Harlequins’ hopes of creating an impression within the Champions Cup got here to a brutal finish as they have been crushed 49-7 by Racing 92.
Per week after falling brief in Munster, Paul Gustard’s aspect have been overrun throughout the sector and after two Pool B outings they’ve but to register some extent with closing group video games towards Racing and Munster to return.
It took till the sixtieth minute to register some extent when the substitute scrum-half Scott Steele completed a well-orchestrated transfer that closely concerned Marcus Smith, however by that point final season’s runners-up already had the bonus level sewn up.
Finn Russell was irrepressible as he delved into his field of methods to maintain the house aspect guessing, however the standout moments have been thrilling tries by Teddy Thomas and Simon Zebo.
Quins have been battered at each flip and aside from Steele’s attempt, they by no means threatened Parisian opposition who’ve now positioned one foot within the quarter-finals and on this proof will probably be difficult on the enterprise finish of the match.
Racing pounced with a surprising end by Thomas in solely the third minute, however the France wing was helped by some feeble defending that invited him by the fringes of a line-out.
Thomas nonetheless had work to do however an arching run swept him round a static Quins backline that failed to put a hand on him.
Racing used brute drive on the subsequent attacking lineout as they drove over with ease for the hooker Kevin Le Guen to the touch down and with Maxime Machenaud heading in the right direction from the kicking tee, it was already wanting grim for the house aspect.
Russell had already produced a variety of kicks to maintain Quins retreating and because the first quarter ended the lead had stretched to a worrying 20 factors.
The one-way visitors was stemmed when a neat interchange between Joe Marler and Dominic Chicken despatched Joe Marchant by a spot however a knock-on halted the transfer and a promising spell ended when Danny Care was penalised for crossing.
Racing dominated the remainder of the primary half with out making any additional influence on the scoreboard however that modified simply 37 seconds after the interval when an unprotected blindside was ruthlessly exploited.
Care’s field kick was caught by Zebo and the Eire full-back raced upfield, interchanged with wing Donovan Taofifenua and strolled throughout the whitewash for an additional simple attempt.
As soon as once more a working rating was adopted up with a ahead surge as Georges-Henri Colombe touched down when a driving maul arrowed infield from the lineout.
To compound Quins’ escalating distress, Steele was sin binned and shortly after Taofifenua caught Russell’s kick to the touch down.
Steele completed a dashing assault down the left as the house aspect hit again nevertheless it was solely a short interruption to the movement of play as Teddy Baubigny and Francois Trinh-Duc scored tries to finish the rout.