It’s round two of the PREM Rugby Cup and Harlequins are looking to build upon their win from the opening round. Today, the Quartered Men welcomed Northampton Saints to the Twickenham Stoop.
Will Evans led out the hosts for the first time in his career, with debutants Dimen, Bowman and Sharp hoping to come off the bench later in the game.
Warm, blue skies welcomed the two teams at kick-off.
Within two minutes the visitors Northampton Saints earned a penalty just inside the Quins’ half and opted for a scrum. Although the ball was fed well, the release was poor and passes were fumbled allowing Quins a scrum of their own. The hosts broke through the defence and entered the 22 before giving away another penalty, allowing Saints to clear their lines.
The hosts powered back into the 22 and earned a penalty and second advantage. An attempted grubber was blocked and so Quins reset while debutant Sean Sharp replaced an injured Theo Povey after 8 minutes.
Prop Will Hobson scored the opening try for Harlequins after 9 minutes. Unconverted (5-0).
Saints restarted play with a long kick, forcing Quins to box-kick from inside their own 22. The visitors then attempted a chip-through approaching the whitewash but Quins gathered well and cleared their lines, sending play back towards the half-way line.
However, the hosts were penalised for failing to release a tackled player as Saints found touch with an attacking line-out. As they pushed for the line, Quins turned over possession.
Head Injury Assessment for James Lang; he was replaced by Bryn Bradley after 13-minutes.
Saints found some breathing space and broke through the defence but fumbled their passes when it mattered, knocking-on. Only a couple of phases later and Quins also knocked on in an attempted high-ball catch, with a scrum settling back on the halfway line.
The hosts were then penalised for not rolling away following a tackle and Saints progressed up the pitch. They secured line-out ball and attacked the line before Tom Pearson crossed the whitewash for the visitors; converted by Hugh Shields; leading for the first time this game: 5-7 (20th minute).
There were cheers from the fans at Twickenham Stoop as the attempted box-kick following the restart was charged-down; Quins gaining possession just inside the visiting half. The hosts recycled well and earned a penalty – Saints failing to release a tackled player.
The hosts found touch in the corner but threw long and into the waiting arms of Saints who gathered and box-kicked from an extending caterpillar.
The hosts were then penalised, allowing Saints to gain ground, but Quins put in the tackles. On gathering the ball, Quins were tackled into touch handing the visitors an attacking line-out. Toby Thame darted across the line for a try; converted by Hugh Shields; Saints extending their lead: 5-14 (27 minutes).
Harlequins welcomed a knock-on from Saints who, within seconds of the restart, had made their way up to the hosts’ 22. The scrum was upgraded to a penalty and Quins found touch at halfway before knocking on and handing over possession. More loose passes from Saints saved Quins going further behind; the ball was released from the ensuing scrum and passed out to the wing for Quins to make a break.
Jeers erupted from the home fans as replays seemed to show a failed interception from Saints knocking-on and ending a potential try-scoring opportunity, however the referee disagreed and play continued with a scrum to Saints for a forward pass. This extended to a penalty and they kicked play back into the host’ 22.
A thumping tackle from Quins got the fans onside again and singing at the tops of their voices as Saints spilled the ball; Quins earned a scrum and sent play back into the opposition half. Saints sliced the ball on clearing following great chasing pressure from the hosts who earned an attacking platform.
The hosts again lost possession but were awarded a scrum following a knock-on. With a fantastic solo effort, Sean Kerr got Quins fans back on their feet as he added another 5-points to the scoreboard; the additional two points added by Josh Bellamy.
Half-time at Twickenham Stoop: Harlequins 12 – 14 Northampton Saints
Half-time changes for Harlequins saw Sitiveni Vasuturaga replaced by debutant Osman Dimen. Captain Dingwall was replaced for Northampton Saints.
The first penalty of the second half was awarded to the hosts, who placed the ball into touch inside the visiting 22. Saints stole possession before Quins reclaimed the ball, sending play back into the 22.
Saints secured line-out ball and earned a penalty of their own. Play resumed in Quins’ territory and Northampton recycled possession well, scoring in the corner: Shields converted; Aiden Ainsworth-Cave the try scorer. 12-21 after 42 minutes. However, the try disallowed following Television Match Official review: score back to 12-14.
Despite having a reprieve, Harlequins wasted possession, kicking into touch on the full. Sean Sharp, himself a replacement, was replaced by debutant Alfie Bowman following injury after 46-minutes.
Knock-on scrum to Quins inside the opposition 22. The set-piece, however, collapsed and it was the hosts who found themselves penalised. Quins put in more thumping tackles as they continued to empty the bench, and they found themselves on the front foot again, opening up Bradley on the near wing before he forced an offload into the waiting arms of Saints.
The hosts were determined to keep up the pressure and regained possession, taking play back into the visiting 22 and forcing their opponents to slice the ball into touch. Harlequins had built themselves an attacking platform inside the 22. They secured line-out ball and formed a maul. They broke on the blind-side and Stu Townsend added his name to the scoreboard after 51 minutes. Unconverted. Quins took a narrow lead: 17-14.
As Northampton pushed on the attack, they knocked-on, handing a scrum to the hosts just inside half-way. The scrum held firm and Quins retrieved the ball but struggled to run it from inside their own half. They sent play to the far wing where they earned a penalty; Saints were offside. A long kick failed to find touch, instead Northampton gathered and cleared their lines.
Harlequins were forced into a defensive line-out which they secured before box-kicking out of their half. As both teams started to tire, an aerial battle ensued which Quins won, earning a penalty in opposition territory. They passed to the near wing allowing Cameron Anderson to stretch his legs and run over the whitewash, palming off defenders as he went. Quins extended their lead in the 60th minute but the try went unconverted. 22-14.
Knock-on scrum to Saints just inside the host’s half. This was upgraded to a penalty and they found touch inside the 22. Bowman thought he intercepted the attacking visitors but instead he was called offside and a penalty handed to the visitors in front of the posts. It was reviewed and Quins earned a goal-line drop-out which Saints then fumbled while attempting to gather the ball.
Possession was short-lived as Quins then knocked-on; scrum to Northampton. The visitors were then awarded a free kick before The Quartered Men earned a penalty, placing the ball in touch just inside the visiting half.
Saints again stole possession and ran play back into the hosts’ 22.
In a bitter blow to the hosts, Alfie Bowman, himself a replacement, left the pitch with what appeared to be an injured arm. With nobody left on the bench, Harlequins went down to 14-men with 11 minutes on the clock remaining.
Saints found touch deep within Quins’ 22 and earned the line-out. They formed a rolling maul which Quins defended before stealing possession; the referee deemed it to have been an illegal steal and Saints kicked for the corner and another line-out. They again formed a maul but Quins held them up over the line.
The hosts cleared and then won a penalty as Saints began rebuilding the pace. Quins found touch and secured the ball. Josh Bellamy put on his running shoes and darted through the defence to add the fifth try for Harlequins which he then converted: 29-14 (76 minutes).
A tired Northampton came again but knocked-on with simple passes. Quins earned another penalty and set-up a line-out inside opposition territory. The visitors turned over possession but struggled to gain any ground. A kick was charged down and they found themselves defending their try-line as Quins’ fans sang out around The Stoop. They forced a knock-on before kicking into touch to end the game.
Full-Time at Twickenham Stoop: Harlequins 29 – 14 Northampton Saints
Harlequins’ Sean Kerr was named Player of the Match.
