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Two of the European Rugby Challenge Cup heavyweights will kick-off the new season when Harlequins and Stade Francais are reunited on the opening night of the campaign. - 10/10/2016 13:32
Two of the European Rugby Challenge Cup heavyweights will kick-off the new season when Harlequins and Stade Francais are reunited on the opening night of the campaign.
Two-time Challenge Cup winners were denied a hat-trick of titles in their last European tie when they were defeated in May’s final in Lyon by Montpellier.
So it is fitting that they should begin their quest to go one-better this season against French opposition once again.
And Quins will take plenty of confidence from their previous outings at the Stoop this season, beating reigning Champions Cup holders Saracens and, last week, former European champions Northampton Saints.
Alofa Alofa scored the game’s only try while Tim Swiel added four second-half penalties to leave new director of rugby John Kingston full of optimism.
With 15 years’ experience at the Stoop, Kingston takes charge of his first European tie having stepped up from head coach to replace Italy-bound Conor O’Shea.
He said: “We want to go one better than last season. We were very proud to reach the final, but ultimately hugely disappointed because we are not used to losing finals. We have a strong history with Stade Francais so it is a wonderful fixture to start the tournament with and should provide a great night of European rugby at the Stoop.”
Stade Francais have their own point to prove in Europe and against Quins, having reached the final four times and lost them all, including the 2011 Challenge Cup Final against the Londoners.
Captain Pascal Pape said: “We do not need to look far motivation to address this challenge, it will be a great challenge. We start at the home of Harlequins, surely the strongest team in the Pool. This is a team that used to play in the Champions Cup so it is a strong challenge to start.”
The task is made all the harder by Stade’s poor away form so far, having lost all four games on the road this season, at Brive, Pau, Toulon and last weekend at Champions Cup finalists and local rivals Racing 92. That was despite leading 16-10 at half-time through a try by European veteran Julien Arias.
Match facts
- This will be the fifth meeting between the clubs in the Challenge Cup. Stade Français Paris won the first two games in 2002, while Harlequins won the two most recent contests, in the 2011 final and in the 2014 quarter-final.
- Harlequins have won their last 10 home games in the Challenge Cup with their last defeat at The Stoop coming against Bath in 2006. The last club from outside of England to beat Harlequins at home was Stade Francais in 2002.
- Stade have lost their last two Challenge Cup away games, the first time they’ve lost back to back away matches in the competition.
- Harlequins will be playing their 50th game in the Challenge Cup – they’ve won 37 of the previous 49.
England's Grand Slam coach Eddie Jones was on hand to see Harlequins No8 James Chisholm do his chances of an international call-up no harm with two tries in four minutes as Harlequins kicked-off their Challenge Cup campaign with a 43-21
England’s Grand Slam coach Eddie Jones was on hand to see Harlequins No8 James Chisholm do his chances of an international call-up no harm with two tries in four minutes as Harlequins kicked-off their Challenge Cup campaign with a 43-21, bonus point win.
Chisholm brushed aside five Stade Francais defenders for his first try and then peeled around the front of a line-out in the TOP 14 club’s 22 to end the half on a high. His first try clinched the bonus-point, his second made it 31-7 at the break.
Last season’s beaten finalists in Lyon, Quins got off to a flying start with a try in the fifth minute from England prop Joe Marler that Tim Swiel converted. Jules Plisson then gifted Joe Marchant a try in the right corner with a suicidal inside pass and two minutes later Tim Visser benefitted from a passing move with Mike Brown to cruise over for another try improved by Swiel’s boot.
There seemed no way back for the lacklustre Stade side, but then a loose kick out of defence by Marland Yarde gifted a try back to Stade as back row man Sekou Macalou beat off a tackle and raced the length of the 22 to the posts. Plisson converted, but that was about as good as it got for Stade.
Chisholm’s quickfire double act just before the break, one of which Swiel converted, put Quins back in the driving seat and earned them the coveted bonus-point before half-time. Stade must have been given a roasting in the dressing room at half-time because they came out and dominated the third quarter.
But they failed to turn their pressure into points and then saw a pass from scrum half Clement Daguin intercepted five metres from his line by Visser. The Flying Scotsman said ‘thank you very much’ and sped the length of the field to score at the posts.
Back came Stade and an inside pass in the home 22 paved the way from Daguin to make up for his intercept pass with a second try for the Frenchmen. Plisson added the conversion and did the same after Springbok back row man Willem Alberts carried three men over the line with him for a try at the posts.
Yarde rounded off proceedings with a seventh try two minutes from time and Ruaridh Jackson used the post to add the final conversion.
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