Investec Champions Cup

Racing 92 (12) 23

Tries: Le Garrec, Naituvi, Spring Con: Le Garrec Pen: Le Garrec 2

Harlequins (5) 12

Tries: Dombrandt, Porter Con: Smith

Racing 92 scored 11 unanswered second-half points to break Harlequins’ resistance and claim victory in their Investec Champions Cup opener in Paris.

Both sides were deadlocked at Stade Dominique Duvauchelle before Nolann le Garrec kicked two penalties either side of a Max Spring try to hand Racing a hard-earned victory in Pool 4.

Quins opened the scoring after a powerful surge by Alex Dombrandt before the hosts edged in front when Le Garrec converted his own try.

Wame Naituvi added Racing’s second try with an excellent finish, stepping off his wing after several players kept the ball alive.

Quins remained resolute after the break and scrum-half Will Porter sniped his way to the line to level the scores at 12-12, before the visitors went down to 14 players when Lennox Anyanwu tip-tackled Ibrahim Diallo.

With the player advantage, Le Garrec nudged Racing back in front from the tee before Antoine Gibert produced a pinpoint crossfield kick for Spring to gather and score a well-worked try.

Another Le Garrec penalty sailed over the posts to seal victory as Quins’ late rally failed to produce a losing bonus.

Quins face South African side Stormers at Twickenham Stoop in their next game on Saturday, 14 December (20:00 GMT), while Racing travel to England to face Sale the night before (20:00).

Quins will leave the French capital empty-handed and with a sense of regret despite showing plenty of resolve.

The Premiership side peppered the Racing defence in the first half and Chandler Cunningham-South was unfortunate after being held up over the line.

Porter’s try was reward for some ingenuity from the scrum-half as well as the team’s intent to challenge their hosts.

Anyanwu’s sin-binning was just the advantage Racing needed with the game evenly poised in the second half, as the centre was penalised for a tackle which upended Diallo.

The Racing flanker lost control of the ball as he charged at the Quins centre, who made a strong tackle and was unfortunate after Diallo’s body position changed after the initial contact.

The man advantage was exposed with Spring’s try out wide which moved Racing out of reach, but Quins will have a chance to respond in front of their home support when they host Stormers in a week’s time.

Racing 92: Spring; Habosi, Fickou (capt), Tuisova, Naituvi; Gibert, Le Garrec; Gogichashvili, Tarrit, Mazibuko, Palu, Sanconnie, Woki, Diallo, Joseph.

Replacements: Chat, Julien, Kharaishvili, Baudonne, Zinzen, Le Bail, Lancaster, Tedder.

Harlequins: Halfpenny; Murley, Northmore, Anyanwu, David; Smith, Porter; Jones, Walker, Kerrod, Lamb, Lewies, Cunningham-South, Kenningham, Dombrandt (capt).

Replacements: Riley, Els, Lamositele, Chisholm, Evans, Care, Evans, Beard.

Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)