The MHR, winner 40-26 in the first leg, will face in May the winner of the 100% French confrontation between La Rochelle and Bordeaux-Bègles (first leg: 31-13 for the Maritimes).
Winner of the European Challenge last season, the Hérault club, qualified by a small point difference, had not reached the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup since the 2012-2013 season.
At the time, with Fabien Galthié on the bench, his adventure ended in front of another French club, on a 36-14 defeat against Clermont.
But how complicated it was for the leader of the Top 14!
With only two starters returned to England (second row Paul Willemse and winger Gabriel Ngandebe), Philippe Saint-André's men played with fire for a long time, folding without ever really breaking up.
They also got themselves into trouble by conceding four tries in the first period, including one from Huw Jones in the first minute.
Carried by an inspired Marcus Smith-Danny Care hinge, Alex Dombrandt (14th), Joe Marchant (29th) then Louis Lynagh (38th) in turn closed the gap which separated the reigning English champion and the current leader of the Top 14.
But the Quins, who have lost only three of their last ten home games, have stumbled on the last step despite the indiscipline of their French opponents (13 turnovers, 16 penalties conceded).
Because the Cistes have long suffered against the power of the English pack, Joe Marler in the lead.
They still almost got burned when hooker Jérémie Maurouard collected a yellow card (68th) for yet another foul in a closed scrum a few meters from the Montpellier in-goal.
This indiscipline could have cost them dearly on a new breakthrough from Smith but his try (71st) was logically refused for obstruction.
Or when the opening half of the XV de la Rose missed the transformation that should have made the difference (77th).
The MHR, leader in the Top 14, can now turn to the French championship: a success in front of the UBB, during the next day, would almost ensure Montpellier a place in the first two.
© 2022 AFP