The Toulouse residents did not lose a bit of Harlequins’ improved victory last weekend at Racing 92 (31-28).

“It was quite impressive, both in terms of the quality of their rugby and the intensity that they were able to maintain from the first to the last minute,” noted Toulouse manager Ugo Mola before going to challenge Sunday the third in the English championship on their London lawn at the Stoop.

“Harlequins have set the bar very high,” he added, aware that the level will be significantly higher than against Cardiff on the first day (52-7 victory). “Frankly, few teams have as many threats on the field.”

The first of these will be young fly-half Marcus Smith, named man of the match at the Arena. “He has this inside hook that hurts defenses a lot,” said Rouge et Noir third line Anthony Jelonch. “It will be up to the whole team, from 1 to 15, to make the effort to muzzle him.”

The five-time European champions from Toulouse, deprived for several weeks of second row Thibaud Flament, injured in one foot, will face a team almost as playful as them. Which could make for a spectacle.

“We have to be careful not to overplay either,” warned Antoine Dupont. “Fireworks can be dangerous in either direction.”

Swept away at Sale (28-5), Stade Français will try to make up for it against another English club, Leicester. On Sunday, the Pink Soldiers, who have only fallen once at home this season, have no choice but to win to hope.

“It was a big blow to lose in England: with only four matches, without a return match, we have to take entry points,” assured young winger Charles Laloi, 20, who will play against the Tigers his first European match. “It’s a double or nothing match: if we win, we’re still in the race; if we lose, we can give up on the European Cup.”

Former Clermontois Morgan Parra, who played three finals with ASM (2013, 2015, 2017) does not say anything else: “We need to take points to still be able to exist,” said the coach of the Parisian attack. “It’s up to the players to write their story.”

The return of international flanker Sekou Macalou, absent for almost a month, therefore comes at the right time for the capital club. A victory against Leicester and its armada of internationals (the South Africans Handré Pollard and Jasper Wiese; the Argentinian Julian Montoya; the English Freddie Steward, Dan Cole, Ollie Chessum, Ben Youngs or Anthony Watson…) would also be the best way to celebrate the club’s 140th anniversary.