Unwanted England number eight Zach Mercer produced a superb display as Montpellier moved a step towards the Champions Cup quarter-finals following a 40-26 victory over Harlequins.

The Top 14 pacesetters were utterly outstanding in the opening period, with Mercer very much to the fore. The back-row scored two tries in the first half while Gabriel Ngandebe and Cobus Reinach also went over to give the hosts a comfortable lead at the break.

When Titi Lamositele touched down Quins were in serious trouble of being eliminated, even before the reverse fixture at the Stoop, but the visitors showed tremendous spirit to respond.

They scored four tries themselves, with George Hammond, Andre Esterhuizen, Joe Marchant and Louis Lynagh all crossing the whitewash to keep them in the tie.

Paolo Garbisi’s penalty and two Handre Pollard three-pointers provides Montpellier with a 14-point buffer heading to London, but it should have been more.

The visitors started well enough, but their handling and finishing was well below par and they failed to make the most of the chances they created in the opening quarter.

Error after error crept into their game and an attempt kick pass across their 22 in the 22nd minute led to Ngandebe profiting from a knock-down and racing the 25 metres to score unopposed.

Italian fly-half Garbisi added the conversion and then improved Mercer’s first try to double the lead.

Worse was to follow when Reinach was put clear after a turn over for the Top 14 leaders came from a Danny Care kick that hit Joe Marler’s backside.

That extended the lead to 19 points and it was 26-0 at the break after Mercer had raced almost half the length of the field for a try that Garbisi again converted.

Quins needed a fast start to the second half, but conceded a fifth try within 67 seconds of the restart.

The home forwards went into pick and drive mode and it ended with former Saracens prop Lamositele powering over to make it 31-0.

Garbisi then made it 34-0 with a penalty and the game looked dead and buried.

But Harlequins are not known as the comeback kings for nothing and while they conceded two penalties to Pollard before the end, they conjured up four tries of their own to keep the tie very much in the melting pot.

Hammond launched the fightback with a try in the 57th minute as he ran onto a kick through by Marcus Smith.

Then Esterhuizen was sent crashing over from a quick tap penalty and Smith added the extras.

Three minutes later Lynagh broke into the home half and sent Marchant racing to the line and the conversion cut the gap to 15 points.

Lynagh then picked off a Pollard pass just outside his 22 and ran 70 metres to score at the posts.

Smith’s conversion meant there were only 11 points in it, but Pollard added a penalty at the death to make it a two score Champions Cup tie.