Quins Crush Connacht!

Yes, I know crush is the wrong word but I was in my “Sun headline writer” mode and I needed the alliteration! (It’s not easy doing these write ups you know!)

So, blazing hot day and the crowd had warmed up watching Harlequins beat London Scottish. By this time I had picked up both my brother and a few pints of lager, so was feeling in the right mood for the second game.

It was impossible to tell what Harlequins were going to be facing.  Connacht coach Eric Elwood had made 9 changes to the side that beat Exeter.  Elwood said before the game “I have a lot of confidence in this week’s selection. Quins are always an important game for us, one we look forward to, and we’ll be looking to recreate the physicality and passion previously shown against this side when we meet them throughout the season.”

The crowd was in good voice and the cry of “Har-le-Quins” rang out as the match kicked off.  As in the previous match, Harlequins were playing an expansive offloading game, but the steel in the velvet glove was the rolling maul and scrum pressure.  Connacht were a little dazzled by the speed Harlequins were playing at, and only a “ball held up” prevented JTH scoring the opening points. James Johnston (who looked more mobile than last season) scored next, or would have if the referee hadn’t spotted a knock on!

Still, it was all Harlequins at this point! A penalty led to a scrum, and Harlequins 8 man shove had Connacht forwards back pedalling furiously. Danny Care fired off a quick pass to Nick Evans who ghosted his way through the line to score, with just 5 minutes gone.  Of course Evans converted it and we were off!

Connacht were awarded a penalty 40m out, and opted for the kick. The ball drifted past the right hand post and as I raised my voice in the traditional cry of “UNNNNNNNLUCKYYYYYY”, I realised I wasn’t being backed up by my normal West Stand massive!  Whoops!  

Tom Williams (who is now filed under the category “class act”!) showed what he could do with a storming run through the Connacht defence.  From a line out following a penalty Harlequins drove at Connacht,  Danny Care picked up but was robbed of the ball when he should have (well maybe could have) scored.  At this point there were 28 minutes of the first half still to go.

On the 23 minute mark Connacht picked up a yellow card for repeated infringements. I’d seen the ref warning them a few times before, so wasn’t surprised. It was their no 10 Miah Nikora got his marching orders.  Another penalty, another line out in the Connacht 22 and another catch and drive had Connacht forwards under all sorts of pressure. Nick Easter peeled off the back, and wasn’t going to be stopped from there. Conversion by Nick Evans and Harlequins 14 Connacht 0 with 20 minutes gone. This was looking encouraging!

Harlequins were then reduced to 14 men following a tackle by Luke Wallace that was so late it nearly took place in the second half.  Connacht opted to kick this from 37m out and this time slotted it perfectly. Nice kick, but people all around me were wondering why Connacht hadn’t gone for the line out.

Harlequins then couldn’t string a real attack together. Too often our runners would find themselves isolated and facing the choice of giving up possession or giving away a penalty.  There was a horrible mix up on a high kick from Connacht where Tom Williams and A.N. Other both left the ball, and a wicked bounce meant it could have gone anywhere. Fortunately we managed to scramble it away.

No sooner had Luke Wallace returned to the pitch than the referee decided to even things up by sending off another Harlequin. In this case it was Nick Evans. I was so surprised to see Nick making a tackle that I’m sure he was sent off for actions prejudicial to the interests of the game! Either that or the referee just didn’t know what to make of the sight, but knew something was horribly wrong somewhere! Anyway, with 6 minutes to go on the clock for the first half, Nick Evans disappeared to go ride the exercise bike. Connacht kicked the penalty and the score was Harlequins 14 Connacht 6, so everything to play for!  Come on you Quins!

From the restart George Lowe (who had an excellent game) received a great pass from JTH. Lowe skipped past 4 or 5 tacklers in a run from near the halfway line and ran in a great try. Danny Care (Danny Care?) stepped up to take the conversion, but a good effort just wouldn’t go between the posts.  So Harlequins 19 Connacht 6 and 3 minutes to go.

A well worked move from Harlequins at the restart followed, Wallace just carved open the Connacht defence and either he scored or Ross Chisolm scored. I’m pretty sure the announcer said it was RC. Anyway, mirabile dictu, Danny Care slotted the kick and it was Harlequins 26 Connacht 6 at half time.

Connacht screwed up the restart to the second half. Harlequins took full advantage pressing through the forwards (who by now had the Connacht scrum on toast) and then JTH. He passed to sam Smith who ran in the try and we still had 36:52 to go on the countdown clock. Danny missed the conversion so Harlequins 31 Connacht 6.

Then we fell prey to a slight bit of laziness. Nick Easter gathered the ball in his own 33, went to kick the ball, but was so slow it was like that bit in Kung Fu Panda 2 where Panda shouts (in slow motion) “I looooove yoooouuuu guuuuuuuyyys!”.  Anyway, it was neatly charged down by Robbie Henshaw who dashed over for the try, but the conversion missed. So now Harlequins 31 Connacht 11 with just over 30 minutes to go.

Nick Evans got bored with riding a bike and decided to rejoin the rugby. Following a Harlequins penalty, a kick for the corner and the catch and drive, Danny Care then decided to have a go. Initially kept out by a resilient Connacht defence, he dummied a pass and crossed the line. Nick Evans converted and Harlequins 38 Connacht 11 with 29 minutes to go.

There followed a sustained period of changing substitutions. Harlequins sending them on 4 at a time at one point. There seemed to be some lack of numbered shirts in the Connacht dressing room, at one point there were 3 players in 23, 2 players in 22 and 2 players in 16! (More on this in a moment).

With 18 minutes to go came the last score of the game. A fine kick through by Nick Evans followed up by Ross Chisolm who dotted the ball down. Nick Evans then kicked a tough conversion and it was Harlequins 45 Connacht 11.

A moment of pure farce followed with 11 minutes to go, when one of the two players wearing 22 carried out a late tackle. The referee was unable to identify the player and so had to settle for a stern warning rather than a yellow card.

Harlequins continued to apply pressure and it looked like Luke Wallace had scored a try in the closing minutes, only for the referee to call them back for a forward pass.

Still, a closing score of Harlequins 45 Connacht 11 is not to be sneezed at. Especially if you believe Eric Elwood’s opening quote that he was putting out a side to match Harlequins physicality. In the end our forwards decided the results, the backs decided by how much, the sun was in the heavens and all was right with the world!

Bring on the Wasps!