Harlequins 19-23 Toulouse
By AlanQuin
October 18 2009
With the events of the last match against a star-studded French side indelibly burned into the memory of Harlequin supporters, over 12,000 turned up at The Stoop, despite the silly late kick –off time, to see if Toulouse could be similarly overcome.
At half time, with Quins leading 14 – 0, hopes were still high and were revived as Quins led again 19 – 14 despite leaking two tries in the opening four minutes of the second half. In the end, however three penalties from the boots of the replacements, Michelak and Fritz, allowed Toulouse to claim the victory by 19 –23.
In the face of Quins’ determined and hard-running approach Toulouse seemed a poor shadow of their usual skill and performance. Poor passes, worse decisions and unforced errors were almost too numerous to be believable from a side boasting twenty-two internationals out of twenty-three in the match day squad. They were punished, too with three penalties from Nick Evans in the first half for variously holding on in the tackle, getting in front of the kicker and coming into a ruck from the side. Because of the pressure being exerted by Quins, play was almost exclusively in the visitors’ half.
There were stoppages too for injuries and within the first quarter of an hour Poux, Will Skinner and Nyanga, the last on a stretcher, were removed from the fray.
Fine runs from Strettle and Monye were causing problems for the French. Care and Brown added to the penetration and Nick Evans orchestrated it all. The forwards, too, were not outdone by the Toulouse pack. But the icing on the cake was the try. A gallop upfield from Tom Guest took Quins deep into the Toulouse half. There it was recycled and Nick Evans pass to Ugo Monye found the winger at his best as his arcing run brushed off two tacklers and crossed for the try. Evans’ conversion attempt hit the post and rebounded.
Quins might have had another try when Danny Care took a quick tap penalty and ran through the Toulouse line. He kicked ahead and chased and kicked again but, having outpaced the opposition and with just the touch to score, he lost his footing and the ball escaped. Toulouse mounted one last series of attacks but were met by excellent Quins’ defence. So the lead remained 14 – 0 at half time and one could not believe it was enough nor could one believe that Toulouse could continue to play so badly.
That Toulouse could respond was evident from their different attitude in the second half. They were immediately on the attack and strong defence kept them out so that they settled for a drop goal attempt that sailed harmlessly wide. Then a long kick from Medard bounced awkwardly away from the defender and went loose and as Monye tried to collect it, the ball appeared to go off his left hand straight to Donguy who was away over the line for a soft try between the posts. The simple conversion reduced the lead to 14 – 7 after only four minutes of the half.
Toulouse now began to play with more determination and another flowing passing move in attack saw the ball put into touch by Monye as the likely scoring inside pass was prevented. But it gave the French an attacking lineout from which they caught and drove and a break away from the maul which Quins were not able to prevent found Sowerby over the line for the second try. Ellisalde converted and ten minutes into the second half the sores were level..
Quins’ response was immediate as they resumed an attack down the left flank. Then an excellent grubber kick from Mike Brown into space behind the defence saw Ugo Monye beat the cover to score his second try and although Evans again missed with the conversion Quins led again 19 – 14.
Toulouse now began to bring on their high quality substitutes and a penalty allowed them to reduce the lead to just two points. Michelaak replacing Elisalde took over the kicking duties and his first penalty put the visitors ahead. Quins continued to apply pressure and had further chances to score that were not taken. Another attempted drop goal by Michelak from the half way line hit the crossbar and he also missed with another penalty kick.
With five minutes remaining Strettle and Monye were replaced by Clegg and Lowe and with almost his first touch of the ball, the latter was caught isolated and the penalty followed just three metres into the French half. From there Fritz easily kicked the three points that took the score beyond a drop goal victory. Harlequins’ Heineken Cup campaign was left in tatters.
After the match John Kingston was clearly disappointed saying: “I thought we were outstanding in the first half and the pressure we applied dictated how they played. Few teams around would have lived with us in that period. But we didn't apply the same pressure early in the second half, plus it was freakish the way the first try came about with a bouncing ball, and it gave them fresh heart.
"Nobody would have complained if Harlequins had won that game but there is a very, very narrow line between success and failure at this level. That was far and away the finest rugby we've played this season, so we are frustrated. You can go away and analyse things, but if you drop a high ball, then you fail to spot a three-on-one overlap, then a player trips over as he is heading for the line, you don't need to do much analysing.
"There's no question our situation in the Heineken Cup now is very difficult. But if we can do the business home and away to Sale, beat Cardiff Blues here, then who can tell what will happen with the other results."
Asked why he had substituted Ugo Monye, John Kingston explained that Ugo was cramping up and that he took him off to prevent a pulled muscle which might prevent his playing the following week.
Ugo Monye, clearly Quins’ star on the night, said: "We have a lot of belief at this club and it showed during that first half when we played ourselves into a really strong position. But then we didn't look after the ball well enough and we left the door ajar.
"Lesser teams might not have squeezed through, but Toulouse are a different proposition. You cannot give them the openings we allowed. They were given two soft tries and we did ourselves damage more than any inflicted by our opponents.
"Even then, we regained the lead and could have won it at the end, but failed to take two decent chances."
Harlequins: M Brown (R Clegg 77); D Strettle, G Tiesi, T Masson, U Monye (G Lowe 77); N Evans, D Care; C Jones, T Fuga, M Lambert (J Andress 65), L Stevenson (S Connor 68), J Evans, C Robshaw, W Skinner [capt] (T Guest 9), N Easter.
Toulouse: M Medard; V Clerc, Y David (F Fritz 55), Y Jauzion, Y Donguy; J-B Elissalde (F Michalak 63), B Kelleher; J-B Poux (D Human 1), W Servat A Vernet Basualdo 78), B Lecouls (C Johnston 55), R Millo-Chluski (G Lamborley 68), P Albacete, Y Nyanga (J Bouilhou 6), T Dusautoir [capt], S Sowerby (L Picamoles 55)
Attendance: 12,032
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).
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