VICTORY IN DOWNPOUR: Biarritz 9 - 16 Harlequins

In continuous torrential rain and on a pitch with substantial puddles of standing water, Harlequins overcame a strong Biarritz Olympique team by 9 – 16, remaining unbeaten in the pool matches of this season’s Heineken Cup.

This was a match in which forward power and accurate kicking and chasing for field position was the main game plan of both sides. In the end the difference between the sides was the brilliantly taken try from Tom Guest, duly converted by Nick Evans.

It was clear from the start that the weather and the surface water and mud militated against Harlequins’ usual game and from the start the forward battle began with the serial offender, Joe Marler giving away silly penalties and having to be warned by the referee.  He was fortunate that the penalty kick brought about by his first offence saw Yashvili miss the target.  But when Biarritz had another penalty, Yashvili kicked them into the lead. 

The lead was short-lived. A penalty allowed Evans to find touch on the Basque twenty-two and another penalty at the ensuing lineout let Evans level the score.  But now the Quins’ pack was beginning to gain the upper hand in the forward battle and at the set-piece. A superbly judged kick from Danny Care into the corner forced Balshaw to take the ball into touch giving Quins a lineout barely ten metres from the Biarritz line.

Gray threw to Guest at the tail of the line and there was a gap at which Danny Care feinted as though to repeat the try he scored against them in October. But Guest landed with the bal turned and was across the line for the try in a flash.  Evans added the extras to take the score to 3 – 10 after an half hour..

Biarritz went on the attack but strong defence held them out, although they were able to gain a lineout close to the Quins’ line. Unfortunately, the throw was not straight and at the subsequent scrum the penalty went to Quins. A little friendly punch-up between the packs resulted in yellow cards for Marler and a French flanker.  The interval arrived with no addition to the scoring.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half saw Yashvili land two penalties to reduce Quins’ lead to a single point. But a couple of minutes later Evans, kicking at the limit of his range saw his kick hit the crossbar and drop over for three points.  Yasvili had a further opportunity but his foot slipped as he kicked and the ball sailed wide.

With eight minutes remaining Evans duly kicked his third penalty of the match and Quins efficiently kept the home team inside their own half until time ran out

Harlequins should finish as top seeds for the quarter-final and now await the results which will produce their next opponents.

 After the match, a clearly satisfied Conor O’Shea said “   "It was a mature performance and we are delighted with the attitude of the players.

"There was a lot of experience out there of playing together and in tough conditions but it was one of those nights when you had to roll the sleeves up and show as a group what it means to play for each other. We had to grind it out. We knew the kicking duel would be crucial and Nick Evans, Danny Care and Mike Brown kept us playing in the right areas.

"To come to the south of France and get a win against any team is outstanding, especially given that's only the second time in the Heineken Cup that Biarritz have been beaten here. That was the motivation for the players as well as aiming to be number one seeds for the quarter-finals which could be important."

Biarritz: Balshaw; Ngwenya, Baby, Traille, Brew; Barraque, Yachvili; Barcella, Heguy, Broster, Dubarry, Taele, Lauret, Lakafia, Harinordoquy.

Replacements: Burotu for Ngwenya (66), Peyrelongue for Barraque (47), Synagehel for Barcella (66), van Staden for Broster (72), Gray for Harinordoquy (41).

Not Used: Genevois, E. Lund, Lesgourgues.

Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Lowe, Turner-Hall, Monye; Evans, Care; Marler, Gray, Johnston, Kohn, Robson, Fa'asavalu, Robshaw, Guest.

Replacements: Buchanan for Gray (55), Wallace for Fa'asavalu (66).

Not Used: Lambert, Collier, Matthews, Dickson, Botica, Lindsay-Hague.

Att: 9,000

Ref: John Lacey (Ireland).