Harlequins can count themselves unlucky to have finally succumbed to a Castres
side playing superb rugby after they were left with a mountain to climb to reach
the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
But the London side can take a lot of heart out of their performance in France
after they pushed Castres all the way at the Stade Pierre-Antoine.
Harlequins produced a first-half display full of passion and commitment after
last week's hammering at home to the French side.
Mike Slemen got Harlequins off to a good start with a penalty in the first
minute. However, their joy was short-lived when the home side hit back through a
penalty after a series of driving mauls.
Then the ball was spread out from Romain Teulet to his centre Eric Artiguste,
who powered his way home from just outside the 22, and with Teulet converting
the home side were 7-3 ahead.
But, following a 40-yard surge from Steve White-Cooper, Slemen neatly chipped
the ball into the right-hand corner and Ireland captain Keith Wood picked up the
bouncing ball and ran in easily from two yards.
Slemen was having a night to remember, adding a superb 42-yard angled penalty
after 15 minutes to extend the visitors' lead and for the remainder of the half
Harlequins looked very comfortable at 11-7 ahead.
But two minutes before the break Olivier Sarramea chased a neat grubber kick
from Raphael Ibanez and won the race to the loose ball to score, with Teulet's
conversion putting the home team in front again.
In the second half Quins were unfortunate to fall further behind to a Romain
Teulet penalty after 49 minutes when Will Greenwood conceded a needless
penalty.
A minute later matters turned for the worse when full-back Ugo Mola took
advantage of a turnover under the Quins posts.
Teulet's conversion looked to give the visitors a mountain to climb at 24-11
but after being badly turned over last week Harlequins needed to produce
something out of the bag in order to redeem themselves.
They almost scored four minutes later after Matt Moore received a pass from
centre Nick Greenstock.
Harlequins made a rash of replacements after an hour as they tried to inject
fresh legs into their attacks and with the home side visibly flagging the
visitors were rewarded by a superb try that set up a grandstand finish.
From a line-out the ball was spread across to Moore who slipped an inside pass
to Greenwood and the England centre stretched his massive 6ft 4in frame over the
line to score.
Slemen, who was having a marvellous first game for Harlequins, converted to
leave the visitors only six points behind.
Ben Gollings almost handed the visitors the lead two minutes later and, but
for a foot in touch, would have sliced through the home defence to score.
The visitors also spurned a chance on the left-hand side from a driving line
out when a Slemen penalty sailed narrowly wide.
In injury time the game moved from end to end but the visitors were unable to
find another hole in the Castres defence.
Teams:
Castres: Mola, Longstaff, Artiguste, Berryman, Sarramea,
Teulet, Albouy, Toussaint, Ibanez, Moyle, Dourdet, Spanghero,
Costes, Lassissi, Taussac.
Not Used: R. Vigneaux, Tsabadze, Laluque, Froment, Gargallo,
Delmotte, Caussade.
Tries: Mola, Artiguste, Sarramea.
Cons: Teulet 3.
Pens: Teulet.
Harlequins: O'Neill, Moore, Greenwood, Greenstock, Luger,
D. Slemen, M. Powell, Starr, Wood, Leonard, Morgan, Davison,
White-Cooper, Sanderson, Winters.
Not Used: Fuga, Douglas, Tamarua, Diprose, Bemand, Burrows,
Gollings.
Tries: Greenwood, Wood.
Cons: D. Slemen.
Pens: D. Slemen 2.
Att: 5,000
Ref: Nigel Williams (Wales).
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