Both sides fielded second-string teams.  Harlequins were not very different from their A League side while London Irish fielded a few more first team regulars.  Despite the absence of first team players, the eleven thousand spectators who remarkably attended an effectively dead fixture were well entertained by some excellent running rugby and eight good tries.

Harlequins started brightly and with determination. A similar team had run the full Ospreys side to within a single point in the previous round and there were high hopes of a better result this time.  They scored two tries within the first quarter of an hour. First, from a penalty at a scrum, the ball was put into touch on the Exile’s five-metre line and George Robson was driven over from the lineout. Jewell failed with the conversion.  Then a fine run from Seb Stegmann and some good, quick passing by the backs found Charlie Amesbury in acres of space on the left wing who crossed the line unopposed.  Jewell added the conversion and Quins led 12 – 0.

Not aided by the persistent and inconsistent penalties that began to proliferate, many for offences previously disregarded, most of the next half hour was a midfield stalemate with neither side able to put together another scoring manoeuvre.  Then with only three minutes of the half remaining, Irish were awarded a scrum some ten metres from the Quins’ try line.  As the Irish pack wheeled the scrum right, Richard Thorpe broke from the base of the scrum to score the try.  Hewat’s conversion attempt failed and at half time Quins led 12 – 5.

The second half started well for Harlequins.  After a couple of minutes they manufactured a rolling maul, which made good ground before being pulled down.  From the mass of bodies at the breakdown Chris Brooker emerged and galloped up field but was stopped short of the line.  A penalty allowed Quins to set up another five-metre lineout and another catch and drive saw Neil McMillan score Quins’ third try.  Jewell missed with the conversion kick.

That was as good as it got for Harlequins as London Irish discovered how to play the game at pace.  The next sixteen minutes brought them three more tries as first Hewat and then Adam Thompstone (formerly Quins Academy) were allowed to penetrate what was suddenly a non-existent defence.  An even better backs move put James Bailey across for a try and immediately after the substitute hooker, Ignacia Elosu, was sent to the sin-bin for an incident which the crowd thought should have resulted in an Irish player being despatched, the visitors scored again as Geraghty kicked a penalty to put Irish 17 –25 in the lead.

Despite Harlequins bringing on reinforcements in Danny Care and Chris Malone and their efforts to produce a score, it was Hewat’s interception try that finished the contest as he ran in under the posts from half way and Hickey converted.

Quins have to play what to them will be a meaningless match at Worcester next week and that, one hopes, will be the permanent end of this poor and unloved competition. At the press conference after the match, Dean Richards seemed less concerned than he might have been. He felt inexperience cost his side in the second half, though they were not helped by the sin-binning of replacement hooker Ignacio Elosu.

"We found it very difficult to adapt to the referee's interpretation at scrum time so we could not work a platform there. We lost the penalty count 16-9 in the end and it cost us dear," said Richards.

"This was a good opportunity for some of our young players to show what they can do and we played some good rugby at times. We lost our discipline and we have to learn about that - but there are some huge positives to take out of the game.” 

HARLEQUINS: T Williams; S Stegmann, T Masson, E Taione (DW Barry 56min), C Amesbury; S Jewell (C Malone 59min), G Williams (D Care 59min); A Croall, C Brooker (A Rogers 72min), M Lambert (I Elosu 56min), J Percival, G Robson, P Davies (A Rogers 62-72min), T Guest, N McMillan (capt)

LONDON IRISH: P Hewat; J Bailey, D Shabbo, C Gower, A Thompstone (T Homer 63min); S Geraghty (E Hickey 77min), T Parker (A Lalanne 48min); C Dermody (capt), J Buckland (D Paice ht), F Rautenbach (D Murphy 69min), G Johnson (B Casey 69min), J Hudson, D Danaher, J Fisher (R Thorpe 35min), S Armitage

Referee: G Garner (RFU) 

Attendance: 11,173

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