THIRD LV= CUP WIN: Harlequins 23 - 6 London Welsh

With a third successive victory in the  pool stages of the Anglo-Welsh Cup, Harlequins are poised for a semi-final place in this season’s competition. The final score of 23 – 6 was rather more emphatic, perhaps, than this error-strewn match deserved.

London Welsh fielded a team with six full internationals and a number of other starters from the fifteen faced by Quins in the recent Premiership match. By contrast Harlequins fielded their A side. Both sides tried to play with pace, but conditions underfoot were heavy and muddy and unforced errors and turnovers were frequent. So too was the referee’s whistle, wielded somewhat idiosyncratically!

With both sides exhibiting good defence, it was nearly a quarter of an hour before a penalty allowed Alex Davies to open the visitors’ score with a penalty for an offence at a ruck.  This appeared to have stung Harlequins into immediate action.  Stegmann ran and caught Botica’s hanging restart and from the melee Sam Smith broke free but was stopped a couple of metres from the line. Quins retained possession and the ball was moved rapidly left where Mark Lambert dived over in the corner for the try.  Botica converted from the touchline and shortly after kicked a penalty when the Exiles went offside on their twenty-two in front of the posts.

Another penalty allowed Welsh to narrow the scores to 10 – 6 before Harlequins butchered a clear chance of a second try. A fine break from Tom Guest looked certain to bring a score and the simple pass to Stegmann should have put the winger in under the posts.  The pass was spilled with the line at his mercy and a penalty to the visitors at the subsequent scrum allowed them to clear and brought the half to an end.

The second half brought more of the same as unforced errors and turnovers of possession hindered both sides’ attempts to play running rugby.  When the visitors were attacking and able to exert pressure, the Quins’ defence was good and firm and the Exiles had few chances to score. Changes of personnel saw the debut of Harry Sloan, replacing Tom Casson in the interval, and the welcome return of Ross Chisholm from injury last September.

Botica successfully kicked two penalties to extend the lead beyond a single score.  Both sides used most of their substitutes.  Then, with six minutes remaining, Welsh had a five metre lineout close to their own line.  They shortened the line but the throw was too long and fell into the hands of Dave Ward who trotted over for a simple try that was duly converted by Botica.

The result at the Recreation Ground, where Bath beat Exeter, left Harlequins needing no more than a draw next week to progress.