Match Report – Harlequins 14 – 10 Racing

In difficult conditions, Harlequins’ South African centre Andre Esterhuizen scored crucial try after Racing No 8 Kitione Kamikamica was red carded at The Stoop; George Head also scored try for hosts as they kickstarted European campaign; Sale Sharks suffered a heavy defeat at Toulouse

Harlequins got their European Cup season on track on Sunday, beating Racing 92 at home

Harlequins avenged their harrowing home defeat by Racing 92 two years ago by dispatching the French heavyweights 14-10 in their Heineken Champions Cup clash.

Quins were crushed 49-7 in December 2020, a record loss in the tournament at Twickenham Stoop that proved to be the nadir of Paul Gustard’s reign and he was sacked as head coach a month later.

They went on to be crowned Gallagher Premiership champions and while there was little evidence of the swashbuckling rugby that swept all before them that season, they showed the resolve needed to topple Finn Russell’s Racing in atrocious conditions.

Driving rain and icy winds made the Pool A clash an arm-wrestle that was dominated by the set-piece with the third quarter proving to be the decisive phase.

South African centre Andre Esterhuizen clattered over for the critical try in the 49th minute and shortly after Racing No 8 Kitione Kamikamica was sent off for a dangerous tackle.

Having lost narrowly to the Sharks in their opener last weekend, the win keeps alive Quins’ hopes of reaching the knockout phase.

It started well when a big hole in Racing’s blindside defence was easily exploited, Care sending George Head through and the hooker had the gas to reach the whitewash.

Russell rounded off a spell of Racing control with a penalty but Quins pressed again through a series of scrums close to the visiting line that ultimately amounted to nothing.

Looking to pull the trigger through a midfield move they instead saw the ball picked off amid after a wayward pass, although a missed Russell penalty ensured they were not immediately punished.

Now it was Quins’ turn to come under sustained pressure as the rain continued to lash down and with seconds of the first-half remaining, Racing were over through Kamikamica.

It was route one play, using their forwards to carry off a line-out, but also effective in wretched conditions that put a limit on any loftier ambitions.

And there was nothing pretty about the try that propelled Quins back in front early in the second half as Esterhuizen took the ball off Care at a scrum and used his bulk to power over despite the attention of three white shirts.

Compounding matters for Racing was the 51st-minute departure of Kamikamica for a dangerous tackle on full-back Nick David, who was lifted up and tipped on his head.

There was little pace in the game and Quins were content to camp themselves in enemy territory, but their inability to add another score looked dangerous when they were forced to repel a sustained attack on their line.

The storm was weathered, however, and they finished the game probing for a third try.

Toulouse 45-19 Sale Sharks

Sale suffered a one-sided 45-19 defeat to Toulouse as one of the powerhouses of Heineken Champions Cup rugby racked up a bonus-point victory at Stade Ernest-Wallon.

Toulouse captain Antoine Dupont crossed for two tries as the five-time champions recorded a comfortable win and laid a marker down to all the teams in this season’s tournament.

Sale’s indiscipline cost them and they were down to 14 men for 30 minutes of the game, with hooker Akker van der Merwe, full-back Byron McGuigan and wing Tom O’Flaherty shown yellow cards.

But Toulouse full-back Thomas Ramos was shown a red card for a headbutt in the 80th minute when Sale thought they had scored a try.

The French giants, with scrum-half Dupont and his half-back partner Romain Ntamack pulling the strings, were at their imperious best as they crossed for seven tries and put the Sharks to the sword.