Courtesy of IanB
Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Courtesy of IanB
By Cavey
September 14 2009
On the evidence of this turgid encounter, Leicester and Harlequins will struggle to replicate the lofty league positions they achieved in last season’s Guinness Premiership, when they finished first and second respectively. With all points coming from the boot ,it was the former Quin, Jeremy Staunton, who came back to haunt his old club, kicking five penalties, compared to three from his
Courtesy of IanB
September 14 2009
On the evidence of this turgid encounter, Leicester and Harlequins will struggle to replicate the lofty league positions they achieved in last season’s Guinness Premiership, when they finished first and second respectively. With all points coming from the boot ,it was the former Quin, Jeremy Staunton, who came back to haunt his old club, kicking five penalties, compared to three from his
counterpart, Nick Evans, to give Tigers their first victory of season.
With the Bloodgate furore now apparently behind them, Harlequins were hoping they would be able to let their rugby do the talking, and with The Stoop bathed in late summer sunshine, the setting couldn’t have been better. In Ugo Monye, playing at full-back after his enforced, post-Lions hiatus, and David Strettle, they had the pick of the backs, both running cleverly and with pace. However, handling errors let them down, with George Lowe, their young wing, twice the culprit with the tryline at his mercy.
It was a Leicester display that largely conformed to their stereotype – unflashy, unrelenting and forwards-dominated. Their number eight, Jordan Crane, carried well, without ever straying too far from his pack, and the two locks, Richard Blaze and Louis Deacon, used their heavy frames to good effect in the tight.
Leicester’s work ethic will have pleased head coach, Richard Cockerill, but he may be more than a little concerned over the lack of penetration of his back division. Staunton kicked well for goal, and from hand, but he failed to bring alive Leicester’s attack. To come to his defence, he did have an inconsistent service from his scrum half, Harry Ellis, and little was offered to him by the largely ineffective centre partnership of Anthony Allen and Matt Smith. Leicester’s few moments of inspiration came from their Captain, Geordan Murphy, whose x-ray vision could spot a gap that others failed to see - though even he too often resorted to the banality of the up-and-under.
In an easily forgettable first-half, neither side were able to gain an extended period of possession nor territory - the number of infringements suggested a misunderstanding of Sean Davey’s officiating of the breakdown. The back-row battle turned into something of a stalemate, with both sides being turned over – Quins’ captain, Will Skinner, and his sidekick, Chris Robshaw, were a constant nuisance, with Tigers’ Ben Woods equally as abrasive.
Nick Evans’ kicking was conspicuously mediocre, finding the dead-ball line instead of touch on one occasion, and skewing a penalty in front of the posts wide just before the break. He had managed to convert one earlier in the half, to which Staunton was able to respond, making amends for an earlier miss, leaving the score at three apiece at the break.
Having traded penalties early in the second half, Evans then kicked Harlequins into a 9-6 lead as they benefitted from the sin-binning of Crane. The back-rower was rightly penalised for cynically lying over man and ball after Evans had found Strettle with a defence-stretching cross-field kick – it was a calculated piece of skulduggery, and would probably have earned a nod of approval from Dean Richards, were he watching, though, with just a yellow card, Leicester were lucky to get off so lightly.
The game turned in Leicester’s favour as Crane returned and Julian White hauled his mighty hulk into the fray, by which point Staunton had levelled the scores with his third penalty. Leicester had edged the scrum contest up until this point, but afterwards they were destructively dominant – at one point marching towards the line, leaving Harlequin forwards in their wake, forcing the home side to infringe. Within five minutes of White’s arrival Leicester’s scrum had secured two penalties, duly converted by Staunton, giving them an ultimately unassailable six point lead.
At this embryonic stage of the season, Leicester will be content to ground out victories, particularly away from Welford Road. They’ll gain comfort in the knowledge that their misfiring back-line is likely be remedied by the return of Toby Flood, Sam Vesty and a fully fit Aaron Mauger in the coming weeks and months. Harlequins, in contrast, remain winless and may have a few more sleepless nights ahead, with the hangover from their summer of discontent lingering for longer than they would hope.
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Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 11:09
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Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: Tiggs (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 11:19
Most excellent report, thanks Cavey !
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: Stopsy (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 11:44
Superb report, thanks Cavey.
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: Duncan Keene (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 11:53
Good report.
My view of the Crane sinbinning differs slightly, i thought it was a penalty and probably a deserved yellow, but i disagree with this report and the media's view that this was a 'clever' thing to do. Ayerza was the next man there and Quins had no-one within 10 yards, if Crane had released the man then him and Ayerza would have won the ball or a holding on penalty. The papers that seemed to think it should have been a penalty try are crazy.
My view of the Crane sinbinning differs slightly, i thought it was a penalty and probably a deserved yellow, but i disagree with this report and the media's view that this was a 'clever' thing to do. Ayerza was the next man there and Quins had no-one within 10 yards, if Crane had released the man then him and Ayerza would have won the ball or a holding on penalty. The papers that seemed to think it should have been a penalty try are crazy.
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: Cavey (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 11:59
I perhaps agree, Duncan, but sometimes you need to put in something a little outlandish to liven the report up!
The incident did happen right in front of me and Crane definitely knew what he was doing in completely wrapping up man and ball for a good 5 - 10 seconds. We were stretched in defence at that point so a savvy piece of play if you ask me.
The incident did happen right in front of me and Crane definitely knew what he was doing in completely wrapping up man and ball for a good 5 - 10 seconds. We were stretched in defence at that point so a savvy piece of play if you ask me.
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: IDLETIMES (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 12:18
Another good report. I havn't seen the game but my mate said the handling was atrocious but 1D,as well as kicking 5 goals had a fairly decent game.In the general scheme of things, a win is a win is a win, especially away from home.
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: rozzer (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 16:51
Excellent report Cavey, I hope we get better entertainment at Welford Road next Saturday!
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: customhouse (IP Logged)
Date: 14/09/2009 20:22
Sin binning also happened in front of us - well all the Tigers fans were down that end it seemed!
thought it was fair enough, though no sense that it was immediately saving a try...but then why else would he do it.
Not sure I saw much of Strettle, most of their danger seemed to come down the other wing. Monye was the most effective player on view, assuming you couldn't see much of what our front row was doing down the other end of the field.
Best thing from a Tigers perspective was the way we controlled the last 10 minutes, played mostly in their half.
Worst thing? .... where is that first try coming from??
thought it was fair enough, though no sense that it was immediately saving a try...but then why else would he do it.
Not sure I saw much of Strettle, most of their danger seemed to come down the other wing. Monye was the most effective player on view, assuming you couldn't see much of what our front row was doing down the other end of the field.
Best thing from a Tigers perspective was the way we controlled the last 10 minutes, played mostly in their half.
Worst thing? .... where is that first try coming from??
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: IDLETIMES (IP Logged)
Date: 15/09/2009 14:00
Custom house, have the faith it will come on Sat.
Re: Harlequins 9 Tigers 15
Posted by: GoFasterStripes2 (IP Logged)
Date: 15/09/2009 18:58
Well written and enjoyable report, Cavey. Thanks for taking the time.
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