Quins were immediately on the attack with Stegmann and Taione making a break that was stopped just short of the line.  A kick through from Gomarsall for Stegmann kept pressure on the visitors and another kick from Malone was chased hard to force Bristol to carry over their own line.  A penalty in front of the posts for offside allowed Malone to open the scoring after five minutes.  Three minutes later, Jarvis responded and levelled the score at 3 – 3.

Quins were now back on attack moving the ball rapidly and skilfully and creating a four-man overlap on the left for Tom Sargeant to touch down for the first try.  Malone’s kick from the touchline failed to add any points.  Quins continued too play with pace and penetration while Bristol lacked momentum and merely threw themselves at the defensive line.  Another try was inevitable as the ball was moved wide out right at pace and Luveniyali.  Malone’s conversion attempt, now from the opposite touchline, missed again.  13 – 3 after twenty-four minutes.

Quins continued to play good running rugby and with Malone kicking well for position they kept pressure on the Bristol defence.  They continued to move the ball rapidly through the hands and quick ball from a ruck put Sam Smith away for the third try.  Malone added the conversion. Further attacks followed with Barry and Taione prominent in exerting pressure on the visitors defence but without further score as the first half ended at 20 – 3.

The second half saw the usual substitutions with the more experienced Taione, Evans, Gomarsall and Malone replaced by Masson, Inglis, Williams and Jewell during the first ten minutes.  Later, Tom Guest who had an excellent game, making good breaks from the base of the scrum and carrying well, was replaced by Jono Ross, a young South African triallist.

Then after sixteen minutes, a good kick to touch from a penalty gave Quins an attacking lineout and the resulting forward pressure produced a push over try for Ollie Kohn.  Jewell failed with the conversion.   The substitutions had inevitably taken some of the cohesion out of the game so that it was in the last five minutes before there was any further score.

From a ruck on the halfway line the ball came out to De Wet Barry who sprinted unopposed down the touchline and round under the posts for the fifth try which Luveniyali converted.  Almost immediately from the restart Quins had a penalty that was tapped quickly and Smith was away along the left touchline to put Masson in for the try.  The final kick of the match was the conversion attempt that missed.

The semi-finals will be played on 30^th March 2009 and will be drawn by Premier Rugby in due course.  The other semi-finalists are Northampton, Gloucester and Wasps.

HARLEQUINS A
15. Waisea Luveniyali, 14. Seb Stegmann, 13. De Wet Barry, 12. Epi Taione, 11. Sam Smith, 10. Chris Malone, 9. Andy Gomarsall (Captain), 1. Mark Lambert, 2. Aston Croall, 3. Peter Bracken, 4. Ollie Kohn, 5. Jim Evans. 6. Chris York, 7. Tom Sargeant, 8. Tom Guest
Replacements: 16. Mickey Pointing, 17. Joe Marler, 18. James Inglis, 19. Jono Ross, 20. Gareth Williams, 21. Seb Jewell, 22. Tosh Masson.

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