Quins A 54-6 Leeds Carnegie A
By AlanQuin
April 27 2010
The Harlequin A Team rampaged their way into the Guinness A League Final by 54 points to 6, running in eight tries, seven converted, to defeat a physical Leeds Carnegie A team who had no answer to Harlequins fluent running rugby.
It took only five minutes for the first try. A kick ahead down the right wing end was chased hard and stopped just short of the Leeds line. Quins were able to retain the ball at the breakdown. When it emerged, Karl Dickson ran the ball rapidly left before straightening to cut through the defence and score under the posts. Luvenyali added the conversion.
Leeds attempted to respond and Jason Strange took advantage of a penalty midway on the Quins half to kick three points. But Quins were still running and a fine move involving Masson and Mordt put Lindsay-Hague in at the left for the second try. Luvenyali’s successful kick took the score to 14 – 3 after only twelve minutes. Masson limped off holding his hamstring and was replaced by Tom Casson. Strange, having missed once was then successful with another penalty kick, but that ended Leeds scoring in the match.
Quins were running hard and moving the ball with skill and purpose. A fine move started by Dickson with Marler in support that ended with Casson held up over the line would have been a superb score, Quins pressure was relentless and their defence excellent as Leeds, when they had the ball, were throwing themselves lemming-like against their opponents’ defensive wall. As Quins pressed deep into the Leeds twenty-two, a clever chip through the defence by Luvenyali allowed Lindsay-Hague to run through for his second try.
The next score followed after only a couple of minutes as an excellent break by Marlar saw him offload to Casson whose curving run easily outstripped the defensive cover over forty-five metres. Luvenyali continued to convert tries effortlessly. A fifth try was to follow as the half drew to a close as a juggling interception by Cassson on the Quins’ twenty two was passed to Sam Smith for a 75 metre dash to the posts with three Leeds defenders vainly in chase. Luvenyali’s kick brought the score at half time to 35 – 6.
It was only five minutes into the second half before Quins added to their score. A penalty brought an attacking lineout on the left. Slick passing between Dickson and Luveyali found Lewis Stevenson who forced his way over for the try. Leeds attempts to attack had no penetrative power in the face of determined and relentless tackling from Quins. Their pace, handling and passing and offloading were increasingly like a sevens game as the score showing the game was already won.
Then, on the half-hour, Mantella picked up a loose ball midway in the Leeds’ half and went through the Leeds defence evading numerous would-be tacklers to score under the posts. The successful conversion increased the score to 49 – 6. There was still more to come as finally Seb Jewell crossed for Quins’ eighth try. Luvenyali missed with the final kick of the match.
The try tally over the whole competition that determines the venue for the final found Quins two short. So Leicester will host the final on May 3rd at 7.0 p.m.
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What a fun night it was!
you get some great entertainment at these matches, a lot of skill and attacking intent on display, and also very impressive defence in the last two games, both shut outs i think. the only one minor gripe i have is that the game often degenerates in the last 20 as the whole bench is brought on. i understand the desire to give everyone a run on, but surely i would be better to introduce players individually at say 5 min intervals, giving them a chance to bed in before the next guy comes on, rather than changing 3 at a time and having a fifth of the team off the pace.
I only ask because we beat Gloucester 14-45 at Kingsolm earlier in the year and Irish at the stoop by 37-10.
At least we can blame Glaws and Irish if we lose at WR.
It was better to watch than the turgid stuff we sometimes see on a Saturday afternoon. Let's give more of these guys a chance to move up and see if they can cut it at the top level.