By Matt Hardy
Harlequins couldn’t cope with the class of five-time Investec Champions Cup winners Toulouse on Sunday as the Londoners fell to a 19-47 defeat at the Stoop.
The French outfit crossed the whitewash seven times despite Harlequins fighting hard to stay in the game at the break.
Two tries for South African Irne Herbst and one from fellow countryman Andre Esterhuizen weren’t enough for the home side to claim a try scoring bonus point in a match they often looked out of.
Pierre-Louis Barassi got himself a brace of tries for the visitors while Dimitri Delibes, Peato Mauvaka, Matthis Lebel, Rodrigue Neti and Thomas Ramos each got their name on the scoresheet.
Whenever Harlequins looked to have landed a blow against the French giants Toulouse returned the favour with interest, with Barassi’s second try coming off the back of a stunning, sweeping play from deep inside the Toulouse half.
Harlequins still in it
The result sends Toulouse top of Pool 2 in the Investec Champions Cup level on points with Bath but with superior points difference. Harlequins are fourth, level on points with Ulster in third.
Racing 92 and Cardiff Rugby make up the remainder of the group.
Having toppled Racing 92 away in Paris last weekend Harlequins were on Sunday humbled by a dominant French force chasing their sixth European title.
The stars of the reigning Top14 champions shone through in south west London with the side’s No9 Antoine Dupont – who will temporarily leave his club to chase an Olympic sevens dream in the new year – leading the way.
Toulouse backed up an incredible win at home to Cardiff last weekend, where they put 50 on their Welsh opponents, with another superior display in London.
But Harlequins are far from out of the running for a place in the round of 16, however, with matches away in Cardiff and home to Ulster in January standing between them and the knockouts.
