Bath 19-15 Harlequins

Harlequin success at The Recreation Ground is so rare that it is almost as though they travel more in hope than expectation.  Once again the result was unfavourable, Bath winning, as a result of a single lapse in the Harlequin defence which allowed a Classens try, by 19 – 15.

It could and should have been otherwise as once again chances were created but not taken. Robshaw was stopped a couple of metres from the line and Vesty’s yellow card that followed was only capitalised on to the extent of the immediate penalty and Bath added one also in his absence..  With time running out on the malfunctioning clocks Quins drove their way through many phases towards the Bath line. Inevitably, and in about the eighty-fifth minute, a knock on a metre from the line ended the chance to win and the game was up.

In truth this was a poor game between two sides who could not afford to lose although only one could win.  Defence was at a premium and while the ball was moved about by both sides, there were few line breaks. Mr Pearson’s whistle sounded all too frequently to permit of a smooth progression of play.  Many apparently promising attacks by both sides were halted by both excellent defending and committed tackling and both unforced and forced handling errors as each side tried, almost too hard, to find an edge.

Apart from the try, in the twelfth minute, both fly halves landed five out of six kicks. The one Nick Evans missed was from the left touchline and his only other scoring chance was a drop goal attempt with the last kick of the first half that slewed off to the right of the posts.

So Leeds at Headingly becomes an even more ‘must win’ game and victory at home over Saracens might well seal a top six position if other results give a little help. Winning the Amlin Cup would produce Heineken Cup rugby next season. But with Munster waiting at Thomond Park and either Clermont Auvergne or Stade Francais to be overcome in a final, that is looking a little more problematical.

Rarely have I found so little to say about a Harlequins match and that in itself is a problem!