La Rochelle v Harlequins: Five takeaways as hosts’ ‘identity crisis’ on full display as Londoners’ ‘swing the bat’ mentality springs ‘surprise of all surprises’
Investec Champions Cup Round 4, Stade Marcel Deflandre, La Rochelle, France 18/1/2026.La Rochelle vs Harlequins.Harlequins' Marcus Smith with the player of the match medal.Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
Following Harlequins’ 27-17 win over La Rochelle at the Stade Marcel Deflandre, here are our five key takeaways from the Investec Champions Cup round four clash.
The top line
Harlequins have sprung the surprise of all surprises across the Channel, securing a 10-point win over La Rochelle and sending the two-time champions out of the premier competition and into the EPCR Challenge Cup.
The Londoners had already secured a place in the next round, following their mammoth 61-10 win over the Stormers last weekend, but they had a dangling carrot of a home tie heading across to face the French giants, who themselves were playing for their Champions Cup future.
That seemed to galvanise the hosts early on, with them taking an 11th-minute lead through winger Davit Niniashvili. But, Harlequins quickly grew into the game, and eventually took a slender 10-7 lead into the half-time break thanks to a Cadan Murley score and two kicks from the boot of Marcus Smith.
Quins then extended that to 17-7 shortly after returning to the pitch, with Tyrone Green going over in the 52nd-minute. La Rochelle would not go down without a fight, though, and they restored parity with back-to-back scores through Jack Nowell and Thomas Berjon.
However, that was to be the hosts’ last hurrah, with Tom Lawday and Smith striking late to secure a famous victory over the French outfit, who now find themselves under a harsh spotlight.
La Rochelle in crisis?
Well, that’s it. La Rochelle have been dumped out of the Champions Cup. And you have to say, it was deserved. It was the embodiment of the La Rochelle identity crisis going on right now, with the hosts losing the key battles up front.
The scrum, usually so dominant, came under the cosh from the off and resulted in hatfuls of penalties conceded, while the usually fruitful breakdown also swung towards Harlequins as the game progressed, with the Londoners pinching two turnovers.
A team like La Rochelle is built around dominating these key facets of the game, given their system is built around unrelenting dominance up-front, but they were simply unable to get that properly going in. That then caused their backline to struggle, unable to really get themselves into the contest as much as usual.
The French outfit did eventually kick into gear, though. Around the 60th minute, with the sky darkening, it seemed they just flipped a switch.
The scrum returned to its usual level of brutality, while the breakdown swung their way. That then saw the likes of replacement Gregory Alldritt, Oscar Jegou and Judicael Cancoriet properly get into their groove in the tight, creating the opportunities for Nowell and Berjon to score.
But then, just as they seemed to be out of their funk, they slipped back. Quins again started to boss matters in the tight, particularly at the breakdown, and eventually powered home with some late scores.
This defeat just encapsulates all the issues Ronan O’Gara’s side are going through at the moment, and even brings his future into question too. I don’t quite know how to describe it, but something’s just missing compared to previous years.
It’s not that they’re awful, because they’re not, but it’s still not quite the all-conquering juggernaut that won back-to-back Champions Cup titles in 2022 and 2023. Even last year, a team would not be able to come to the Stade Marcel Deflandre and have that much joy in the tight, forcing the usually rampant fans into stunned silence for much of the game too.
Simply put, though, La Rochelle are used to success, but that looks a long way away right now.
Swing the bat
If you ask any Harlequins fan about the phrase ‘swing the bat’, they will likely give you an hour-long answer. It was the mentality that fuelled their stunning Champions Cup quarter-final victory over Bordeaux-Begles in 2024, based around them playing without fear. It seems that narrative is once again being pushed through the playing group.
This has been a rough season for Harlequins to date. Seven defeats from their opening nine PREM games leave them languishing 23 points behind the play-off spots at the halfway stage, and only five points above bottom-placed Newcastle Red Bulls, too, while the playing group have been forced into some deep and honest conversations amongst themselves.
But, this display was a stark contrast to anything they have offered up this season, including the dismantling of the Stormers last weekend. That fearless nature seemed to be back, but it wasn’t just throwing it around for the sake of it; it was calculated, it was meticulous, it was thought-out.
The pack really stepped up to the plate ball-in-hand, but that was backed up with some really nice game management from the flourishing half-back partnership between Lucas Friday and Smith. Together, they just seemed to know when to take it out of the forwards’ hands and get it out wide, which then saw Nick David, Green and Murley come into the game.
That then fuelled a confidence in them that we have not seen for a long time. Luke Northmore seemed to find those pockets of space that made him such a threat in years past, Smith looked back to his usual self ball-in-hand, while Alex Dombrandt, Jack Kenningham and Chandler Cunningham-South showed their class.
Quins do seem to be out of the PREM play-off mix right now, but this win could serve as a genuine marker for them in Europe, possibly give them the fuel to go a long way in this competition.
Swing. The. Bat.
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Wonder boy back
As mentioned above, Smith was at the peak of his powers in this win, which will come as a huge plus for England boss Steve Borthwick ahead of the Six Nations.
Smith just oozed confidence in every aspect of his game, shining right across the match. He seemed to have Quins’ attack in full control, singing off the hymn sheet properly for the first time in a while too. But, when the champagne touches didn’t get them through the gainline, he put in an expertly planned clearance kick to flip the pressure.
Moments like that were dotted around his game. A few lovely flashes here, then kick. A few lovely flashes there, then kick. It was methodical, it was composed, it was smart. But his staunch efforts were summed up come the final acts of the game, bundling Niniashvili into touch to help secure the win for his side.
This was a far cry from the Smith we have seen this season. To date, he had looked to be playing within himself, very much like the rest of his side in honesty, but he just seemed to have the shackles released off him in France. Was it the lack of pressure? Possibly, but whatever it was, it did him the world of good.
This is the Smith that Quins fans know and love; it’s the Smith that starred for England in 2024. Is it the Smith to get that jersey back come the Six Nations?
Pool ramifications
As a result of this win, Harlequins finish the pool stages second in their group and now have an all-important home tie in the next round too. They also join Leinster in the top two, pipping the Stormers into second in the process.
But, further down the table, it’s La Rochelle’s inability to take any points from the tie that has major ramifications. Heading into the game, Leicester seemed destined for the EPCR Challenge Cup, with the French side expected to take something out of this game, but Geoff Parling’s side will now be preparing for a last-16 tie in the premier competition.