Harlequins 53-15 Gloucester Rugby
By poorfour
March 27 2011
Quins' home form has been pretty good this season, but there were plenty of reasons to approach this game with some trepidation ...
Both squads were welcoming back players from international duty, but in Gloucester's case it was into a team that was on a winning streak of 11 games, and who had only a week ago claimed the first silverware of the season. And they'd done it by demolishing the team who so narrowly beat Quins, at the Stoop, the previous week.
Had Quins used their week off to good effect? Was our recent loss of form a fundamental problem or simply the consequence of having to field a seriously inexperienced lineup with 3rd choice options at 8 & 9, and our second choice at 10? Would Mark Evans' send off be a day to remember?
If you don't want to know the answer, look away now. It was yes on all counts. What follows is going to be long but I make no apologies. This was a game to savour. You lucky folks with ESPN; I hope you recorded it.
The first quarter had a familiar feel to it. The opening exchanges saw a mixture of caution, ambition and mishap. There was a fair amount of kicking from both sides, but they also showed their intent to run... and their ability to end a promising sequence with a knock-on. Easter made the first serious break of the game, bursting through the Glaws defence and releasing Care. Quins eventually won a penalty, which Clegg smoothly converted, but it could have been more. Danny chose to run rather than pass twice in the build up, but on both occasions got caught, and there didn't look to be a way through the Gloucester tryline defence. Was this going to be another game where early industry came to nothing for want of a killer edge?
There followed an inconclusive string of kicks, knock-ons and scrums. For all the mistakes, and the lack of scores, the game was enthralling and it was a surprise to realise that a quarter of it had passed for only 3 points scored. Credit is due to the referee, JP Doyle, who was clear, decisive and kept the game flowing. He also has a great line in chat, on one occasion telling Robshaw: "Don't tell me that again. You've told me that. That's boring. Let's have some better banter." He also appears to be that rare thing - a referee who understands the scrum. Several times, he pointed out "I saw what he was doing but you changed your mind and [caused infringement], so you left me no choice."
And then... Glaws engaged early on a Quins scrum, and Danny decided to go quickly from the free kick. It looked like a bad call - he was tackled quickly - but somehow he scrambled ten yards and Quins won a penalty near the Glaws 10 yard line. After a brief pause for handbags between Narraway and the Quins pack, Clegg kicked for touch. Quins won the lineout at the front and mauled their way to 5 yards, earning a penalty for Glaws pulling it down. The penalty looked kickable, but Quins clearly sensed blood and Clegg kicked to the corner. Quins caught and mauled, but the Glaws defence looked to be holding until Easter, in another key intervention, drove forward a crucial yard and delivered quick ball. Care popped it up for a charging Gray to go over near the posts. Clegg converted for 10-0.
Quins won a scrum from the kickoff, but Andress was penalised and Nicky Robinson took the points. The score was 10-3, and we were coming up on the half hour mark.
Another scrappy passage of play followed, until Glaws overthrew a lineout on their own 10m. Big Mo recovered it and set up a break by Ollie Kohn which Marler and Lowe carried on to the 5m line. Danny delayed his pass from the ruck to draw the defence, but eventually delivered a slow, looping thing that bounced before reaching its man. However, Robson still managed to recover it and charge over in the corner. Clegg coolly converted. 17-3 with 5 minutes to go in the half.
Quins recovered the kickoff, but Danny's box kick was fielded by Voyce and Molenaar, who pulled a cute inside move that had been foiled before but this time fooled Lowe. Clegg and Camacho - both of whom impressed in defence all afternoon - stopped the move but knocked on in the process. However, Danny made a nuisance of himself around the scrum, and when the Quins pack put the pressure on he managed to nick the ball from Narraway. Gonzo and Big Mo were up in support, and when Clegg received the ball from the ruck he threw a superb pass that let JTH take the ball at speed and pass on to Brown. Mike passed to Ugo and we held our breaths. In the opening exchanges, Monye had looked hesitant and easily contained, but now he made no mistake: over in the corner. Clegg, unfazed by the touchline, added the extras.
24-3 at half time. The result wasn't really in doubt, but there were still bonus points to play for.
The second half began as a virtual replay of the first. Scrappy exchanges, a break from Easter, squandered chances (Marler, choosing to take on two backs rather than pass to Camacho; a crossfield grubber from Clegg that found touch before it found Ugo) and, eventually, an infringement from Gloucester and another 3 points from Rory.
