the hosts, Harlequins hit back after a swift move despite the referee playing advantage for an infringement. Alex Dombrandt was at the heart of it again, creating an opening before Quins shifted to the wing for Tom Lawday to finish on his 100th appearance.
La Rochelle: 17
Tries: 3 (Niniashvili 12’, Nowell 61’, Berjon 65’)
Conversions: 1 (West 13’)
Penalties: 0
Yellow Cards: 1 (Atonio 39’)
Red Cards: 0
La Rochelle: 15. Dillyn Leyds 14. Davit Niniashvili 13. UJ Seuteni 12. Jules Favre 11. Nathan Bollengier 10. Ihaia West 9. Thomas Berjon 1. Alexandre Kaddouri 2. Quentin Lespiaucq 3. Uini Atonio 4. Charles Kante Samba 5. Paul Boudehent 6. Oscar Jegou 7. Levani Botia 8. Judicaet Cancoriet
Replacements: 16. Nikoloz Sutidze 17. Reda Wardi 18. Joel Scalvi 19. Aleksandre Kuntelia 20. Gregory Alldritt 21. Kirill Fraindt 22. Antoine Hastoy 23. Jack Nowell
Harlequins: 27
Tries: 3 (Murley 40+1’, Green 53’, Lawday 72’)
Conversions: 3 (Smith 40+2’, 54’, 73’)
Penalties: 2 (Smith 33’, 79’)
Yellow Cards: 1 (Smith 55’)
Red Cards: 0
Harlequins: 15. Tyrone Green 14. Nick David 13. Luke Northmore 12. Bryn Bradley 11. Cadan Murley 10. Marcus Smith 9. Lucas Friday 1. Simon Kenrod 2. Jack Walker 3. Pedro Delgado 4. Joe Launchbury 5. Guido Petti 6. Chandler Cunningham-South 7. Jack Kenningham 8. Alex Dombrandt
Replacements: 16. Sam Riley 17. Will Hobson 18. Harry Williams 19. Kieran Treadwell 20. Zach Carr 21. Tom Lawday 22. Max Green 23. Jarrod Evans
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