Firstly, Harlequins are playing there. Secondly, it does not have to be suffered again for another twelve months. Thirdly, I do not have to go to Adams Park this season. Fourthly, yes there was a fourthly this year, Harlequins did not lose to Wasps.  The match ended in a 29 – 29 draw.

There was a distinct promise of better things to come from Harlequins this season.  They set about their task with a will and the first minute of the match had hardly ended when Nick Evans accelerated through the Wasps defensive line and there was Nick Easter to his right to take the pass and gallop to the line for the try which Evans converted.  For much of the next twenty minutes the referee’s whistle shrilly and pedantically punctuated the proceedings with penalty following penalty. Some were kickable and Nick Evans and Mark Van Gisbergen each scored twice as Quins led 6 – 13.

Then, as Wasps attacked and took play into the Quins’ twenty-two, Powell emerged from a ruck on the end of a pass from Tom Rees to score under the posts,  The successful conversion brought the scores level at 13 – 13.   Quins were having the greater share of possession and were quick to the breakdown and more than holding their own.  From the restart, which Quins attacked with relish throughout the match, Monye’s superb chase and catch gave Quins a fine attacking position. Unfortunately an offence in the subsequent ruck brought a penalty for Wasps and the attack fizzled out.

With ten minutes of the half remaining, Turner-Hall lost possession of the ball in the tackle.  It fell to Flutey in space and a fine break allowed him to put Varndell in for Wasps’ second try. Van Gisbergen added the conversion.  Almost immediately an offence at a ruck in the Wasps’ twenty-two  saw Joe Worsley shown a yellow card and Nick Evans reduced the Wasps’ lead to 20 – 16. 

Wasps continued to attack and were now becoming more dangerous and another fine run by Flutey and Ben Jacobs should have produced a simple try for Waldouck, but the latter knocked on the final pass with the line at his mercy.  A penalty attempt by Van Gisbergen hit the post and Varndell threatened the Quins’ line from the rebound but in preventing his attack another penalty was conceded  and Van Gisbergen duly extended the Wasps’ lead to 23 – 16 at the inteval.

Quins were again immediately on the attack and a good break by Chris Brooker took him over the line but he was turned in the tackle and held up. Quins continued to press on the Wasps line at close range until a knock on allowed Wasps to escape.  But at the scrum that followed Worsley was caught. His offload to the scrum-half saw the latter caught behind his own line by Care and Quins’ continued pressure from the scrum that followed gained a penalty. Nick Evans added the three points to reduce the lead. But the reduction was short-lived as a couple of minutes later Van Gisbergen kicked successfully again to restore the gap to seven points.

With thirty minutes remaining Quins brought on replacements in the form of a complete fresh front row of Marler, Cairns and Johnston, stabilising the scrum and giving fresh impetus to their attack.  A penalty on half way allowed Evans to find touch deep in the Wasps’ twenty-two but a good attack from the line out faltered on another knock on. But Quins continued to press and another successfully kicked penalty by Evans reduced the lead to four points. Guest replaced Kohn.

Further Quins’ pressure saw them again within five metres of the Wasps’ line and several forays by the forwards just failed to cross.  Then the ball was moved left along the attacking backs for Mike Brown to cross in the corner and run round behind the posts to give Quins the lead.  Evans conversion brought the score to 26 -29.

Twelve minutes remained for Quins to retain their slender lead.  In the face of mounting Wasps’ pressure it was inevitable that they would have another penalty opportunity.  It came with less than five minutes remaining and Van Gisburgen duly levelled the scores.

After the match Conor O'Shea was laid back about the outcome, admitting that while they were ahead with four minutes left, it could also have gone very wrong.

He said: "The players put a huge amount into that game, which is nothing less than you would expect. I'm concerned that we got penalised a lot at the breakdown, and that is something we have to analyse. But we also came under a lot of pressure and the guys stood firm much if the time. In the end, it was a very good day."

Wasps: M van Gisbergen; R Haughton (D Walder 65), B Jacobs, D Waldouck, T Varndell; R Flutey, N Berry; T Payne (Z Taulafo 63), R Webber (T Lindsay 71), P Vickery (B Broster 71), S Shaw, R Birkett (D Ward-Smith 40), J Worsley, T Rees, A Powell (S Betsen 40).

Harlequins: M Brown; T Williams, G Lowe, J Turner-Hall, U Monye (O Smith 68); N Evans, D Care (K Dickson 63); C Jones (J Marler 59), C Brooker (M Cairns 59), M Lambert (J Johnston 59), O Kohn (T Guest 65), T Valleyos Cinalli (P Browne 73), C Robshaw, W Skinner, N Easter.

Referee: C White (RFU)                                     Attendance: 75,112

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