Glasgow Warriors' Champions Cup home cards fall right but still important to beat Harlequins
Glasgow Warriors have secured home advantage for their last 16 Investec Champions Cup tie after results over the went their way.
Franco Smith’s men were convincing victors over Racing 92 on Friday night in Group 4 to maintain their strong start in the premier competition of European rugby. And after Stormers defeated Sale Sharks on Saturday and then Toulon’s win over Harlequins on Sunday, they are guaranteed to have a home tie.
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Hide AdWarriors have made their Scotstoun base a fortress over recent seasons and this will be the first time in the club’s history that they will play a knockout tie in any competition at home.


Glasgow conclude their pool-phase campaign away at Quins on Saturday night and will want to emerge victorious so that they can have home advantage for any quarter-final tie, should they progress.
They will take on a Harlequins team that requires a win to boost its own chances of progress. The Gallagher Premiership outfit endured a chastening afternoon on the Cote d’Azur with a 33-21 defeat by Toulon leaving them in a precarious position in the tournament. Their failure to leave the Stade Mayol with at least a bonus point places them under pressure, with Stormers, Sale and Racing 92 also competing for the two available spots in Pool Four.
Even allowing for Quins’ ability to score quick tries, the Gallagher Premiership club appeared to have been blasted out of contention by half-time, which they entered 26-0 behind.
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Hide AdGianmarco Lucchesi went over after just 104 seconds before tries from Baptiste Serin, Esteban Abadie and Jiuta Wainiqolo followed to wrap up the bonus point by the interval. Serin’s dummy deceived the visiting defence too easily and the scrum-half was the catalyst for many of the standout moments seen from Toulon, who lost prop Kyle Sinckler to what appeared to be a wrist injury in the 18th minute.


James Chisholm’s yellow card for leading with the arm when carrying was a blow to Quins, particularly given their inability to match the hosts’ physicality.
Facundo Isa ran over Alex Dombrandt early in the second half, summing up Toulon’s dominance of the collisions, but Harlequins hit back with a well-worked try for Will Porter. Jack Walker then finished off a line-out maul but the door was slammed shut on their comeback when Toulon’s attack clicked for Gael Drean to race over.
Quins had at least shown greater fight in the second half with Nick David running in their third try in stoppage time, but it was an otherwise disappointing performance.
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