Quins make history at Stade Chaban-Delmas
MATCH REPORT: Harlequins reached their first Champions Cup semifinal, edging a highly-fancied Bordeaux-Begles 42-41 in a breathtaking game in France on Saturday.
Both sides scored six tries before France scrumhalf Maxime Lucu missed a relatively straightforward late conversion which would have claimed victory for the hosts.
Quins will play record five-time champions Toulouse or Exeter, who meet in France on Sunday, on the weekend of May 3 to 5 in the last four.
Quins raced into a surprise 14-0 lead after just nine minutes thanks to a try from scrumhalf Will Porter, standing in for the experienced Danny Care, and a penalty try.
Referee Andrea Piardi awarded the second touchdown after Bordeaux-Begles' flyhalf Mateo Garcia knocked down a pass from Marcus Smith in the build-up.
The 29 degrees Celsius heat in south-west France was highlighted as the hosts' substitutes brought on umbrellas to shadow players on the field from the blazing sun during a break in play after a quarter of an hour.
By the interval, the English outfit deservedly led 28-12 as Porter claimed his second try and flank Will Evans crashed over following efforts from Lucu and Romain Buros for the home side.
Quins went into the break on a high, just 40 minutes away from a historic win, before Lucu moved across to flyhalf with Garcia off with an injury.
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The French side's positional change paid off three minutes into the second half as France centre Nicolas Depoortere broke free and Lucu's conversion cut the deficit to 28-19.
Lucu, looking comfortable at flyhalf, kicked a long-range penalty to make it 28-22 with less than half an hour to play.
By the 60-minute mark, there was still six points in it at 35-29 after No.8 Alex Dombrandt crossed for the visitors before winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey followed suit for Bordeaux-Begles who had stunned Saracens in the last 16.
During a frantic final quarter, the lead changed hands twice as Congolese winger Madosh Tambwe strolled over for the French club and full-back Tyrone Green crossed for the Quins, who led 42-36.
With four minutes to play, Tambwe claimed his double, setting up Lucu for a match-winning conversion but the France playmaker missed and Quins held on for a famous win.
The scorers
For Union Bordeaux-Bègles
Tries: Lucu, Buros, Depoortere, Bielle-Biarrey, Tambwe 2
Cons: Lucu 4
Pens: Lucu
For Harlequins
Tries: Porter 2, Evans, Dombrandt, Green, Penalty try
Cons: Smith 5, a penalty try does not require a conversion
Teams
Bordeaux-Begles: 15 Romain Buros, 14 Pablo Uberti, 13 Nicolas Depoortere, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Matéo Garcia, 9 Maxime Lucu (captain), 8 Tevita Tatafu, 7 Pete Samu, 6 Antoine Miquel, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Cyril Cazeaux, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Maxime Lamothe, 1 Lekso Kaulashvili.
Replacements: 16 Clément Maynadier, 17 Ugo Boniface, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Kane Douglas, 20 Guido Petti, 21 Bastien Vergnes, 22 Yann Lesgourgues, 23 Madosh Tambwe.
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Will Porter, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Will Evans, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Stephan Lewies (captain), 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Will Collier, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Fin Baxter.
Replacements: 16 Sam Riley, 17 Simon Kerrod, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Irne Herbst, 20 George Hammond, 21 Max Green, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Luke Northmore.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)
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