After another exchange of kicking, Gloucester knock on in the tackle. Camacho recovered and passed to Marler, who threw a fairly wild pass that Ugo took one handed and coasted under the posts to score. It was the 51st minute, the bonus point was secure, and Clegg secured the extras for good measure.
A mistake by Lowe saw Gloucester pose their first serious threat of the half, eventually kicking through for Ugo to touch down for a 22. Clegg took it quickly and got tackled, but the ball found its way back across the 22 to Mike Brown, who placed a super kick over Voyce's head and made sure it bounced before reaching touch near the Gloucester 22. By this point, both sides had changed their front rows. It's worth noting here that the Quins scrum - which reportedly struggled up at Kingsholm - looked solid all afternoon. Marler had a big grin on his face at each reset, and seem to be enjoying his chat with Paul Doran-Jones.
More replacements on both sides were to follow, along with an enforced 10 minutes for Strokosch for a deliberate knock on. We were also treated to the unusual sight of Chris Robshaw being subbed.
Games often lose their shape when the subs come on, but nothing was stopping Quins today. Quins took a scrum from the Strockosch penalty, the ball somehow bounced off Robinson's back and Lowe gathered to score. Gloucester seemed to have struck back in the corner, but the assistant ref had seen a foot in touch, confirmed by the TMO. Undeterred, a few minutes later they worked a try for Trinder, who touched down in the corner with an "Ash Splash".
In the 75th minute, the "new normal" service was resumed. Easter broke through and released Lowe to score, with another Clegg conversion for 48-10. Not long after, Quins forced a turnover in midfield, and Lambert fed Robson, who passed to Ugo. Monye had two defenders and half the length of the pitch to negotiate, but did so with aplomb (and a firm hand-off) to complete his hat-trick. The transformation from the uncertain player of the opening minutes to one approaching his Lions form was a delight to watch. Clegg missed for the first time, from the touchline, but still ended the game with a personal tally of 18 points, and a near 90% success rate.
The game was long gone, but Gloucester kept trying. With the last play of the game, Molenaar earned a reward for his industry, breaking through to score in the corner. Robinson was unable to add the points and the score finished at 53-15.
A relaxed Conor O'Shea greeted the press afterwards. Today's performance, he insisted came from a combination of Gloucester being on a comedown after winning their silverware and the team's reaction to "a lot of pain, a lot of hurt." Nick Easter and Chris Robshaw had apparently been drilling into the squad the kind of performance they wanted, and he singled them both out. Easter had turned up on Monday morning after the England defeat in Dublin, and put in a full day's training despite it all. Conor's given him most of this week off by way of return.
Robshaw apparently picked something up at Quins' regular stand-up night, which COS has organised as a way of getting the players used to communicating while under pressure. He'd spent the previous two days ill in bed, but had still insisted on playing. This, though, was why he had to be subbed.
It was pleasing to see "Monners" getting back to the form that makes him "the best winger there is... right up there with Chris Ashton," and it will have done his England chances no harm, but "you know, I've always liked left-footed fullbacks, and Mike Brown delivers every week for Quins... don't rule him out."
Although technically 4th after today's result, COS dismissed talk of playoffs and instead looked forward to facing "the best club side in the country, bar none" next week. If Quins can maintain this kind of form, bring it on.
Bryan Redpath seemed to be taking his side's "worst defeat in two years" in his stride. "It had to happen, and I'm glad it's over," he declared early in the interview, referring to the need for Gloucester to refresh their intensity and commitment in the run-up to the playoffs. "Quins were more energised, but on the whole we were dreadful. We fell off tackles... we were easy to score against... we lacked the intensity I expect of Gloucester players." I felt he was a little harsh here. Gloucester seemed up for the game, and kept fighting to the end, but had the misfortune to run into a Quins team who put it all together.
All in all, it was a fitting end to Mark Evans's reign as CEO. To look around the Stoop and see a capacity crowd watching a thrilling game was to realise how far he's brought the club, and how close we are to his goals of a sizeable stadium, sustainable supporter base and a winning team. It is a shame that he won't be at the helm to see us take the final step in each area, but the foundation he has built over the last ten years is a testament to his stewardship, through good years and bad. Thanks, Mark, and good luck.
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