QUINS SNATCH LATE WIN IN LV= CUP: Saints 30 - 31 Harlequins

With determination, skill, common sense and not a little luck Harlequins snatched a bonus point win at Northampton, long after the clock had passed full time, by 30 – 31. 

This was a game that Saints appeared to dominate.  Their scrum had the Quins forwards in trouble at the set-piece and penalties flowed thick and fast in favour of the home side.  The first points came in only the second minute as Lamb duly kicked the first of the scrum-time penalties.

But then Harlequins struck, picking off a loose pass which was moved wide for Sam Smith to carve a path round the defence and run in under the posts from half way.  Botica duly added the extras and after eight minutes Quins led 3 – 7.  But the lead was short lived as scrum penalties came at almost every set-piece and Lamb soon reduced the arrears to a single point.

Gradually the forwards began to avoid penalties on their own put in, moving the ball rapidly back for Guest to break away from the base of the scrum before they were pushed off the ball.  Occasionally, too, Quins won penalties at the breakdown allowing Botica to kick for field position. It was a lineout close to the Saints’ line that gave Quins another try as Northampton’s attempt to move the ball rapidly across the field and break away from the danger of Quins’ attack failed when the ball was spilled forward in front of the posts for Harry Sloan to pounce and score under the posts.  Botica converted and the lead was 6 – 14.

The whistle continued to sound in favour of the home side and another of Lamb’s attempts at goal hit the post and rebounded into play.  Quins duly attempted to run the ball from their own twenty-two, but the move broke down on half way. 

A loose, looping pass from Lamb was intercepted on half way by Sam Smith and the winger was away and under the posts for his second try.  The simple conversion extended the lead to 6 – 21.  Northampton tried hard to come back as a penalty allowed Lamb to find touch ten metres from the Quins’ line.   But the catch and drive at the lineout was successfully resisted until a knock on gave the Saints a scrum close in front of the posts and an inevitable penalty allowed Lamb to take three points .  The half time score was 9 – 21.

Words of considerable effect must have rung out in the Northampton dressing room in the interval for the Saints came out for the second half clearly determined to redress the balance. An early penalty was kicked to the corner but the throw was not straight. Speed at the scrum allowed Guest to break away, but a knock on gave Saints another scrum and another penalty.  Lamb took the points and reduced the arrears.

Then a fine run by Tom May, the Saints’ full back cut through the defence and put Burrell in for a try in the left corner.  Lamb’s conversion attempt missed but the arrears were reduced to 17 – 21.   The Harlequin response was to attack and despite a long advantage when Northampton strayed offside, no try resulted and Botica duly kicked the penalty to extend the lead again.

Having the bulk of the possession and having begun to come back from the jaws of defeat, Saints stepped up their attack and a combination of Burrell and May put the full-back in for a try in the corner which Lamb converted to level the scores at 24 – 24.  Saints now were scenting victory and a determined catch and drive was held up over the line.  Quins made changes in the forwards.  Buchanan had already replaced Ward and now Marfo, Sinckler, Twomey and Clifford gave fresh impetus to the scrum.  Lamb had kicked Northampton into the lead from a penalty and with eight minutes remaining added a drop goal to extend the lead.

 Only a converted try would give Quins a victory and as the clocked ticked over to zero they set about the task.  A scrum at which they retained the ball and a lineout followed and Quins kept possession as they gained territory and pressed into the Saints’ twenty-two.  A penalty followed and was tapped and run as the attack continued.  Another penalty followed and a yellow card for a Northampton prop. Botica tapped and crashed over between the posts for the try and with the final kick of the match added the simple conversion for victory.

After the match, Conor O’Shea was in ebullient mood. “We’re proud of young lads like Harry Sloan who scored a try and it must be a really proud moment for him to go away from home for the first time and score a try at Franklin’s Gardens and it’s great for the squad,” he said.

“It’s really good for us. We had a lot of young players who did a good job and some older players who gave the side the structure you need, like Tom Guest, Karl Dickson and Mark Lambert. They really stepped up. It’s a gutting way for them to lose the game but it’s a nice start for us in this tournament. As a squad we’re delighted with the result. We were being put under ferocious pressure by Northampton but our defence was immense.”

Asked if Sam Smith practised interceptions, O’Shea said “Smithy knows where to position himself. I think he’s learnt a lot from Tom Williams in his defensive position and getting into space that if you try to throw it over him he’s in the right position to take it.”

Nothampton: May; Armstrong, Stephenson, Burrell, Elliott; Lamb, Roberts; A Waller (E Waller 71), Haywood (McMillan 71), Doran-Jones (Herriott 78); Sorenson, Oakley (C Day 51 (Harrison 62)); Clark, Nutley, van Velze.

Replacements not used: A Day, Mogensen, Collins

Harlequins: L-Hague; Stegmann, Hopper, Sloan, Smith; Botica, Dickson; Lambert (Marfo 70), Ward (Buchanan 48), Collier (Sinckler 70); Browne (Twomey 70), Matthews; Trayfoot (Clifford 70), Wallace, Guest

Replacements not used: Burns, Grimoldby, Mantella

Referee: Neil Hennessey (WRU)                   Attendance: 11,586