Harlequins’ stirring second-half fightback goes in vain as Toulouse reaches Champions Cup final

Toulouse foiled a thrilling Harlequins fightback to triumph 38-26 and book an Investec Champions Cup final against fellow European heavyweights Leinster.

The competition’s two most successful teams, who have nine titles between them, will face each other at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25, but Toulouse had to survive a major scare at home after Quins threatened to overturn a deficit of 31-12 at half time.

Harlequins, playing in the Champions Cup semi-finals for the first time, showcased their exhilarating attacking adventure with tries from Marcus Smith, Cadan Murley, Will Evans and Tyrone Green, while Smith kicked three conversions.

Toulouse couldn’t relax until winger Juan Cruz Mallia’s 69th-minute touchdown – immediately followed by a yellow card for Quins hooker Jack Walker – and after earlier tries from Antoine Dupont (2 ), Matthis Lebel, Peato Mauvaka and Thibaud Flament, with Blair Kinghorn. adding three conversions and Thomas Ramos one.

Toulouse came out of the blocks and took the lead after just four minutes following a lineout steal deep in the Quins 22, with Romain Ntamack’s long floated pass giving Lebel an unopposed run to the line.

Ntamack and Dupont freely dug into their box of tricks, and it took Quins 12 minutes to get out of their own half, such had been Toulouse’s dominance, but they responded brilliantly.

Toulouse were pushed back onto the back foot as Quins attacked with Smith weaving his way through three defenders for a try which he also converted.

The Quins mobilize but Toulouse reaches the final

Quins were then nullified by Toulouse’s power play, as a precision lineout was finished off by Mauvaka. But Quins equalized when Evans touched down after a lineout push before Flament put his team back in front.

Toulouse’s third try was scored after Danny Care’s pass bounced off the Chandler Cunningham-South flank, but there was nothing happy about try number four as Toulouse attacked from deep in the center on Paul Costes’ majestic break, and his well-judged kick into space was collected by Dupont. .

Dupont struck again four minutes later, this time thanks to exceptional work from Mauvaka, allowing the hosts to take a commanding 19-point advantage at the interval.

Quins needed a lifeline early in the second half, and it arrived after 46 minutes when Smith’s long pass found Murley, and his acrobatic finish created a glimmer of hope.

Things improved further seven minutes later when another brilliant score was scored by Murley before Care’s pass sent Green through, with Smith’s conversion leaving Quins within striking distance.

But Toulouse then came to their senses, helped by Walker’s yellow card, and had barely left the field when Mallia struck, Ramos’ conversion putting Quins under enormous pressure.

There was no way back for the visitors as English interest in this season’s tournament ended after a memorable 10-try display.