FOURTH TIME UNLUCKY: GLOUCESTER 29 - 23 HARLEQUINS
By Alanquin
February 26 2012
The fourth meeting between these sides produced a pulsating, end-to-end game of high-paced running rugby but also a defeat for Harlequins by 29 – 23 in front of a full house at Gloucester. The league leaders had to be satisfied with a losing bonus point to maintain a six point lead over Saracens.
As usual, Harlequins started at pace. But, as also seems to be usual, managed to concede an early try as well as an early penalty, so that from the ninth minute they were ten points adrift and playing catch-up. As Gloucester attacked, Quins were caught offside and a five metre lineout resulted from the penalty. Holding their lineout ball, Gloucester moved it rapidly right where a fine run by Simpson-Daniel put Sharples in for an excellent try which Burns converted.
The penalty count rose rapidly at both breakdown and set piece. There were thirteen in the first half with eight against Quins. Two penalties awarded to the visitors were duly slotted by Nick Evans to reduce the lead to 10 – 6 and Quins were fortunate when Burns missed with an attempt at goal. Gloucester resumed their attack and then, from the halfway line, their full back, May, began a fast diagonal run taking him past three missed tackles to score a super try in the corner. Burns’ conversion attempt missed.
Another penalty at a scrum, when Johnson lost his binding, allowed Burns to increase the home lead to 18 – 6 with less than ten minutes of the half remaining. Quins’ response, as ever, was attack. With two minutes remaining on the clock, Nick Evans’ beautifully weighted chip ahead through the Gloucester defensive line was gratefully gathered by Ross Chisholm for a try which he touched down behind the posts leaving the simplest of conversions. Yet another penalty against Quins at a scrum which followed the restart extended the deficit as the half-time score was 21 – 13.
With both teams playing with pace again, Quins again attacked. Evans and Burns each slotted a penalty and Burns missed with another attempt. Both teams appeared to increase the pace to a still higher level and Quins quick off-loading game began to gain territory. Quins were just a couple of metres from the line when the ball appeared to have been illegally ripped away by Qera who was off his feet at the time. The expected penalty did not materialise and Gloucester cleared the danger.
With twenty minutes remaining, a series of breaks by Burns threatened the Quins’defence. The attack was halted but Gloucester contrived to have three men unmarked on the left wing and a floated miss pass found Qera for a simple unstoppable try. The conversion attempt failed and Gloucester led 29 – 16. Quins redoubled their efforts but they were being held in their own half of the field.
Then, with less than two minutes remaining the ball was moving right along the Quins’ line in their own twenty-two when it reached Ross Chisholm who put on the afterburners and ran 70 metres through the Gloucester defence outpacing both May and Sharples to score in the right corner in front of The Shed. Nick Evans’ superb kick from the touchline salvaged a losing bonus point.
This was a game of high entertainment and not a little skill and with two tries that stand out as the best seen in the Premiership this season from the two full backs. Conor O'Shea accepted that Harlequins had just not taken their opportunities. He was adamant, too, that a crucial drive on the Gloucester line in the second half should have been awarded as a penalty and Qera should have been sin-binned.
O'Shea said: "That was a penalty to us. Qera just ripped the ball off the ground, off his feet. It is then a one-score game with 15 minutes to go but that is the way it is. Sometimes those go for you and sometimes they go against you. Sometimes it's a sin-bin. It was a straight penalty if not a yellow card. With minutes to go, it would have been interesting but it knocked the stuffing out of us.
"However, take nothing away from the game. For a neutral, that was great. At the end of the day, they took more chances than we did. We had loads of opportunities and it was two teams who went toe-to-toe."
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
