Tigers roar on as Harlequins come unstuck in Champions Cup

It was always going to be the biggest test of Steve Borthwick’s 20-month tenure as Leicester Tigers director of rugby to date, and his side performed.

In Leicester’s 10-29 first leg win over Clermont in the Champions Cup round of 16, Borthwick’s side combined brilliant back play with the brute force of a dominant forward pack to secure the advantage heading into Welford Road next week.

It’s a sign of what’s being built up in the East Midlands, and the buy-in from players is clear to see.

A late change, too, didn’t seem to alter the way the Tigers played. Ben Youngs fell ill prior to kick-off but, such is the depth at the club, Leicester were able to bring Richard Wigglesworth onto the bench to replace Jack van Poortvliet, who started.

Captain Ellis Genge, fellow front row player Julian Montoya, van Poortvliet, Hosea Saumaki and Harry Potter all crossed for the away side – against a Clermont team who are nowhere near as dangerous as their reputation suggests, but no slouches either.

With the new addition of second legs at the round of 16 stage in the Champions Cup, the conclusion of yesterday’s match is only the half-way point of this tie. Everything can change.

Man of the match Genge deserves huge plaudits for his performance, too.

The Clermont pack is known the continent over for its ability to push anybody off the ball but the England loosehead and his fellow forwards never seemed uncomfortable. His work rate is testament to what Borthwick and Kevin Sinfield are aiming to implant within the club – and his departure to Bristol Bears at the end of the season will be a huge loss.

But it wasn’t all rosy for the Tigers. Guy Porter was red carded in the 61st minute for a reckless, off-the-ball challenge on No8 Fritz Lee.

The colour of the card was the right one and the debate surrounding this since the decision proves that the sport still has a way to go until player safety is at its forefront.

Tigers are roaring on, and they’re looking like they’re at the intensity that saw them go on a 15-match unbeaten run earlier this season.

If they continue to play like this, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be in the draw for the quarter-finals.

Harlequins fall flat

Elsewhere in south-west France, Top14 league leaders Montpellier entertained English champions Harlequins in the early kick-off. The French outfit, owned by billionaire Mohed Altrad, raced into a 31-0 lead in the early stages of the second half but Harlequins pegged them back to 40-26 by full time – taking a 14 point deficit into next week’s second leg.

Montpellier will be rattled at the speed in which they let Harlequins back into it but there was enough in their performance to suggest they could defend their slim lead next week at the Twickenham Stoop.

Standout performer was former England international backrow Zach Mercer, who headed up a strong Montpellier pack from No8.

The former Bath player left the Premiership having been excluded from Eddie Jones’s England set-up but has since thrived on the French coast.

His abrasive skillset and work rate personify what’s being built at Montpellier, and the league leaders will be confident of staying close to Harlequins Saturday afternoon.

All but three of the round of 16 ties have aggregate scores of less than two converted tries, and in this inaugural season of two-legged matches at this stage of the competition, the worry over teams playing conservative rugby, on the whole, has been quashed.