Quins knock out La Rochelle with stunning away win

Investec Champions Cup

La Rochelle (7) 17

Trys: West, Niniashvili, Nowell, Berjon Con.

Harlequins (10) 27

Harlequins defeated La Rochelle by denying them a losing bonus point, resulting in their winning position in the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup.

Quins won a shock victory on the road thanks to a Marcus Smith penalty in the dying seconds, which places Leicester Tigers in fourth place in Pool 3 with a point difference.

Smith spent ten minutes in the sin-bin during the second half, scoring goals from Cadan Murley, Tyrone Green, and Tom Lawday.

Davit Niniashvili gave La Rochelle an early lead, but tries from Jack Nowell and Thomas Berjon in the second half gave the impression that the home side was on fire.

Quins were 24-17 up when Lawday’s try on 72 minutes and Smith’s late penalty denied La Rochelle a losing bonus point that would have eliminated them from the Stade Marcel-Deflandre, silencing the home crowd.

Quins will play at the Stoop in the last 16 despite a difficult domestically-prem season for them.

The two-time champions appeared to be heading for a new goal with Niniashvili’s try, which Ihaia West converted, but they were unable to increase their pressure too much.

Quins took the lead at half-time thanks to a try from Murley’s dive over the corner flag, which Smith swiftly converted.

After the break, Quins had a 10-point lead over Chandler Cunningham-South’s deft pass that set up Green to head over the posts.

However, the teams were tied at 17-17 with La Rochelle on course for the knockouts when Nowell and Berjon crossed for converted tries just four minutes apart.

Lawday, however, slammed over a long pass to make it 24-17 before Smith had to convert.

Lespiaucq, Wardi, Sclavi, Kuntelia, Alldritt, Fraindt, Favre, Nowell as replacements.

T. Green, David, Northmore, Bradley, Murley, Smith, Friday, Kerrod, Walker, Delgado, Launchbury, Petti, Cunningham-South, Kenningham, Dombrandt (capt.), and others.

Referee: Italy Referee Andrea Piardi.

Referees’ assistants: Alberto Favaro (Ita), and Clara Munarini (Ita).