In true Harlequins style, the quartered top of Harlequins kept supporters on the edge of their seats right up until the final whistle of this evening’s Champions Cup match against Glasgow Warriors.
A highly spirited comeback from the visitors left both sides fighting for the victory in the final few moments. It was only thanks to a last-gasp try from Sam Riley off of a rolling maul that allowed the hosts to take a 28-24 victory.
The home side, boosted by a fully packed stoop, were dominant throughout the first half of the contest, with playmaker Marcus Smith controlling proceedings throughout. The talented playmaker gained not just a 100% kicking record, but also a Player of the Match award which was richly deserved.
Marcus Smith ➡️ Andre Esterhuizen 🤝@Harlequins are turning up the heat in the @ChampionsCup #HARvGLA #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/7Q9hDI8pVk
— FloRugby (@FloRugby) April 5, 2024
The second half saw an entirely different outlook, with Glasgow hammering on the Quins line, eventually pulling ahead. But, as Harlequins often do, they kept the best until last. Making the most of the Warrior’s mistakes, the Twickenham-based side took advantage of the high penalty count as they aimed for the corner in the dying minutes.
🙌 @samrileysuh coming up clutch for @Harlequins
#HARvGLA #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/Uk3iegP8ZH— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 5, 2024
After taking their extraordinary victory, Harlequins will now face either Bordeaux or Saracens in the next round.
Speaking after the match, Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen had the following to say about his departure from the club:
“We want to win the competition. You need to win every game, so for me it’s very special and very important, so hopefully I can end it on high.
When asked about the prospect of facing Saracens in the next round, Esterhuizen added:
“We’ve got a score to settle after two weeks ago. It’s two great teams in the knock on stage in the Champions cup which is very tough, it doesn’t matter where you play. We’ll see you tomorrow and we will prepare accordingly.”
‘Nowhere near where we want to be’
That’s the mentality of the man… @MarcuSmith10 wants more despite a historic @Harlequins win#HARvGLA #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/dgbvhEzk5m
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 5, 2024
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