By AlanQuin
January 25 2009

Needing a bonus point win to give them a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup, Harlequins set about the task with a determination and at such a pace that almost denied their opponents touch of the ball for the greater part of the first half. They succeeded magnificently despite a valiant fight back by Scarlets in the second half as Harlequins won 29 – 24.

After ten minutes of almost total dominance, Harlequins conceded a penalty that allowed Stephen Jones to open the scoring for the visitors.  That tries were all that really interested Quins was apparent when a good opportunity to level the scores was declined and the ball kicked to the corner.  Although the try did not follow, Quins continued to attack at every opportunity.  Monye followed and caught his own superb up and under and with defenders hanging off him continued into the Scarlets’ twenty-two.  Another penalty gave Quins another lineout in the twenty-two and eventually another penalty in front of the posts saw Nick Evans level the scores with a simple kick after twenty-one minutes.

The try followed almost immediately as Tiesi caught the restart and set off towards his opponents half and was driven on by the forwards slicing deep into Scarlet’s territory. From the ruck the ball came right to Robshaw whose inside pass set Tom Williams on a fine break through the defence and his overhead pass found Robshaw still in support to score. The conversion attempt failed.

Almost immediately another fine attack and break by Nick Evans saw Chris Malone caught inches short of the line.  Quins had an attacking five-metre scrum but Scarlets turned it.  From the next scrum the Scarlets’ No. 8, David Lyons, was driven back and forced to carry over his own line.  Harlequins made certain of the following scrum and the ball was moved right and then rapidly left wher Robson was fist in a two-man overlap and crossed for the second try. Evans added the conversion and Quins led by 15 points to 3.

They might have had another as Jordan Turner-Hall, Williams and Robshaw combined down the right but the final pass was judged to be forward. Amesbury replaced Monye, who suffered a back spasm, but the injury is not one that will cause him to miss the England training camp in Portugal this week.  The score at half-time was 15 – 3.

Quins brought on De Wet Barry in place of Tiesi for the second half, while Morgan Stoddart replaced the Scarlets’ full back, Ceiron Thomas.  A good steal by Robson at a lineout followed Malone’s excellent kick to the corner prompting another brisk Quins’ attack. A kickable penalty was not kicked through the posts but sent to the corer for the attacking lineout and as Quins neared the Scarlets’ line, they opted for the scrum where they had clear superiority over the Welsh.  Great forward pressure nearly brought a try as they rumbled across the line, but the ball was held up.

But the third try was not long in coming.  Easter gained a few metres from the base of the scrum and James Percival picked up and drove over for the five points. Evans duly added the conversion and 22 – 3 seemed an untouchable lead.  But les than 10 minutes later Scarlets had hit back twice, adding fourteen points to their score. 

First Stoddart, as he had done at Stradey in October, blazed down the wing to score in the left corner and Jones converted. Then as Quins attacked through Amesbury, a knock-on brought a scrum and a penalty to Scarlets which Stephen Jones kicked well into Quins’ twenty-two.  Although Robson again stole the lineout, the tap down was loose and Welsh hooker Matthew Rees was through the line to gain possession, sell a dummy to would-be tacklers and barge across the line for the second try.  Jones added the two points.  It could have been worse as Malone had to cover half the width of the pitch to slide into touch with the ball ahead of the Scarlets’ chasers, saving a certain score.

Jim Evans replaced Percival and Tom Guest replaced the indefatigable Robshaw who had been in the thick of the fray for sixty-two minutes.  The latter substitution was and inspiration.  With his first touch of the ball, Guest made a superb break from the base of the scrum in midfield taking play into the Scarlets’ twenty-two.  When he was stopped the ball was moved right and Nick Evans final pass put Tom Williams in for the bonus point fourth try.  Evans added the conversion points.

There was still more to come despite Harlequins achieving the four tries.  The game, too, had to be won.  Scarlets launched all out attacks and after great pressure thought they had scored, only for the ball to be knocked on over the line.  Quins gathered themselves and attacked again in an excellent effort by Malone and Amesbury which ended in a knock-on in the visitors’ twenty-two.

A series of scrums called at penalties and free kicks by Quins wound the clock down, but Scarlets had time for one final attack as they kicked a penalty for offside deep to the corner and from that position Gavin Evans went over for a consolation losing bonus point try.  The final kick of the match was Stephen Jones’s conversion.

Quins finished their Heineken Cup Pool in style and having won five out of six matches. They headed the pool and qualified for and gained home advantage for the quarter final.  Subsequent results have produced Leinster as their opponents.

Harlequins: N Evans; T Williams, G Tiesi (D W Barry 40), J Turner-Hall, U Monye (C Amesbury 35); C Malone, D Care; C Jones, T Fuga (C Brooker 49), M Ross (M Lambert 70), J Percival (J Evans 64), G Robson, C Robshaw (T Guest 64), W Skinner (capt),N.Easter.

Scarlets: C Thomas (M Stoddart 40); D Daniel, R King, J Davies (G Evans 74), L Williams; S Jones (capt), M Roberts (G Cattle 74); P John (I Thomas 49), M Rees (K Owens 67), D Manu, V Cooper, D Day, J Turnbull (S Macleod 54), D Jones, D Lyons.

Referee: G Clancy (Ireland).

Attendance 11,083