CONNACHT DEMOLISHED: Harlequins 47 - 8 Connacht

A six tries demolition of Connacht 47 – 8 saw Harlequins secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup with one pool match, away to Biarritz, remaining.

That the visitors would be a difficult team to subdue soon became evident as they tried to slow down Quins’ ball and pace, while attempting to match the speed at which Harlequins always play from the start.  Soon enough the penalty count began to rise against the visitors. After seven minutes Evans opened the scoring with a penalty and further points for Evans and his counterpart, Jarvis soon followed.  Connach, obdurate in defence, even managed one dangerous break from O’Halloran that needed a try-saving cover tackle from Monye to snuff out the danger.

As the first half began to tick away, Quins changed tack and from a penalty, with nine minutes of the half remaining, Evans kicked for the corner to give Quins a good attacking lineout.  The catch and drive which followed was stopped, but Quins had a five metre scrum and, as the pack exerted its power, another penalty followed.  Robshaw duly opted for another scrum and, as Connacht offended again, the penalty try that followed was inevitable.

When, astonishingly but correctly, the referee awarded Harlequins a free kick for a crooked feed at a scrum Quins again opted for another scrum and from the inevitable penalty, Evans increased the lead to 16 – 3 at the interval.

Within two minutes of the resumption the scoring floodgates began to open as Mike Brown made a marvellous break and put Tom Williams on a clear forty-metre run for a try that Nick Evans duly converted.  Connacht, in desperation, began to lose their discipline as Tom Williams was blocked off the ball.  A yellow card for the flanker, O’Connor, followed.  When two minutes later Vainikolo blatantly pushed Monye in the back as he was chasing a possible touchdown, Connacht were reduced to thirteen men by a second yellow card. From the penalty that followed, Quins again opted for a scrum. The ball was moved rapidly from the base of the set-piece to the right where Tom Williams crossed for his second try. The conversion was missed but the score was now 28 – 3.

Joe Marler had been conducting his own personal battle with the opposing props and inevitably the referee would have to step in. Yellow cards for both Marler and his opponent followed and for a full minute the game became twelve against fourteen before the earlier sin-bins expired.  Connacht managed to work their position into an attacking lineout and a catch and drive saw O’Connor cross for a try.  The conversion failed.

Harlequins were in pursuit of the bonus point try and soon enough Monye had broken a couple of tackles, and running from half-way, beat three would-be defenders for the most popular try of the afternoon.  This became a full meeting of the Ugo Monye admiration society as a standing ovation greeted the popular winger scoring on his 200^th appearance for Harlequins.

Wit emotions at full pitch after the fourth try,  most would be believing that the remainder of the match would be anti-climactic as Harlequins emptied their bench.  But Quins were not done and continue to attack with pace.  A grubber kick through the defensive line gave George Lowe an easy chase and score. Botica converted. Quins attacked again from the restart and from a position campedon the Connacht line it was Botica that managed to burrow across the line and ground the ball as time ran out.  After a lengthy consultation with the television match official a try was awarded and Evans added the conversion with the final kick,

Harlequins M Brown; T Williams, M Hopper (G Lowe, 54), T Casson (B Botica, 69), U Monye; N Evans, D Care (K Dickson, 66); J Marler (sin-bin 60; M Lambert, 70), J Gray (R Buchanan, 58), J Johnston (W Collier, 69), O Kohn (C Matthews, 77), G Robson, M Fa'asavalu (Lambert, 69-70), N Easter (T Guest, 52), C Robshaw (capt).

Connacht R Henshaw; T O'Halloran, E Griffin, D McSharry, F Vainikolo (sin-bin 52-62); M Jarvis (M Nikora, 49), K Marmion (J Loxton, 66); D Buckley (B Wilkinson, 44), J Harris-Wright (E Reynecke, 54, sin-bin 60-70), N White (capt; R Loughney, 50), M Swift (E Grace, 54), M McCarthy, A Browne, E McKeon (M Kearney, 15), J O'Connor (sin-bin 50-60).

Referee N Paterson (Scotland).