Quins Go Out of Europe Despite Win

By AlanQuin
January 21 2007

Despite four tries and a bonus point in a 26 – 10 win over Connacht, Harlequins failed to reach the knock-out stage of the European Challenge Cup effectively paying the penalty for losing twice to Bath earlier in the competition.

Despite the fact that the previous evening’s drawn game between Glasgow and Saracens, had made qualification virtually impossible, Harlequins went at the task of winning with a bonus point with a will and from the start. From the first scrum, following a knock-on in the first line-out, they produced a flowing attack with the ball moving through many hands before Hal Luscombe crossed for the first try in the right corner in the fourth minute. Jarvis missed the conversion from the touchline.

Connacht tried hard to put some pressure on Quins, but they were too lateral in their approach and mostly devoid of intention, Quins’ defence was accurate and strong and Connacht made little headway. Eventually after almost twenty minutes Quins were penalised for coming in at the side at a catch and drive from a lineout and McHugh opened the visitors’ score with a successful kick.

Quins again stepped up the pace with a series of tap and go penalties which eventually gained them a lineout inside the Connacht twenty-two. From the lineout the ball was moved quickly and a fine break through the centre saw David Strettle move the ball left and Jarvis’ pass put Mike Brown through for the second try. This time the conversion attempt succeeded and after only twenty-three minutes Quins led 12 – 3.

Despite a renewal of Connacht pressure, the defence was firm and the visitors’ rather despairing grubber kick through was easily cleared by Mike Brown. After half an hour a penalty to Quins, for offside, just outside the Connacht twenty-two tempted Jarvis to kick but the ball hit the right-hand post and rebounded into play. Another quick attack saw Quins force a poor clearance and an attacking lineout only to knock-on as they sought to gather the throw.

The Connacht scrum was fragmented by the Quins’ pack and the ball carrier was forced into touch. A penalty for obstruction followed and again Quins moved the ball quickly left. A good break by Volley was carried on by Hala’Ufia and he was able to pop the ball up out of the tackle to Stuart Abbot who crossed for the third try with some five minutes of the first half remaining. Jarvis added the conversion and at half-time Quins led 19 – 3.

Quins started the second half with determination. A knock-on at the restart gained them a scrum inside the Connacht twenty-two and a free kick from an offence at the scrum saw them opt for another scrum. A delicate chip through by Jarvis saw the ball knocked-on as he tried to regather. A good rum by Strettle was stopped and again Quins were penalised for an offence at the breakdown. But errors began to creep into the Quins game. The line-out was functioning intermittently and poorly. When after twelve minutes of the half a good touch from a penalty gave Quins a good attacking lineout position, the ball was overthrown and possession lost.

But Quins were still the dominant team. Nebbett and Evans replaced Ross and Kohn and immediately thereafter the forwards won a scrum against the head, pushing the Irish clean off the ball. Another good run by Strettle ended as he was put into touch on the Connacht twenty-two. Then as the last quarter began and with Quins pressing up, Williams who had replaced Warwick at fly-half, broke through at speed and despite despairing attempts to stop him, put O’Loughlin through to score under the posts. Durcan added the easy conversion and the score was narrowed to 19 – 10.

Quins now improved their concentration and pressure. A break from the scrum by Gomarsall was stopped short of the line. A good break by Abbott with Strettle in support led to an attacking scrum close to the line, but the visitors’ defence held. Eventually, with only a few minutes remaining, Chris Hala’Ufia turned over possession at the breakdown and darted through for the fourth try. Battle won but the war was lost elsewhere.

There were some excellent performances for Quins. Abbott had his best game in a Quins shirt. Gomersall was back and at his best, while the whole back row of Vos, Volley and Hala’Ufia were immense.

So the European challenge ended with Newcastle gaining the last place by dint of having a superior try count at the expense of an Italian team against whom most GP clubs would have run in tries at will.

Afterward Dean Richards was philosophically resigned. “We didn’t play as well as we could have done” he said. “We had a lot of pressure but did not convert that into points.” Asked where the European campaign had gone wrong he said “The two games against Bath, where we dominated for seventy minutes and did not come away with a result. Those two defeats cost us dear.”

On that day’s match he was asked if it was a bit of an anti-climax and replied, “Irrespective of how all the other results had gone, we set our stall out to go out there and win. We felt that Connacht had turned in some very good performances in the Celtic League and were a difficult side to break down. They haven’t lost by many points throughout the whole of the season so we thought it was not going to be easy at all. Our objective was to go and get the bonus point.”

Asked if the objective now was to get a Heineken place by league position in the Premiership, he said “Yes. That has got to be our goal, but it is a very difficult one to achieve. This is a funny old season. There are three games to be played during the Six Nations. At the end of the year we will see what happens.”

Harlequins: M Brown; D Strettle, H Luscombe, S Abbott, S Keogh (U Moyne 69min); A Jarvis, A Gomarsall (S So’oialo 75min); A Croall, T Fuga, M Ross (R Nebbett 53min), O Kohn (J Evans 53min), N Spanghero, A Vos (W Skinner 59min), C Hala’Ufia, P Volley (capt).

Connacht: D Riordan; T Robinson (C Keane 62min), J Hearty, M McHugh (P Durcan 45min), C McPhillips; P Warwick (G Williams 17min), C O’Loughlin; B Wilkinson, J Fogarty (capt, A Flavin 51min) S Knoop (B Sturgess 53min), M Swift (A Farley 67min), R Strudwick, M Lacey, B O’Connor (C Rigney 51min), R Ofisa.

Scorers: Harlequins: Tries: Luscombe, Brown, Abbott, Hala’Ufia Cons: Jarvis (3)
Connacht: Try: O’Loughlin Con: Durcan Pen: McHugh

Referee: D Changleng (Scotland)
Attendance: 9,053