Harlequins Head Coach Danny Wilson was pleased and proud of the team, speaking in the post-match interview after their bonus-point win over Northampton Saints:

 

Match Report

Under the floodlights at the Twickenham Stoop, Harlequins faced reigning premiership champions Northampton Saints.  Both teams saw this as a must-win game to keep their hopes alive for a top-four finish and play-off place.

Despite a fast start by the hosts, whose rising star Cassius Cleaves came close to opening the scoring in the first 5 minutes of the game, Northampton Saints were in control of the scoreboard.  Pearson crossed the whitewash for the visitors in the 12th minute, converted by Makepeace-Cubitt.

Disaster then struck for the hosts as James Chisholm had to be assisted from the pitch with a suspected achilles injury just 20-minutes into the game.

Cleaves, eager to right the wrong of the earlier near-try, crossed to open the scoring for Harlequins after 26 minutes.  Evans, however, could not find the posts and it remained a 5-point score.  This two-point deficit increased to a nine points when Haffar added his name to the scorecard for the visitors; again converted by Makepeace-Cubitt.

Lawday, on for the injured Chisholm, pulled Quins back into contention when he scored in the 40th minute; Evans again unable to convert and the hosts found themselves 4-points behind instead of level going into half time.

Harlequins started the second half with pace but just 5-minutes into the second 40, Launchbury, Kerrod and Care were replaced for the hosts.  Seabrook extended the lead for the visitors in the 48h minute; unconverted.  A nine-point gap was reduced to two after Joseph crossed the whitewash for the hosts and a rousing cheer resonated around the Twickenham Stoop as Evans finally got points on the board.

The clock counted down and in the 78th minute Harlequins finally took the lead of the game through Cleaves.  He earned his brace and broke the hearts of Northampton Saints.  Again, it was unconverted making for a nervous final two minutes of the game as the visitors earned a penalty and kicked for the corner as the clock counted down.  In the end it was a knock-on that ended the game.

Tyrone Green was named Player of the Match as Harlequins secured the bonus-point win going into the international break.

Full Time at the Twickenham Stoop: Harlequins 22 – 19 Northampton Saints