Zach Mercer drives Montpellier to victory despite Harlequins fightback

Soon after half-time the threat of total humiliation was hanging in the air for Harlequins. Driven forward by a dynamic display from Zach Mercer, the former Bath No 8 who scored twice before the break, Montpellier’s potent mixture of ruthless attack and bruising defence looked likely to overwhelm the Premiership champions. But following a resourceful second-half recovery when George Hammond, André Esterhuizen, Joe Marchant and Louis Lynagh all crossed for tries, Quins can carry plenty of hope back for the return match at the Stoop in six days’ time.

A sun-kissed stadium in the south of France appeared to be the ideal setting for hot-stepping Quins to showcase their expansive offloading game with Fabien Galthié, the grand slam-winning France coach, watching on from the stands. But the first half turned into a harsh lesson for a side that had won their previous five Premiership matches. Tabai Matson, the Quins head coach, called Montpellier “the kickingest team in the French league” before the match. But the script in this clash of styles did not develop in the way he would have hoped.

The Premiership side enjoyed no shortage of field position and possession in a scoreless first quarter but a succession of knock-ons, inaccurate passes and some indifferent tactical kicking made it an intensely frustrating opening from the visitors’ perspective.

Marcus Smith had missed touch with a penalty in the first couple of minutes – which felt costly in such a significant game – but the No 10’s inaccuracy with the boot would bring a heavier punishment after Quins emerged from the opening 20 minutes with nothing despite their territorial domination. A speculative cross-kick by Smith was batted back by Kélian Galletier, with neither