Match Report: London Wasps 16-22 Harlequins

With a display of obdurate and committed defence for long periods of the game and with three flashes of clinical brilliance producing good tries, Harlequins extended their unbeaten run to ten out of ten in the Aviva Premiership and fourteen out of fourteen overall as they defeated London Wasps by 16 – 22 at Adams Park. 

While both teams started with attack in mind it was Harlequins that produced the first score. With barely six minutes elapsed, a penalty allowed Evans to find a good touch in the Wasps twenty-two and quick passing brought the ball into the hands of Marler. His excellent inside pass found Hopper who barrelled across for a try that was duly converted by Evans.  They had already missed a previous opportunity when a clever cross kick just reached the dead ball line as Mike Brown touched down.

A successful penalty kick reduced the arrears as Wasps tried to increase the pace and penetration of their attack.  The first scrum soon followed and so too did a series of penalties against the Harlequins’ pack as they tried to stem the dominance of the Wasps forwards at the set piece. Wasps had a further opportunity to reduce the lead but Robinson’s kick hit the post and rebounded.

For most of the rest of the half, Wasps were playing in the Quins’ half of the pitch.  For long periods they were deep in the twenty-two.  Not only was their scrummaging giving the visitors’ trouble, but Wasps were also successfully stealing or disrupting the lineout.  But Quins are determined in defence and the back row forwards, particularly Robshaw, unfamiliarly at Number 8, and Wallace produced a number of turnovers at necessary times. With time running out to the interval Robinson finally had the opportunity of another penalty kick and successfully took three points to make the score 6 – 7 at half time.

It was Harlequins that took the first points of the second half as Nick Evans had his first chance of a penalty and extended Quins’ lead to 6 – 10.  A penalty produced excellent attacking position for Wasps, but the lineout throw was not straight.  Then a first scrum of the half saw the penalty going to Quins as they stemmed the tide of Wasps’ dominance.  Despite Evans’ kick being kept in play by Varndell, Quins still had a lineout in Wasps’ territory.

Quick handling and offloading became Quins’ order of the day as they attacked from the lineout. The ball came to Mike Brown, running hard as ever and his chip ahead and successful chase produced a fine try. This time it was Evans’ turn to hit the post as the conversion attempt failed.

Harlequins continued to attack, again turning over Wasps’ ball.  A sweeping attack took play to the twenty-two and a pinpoint kick from Danny Care to the corner was successfully caught by Luke Wallace and touched down for Quins’ third try. Evans added the extras and the lead was 6 – 22 with twenty-five minutes remaining.

Wasps resumed their attack and a yellow card for Hopper eventually produced an overlap on their left and a try for the full-back, Southwell, but the conversion attempt failed.  When ten minutes later Hopper returned it was in time to see Varndell carve through the defence for another Wasps’ try.  For the second time, Robinson hit the post.  Thereafter, Quins played cannily and determinedly to ensure the win.

It is almost invidious to pick out players from this fine performance.  The back row was immense, the pack recovered their equilibrium in the second half and Hopper, despite the yellow card, and Casson were excellent.  Mike Brown must surely be the best full back in the Premiership at present, safe under the high ball and seemingly scoring tries almost at will.

Asked about the forthcoming double header against Toulouse, now only five days away, Conor O’Shea was philosophical. “This win will give us a heck of a lot of confidence. Friday will look after itself, the energy will look after itself. We are up against the best European side of all time, they warmed up with a 33-10 win over Toulon and dependant on which full international side that comes to the Stoop it will be a cracking day.”  

He was fulsome in his praise of Robshaw.  “Sometimes you just can’t get over the work rate he does, you look at the match tape and you say 'I don’t believe it, it’s him again’,” he said.  “Robbo will do anything for the team. There are a lot of good back row players in England and I hope he gets there because he is desperate to succeed. 

Robshaw, interviewed by Sky after the match about the forthcoming matches, "It's pretty special. They are the big guns you want to play against in rugby. You have really got to test yourself and find out what you are about. Everyone is really looking forward to it. We will enjoy tonight and rest up and look forward to it next week.”

On the Wasps match, Robshaw said: "Our defence has been spot-on this year. We had a couple of lapses towards the end there, but the guys really fronted up today. It was about the squad. Some guys came in, the likes of Tom Casson and Charlie Matthews, and did exceptionally, so we are very pleased with today's efforts."

Robshaw was also delighted with the clinical nature of his side's finishing.  "Last year, we struggled with that. We were getting into the final third, so to speak, and weren't clinical enough. This year, it has been the other way around. We have really taken our chances. We are a year wiser and have a lot more patience with the ball. If we show that patience and keep hold of the ball, we know either the other team will give a penalty away or hopefully we can break them with a try."

Wasps Southwell; Varndell, Waldouck, Flutey, Wade; Robinson, Simpson; Payne (Taulafo, 58), Webber (Lindsay, 68), Broster (Castex, 68), O'Donoghue, Wentzel, Birkett (Jones, 59), Everard, Hart (capt).

Harlequins Brown; Stegmann, Hopper (Urdapilleta, 76), Casson, Smith (Monye, 46); Evans, Care; Marler (Lambert, 70), Gray (Brooker, 58), Johnston, Vallejos, Matthews, Fa'asavalu (Skinner 58), Wallace, Robshaw (capt).

Referee D Richards (Berkshire). Attendance 6,792.