It is a fact of rugby life that without a platform to secure good quick ball a team is starved of possession.   Northampton dominated both possession and territory and only rarely did they have to defend in their own half and even more rarely in their twenty-two.

Despite the problems in the forwards, when Quins had an opportunity they tried to play running rugby.  Unfortunately, all too often, unforced error turned over possession blunting the attack.  Saints defended with passion and commitment and despite international experience in the three-quarters Harlequins could not penetrate the visitors’ line.

A penalty after six minutes, the first of three kicked by Saints’ fly half Nils Mordt, opened the scoring. It was not until the half-hour had elapsed that Saints increased their lead with a try.  The pressure from the Northampton forwards on the Quins try-line rendered a score inevitable and it was lock Alex Rae who strolled across and round behind the posts. Mordt added the conversion.  He added another penalty in stoppage time and the half ended with Quins in all out attack but unable to complete the score.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first half.  Three successive lineouts in good attacking positions were wasted.  The first was overthrown and cleared, the second knocked on and the third lost when Quins went offside.  A penalty attempt by Luveniyali failed to score.  Substitutions injected more pace into Quins and more imagination as Lowe and Jewell replaced Taione and Masson.  The latter, in particular, had been well below his usual form.

First an excellent Quins attack almost put Tom Sargeant in for a try in the corner prevented only by a great cover tackle that put him into touch. Then a couple of minutes later a superb break by George Lowe along the right wing allowed him to give a final scoring pass to Stegmann who touched down under the posts. Luveniyali added the conversion.

With only a converted try between the teams, both sides went on to the attack with the visitors still more dominant.  The pack powered across the line but was held up.  Then only a great try-saving tackle from Stegmann, who hauled down the ball carrier five metres from the try line, prevented a winning score.   But two more penalties from the boot of Nils Mordt in injury time sealed the win.

Afterwards Dean Richards, always disappointed by not winning, pointed out that the game had to be looked at in context.  These were mostly very young forwards with the two locks being only 18 years of age and playing out of their usual positions. The A League was excellent for the purposes of development.  There had been some excellent things from Quins during the game.  His man of the match was Neil McMillan.  Tony Diprose, the Academy Manager, was equally philosophical citing the lack of locks and the subsequent lack of platform as the problem.

Teams:

Harlequins  A
Amesbury; Stegmann, Masson (Jewell 60mins), Barry, Taione (Lowe 54mins); Luveniyali, Poluleuligaga (Williams 69mins); Rogers (Bracken 51mins (Rogers 55mins)), Croall, Lambert, York, Matthews (Trayfoot 51mins), Sargeant, McMillan (capt), Ross (Wallace 67mins).

Northampton Wanderers
Ashton; Greenhalgh, Ansbro (Elliott 58mins), Anderson (Harries 57mins), Starling; Mordt, Dickens (capt)(Brake 69mins); Dreyer, Gray (Shields 72mins), Vickers, Cannon, Rae, Neale (Waller 69mins), Lewitt, Ingle.

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