Exeter has been a bogey place for Harlequins and their kickers.  In 2005 this was where Quins suffered their only loss of the season with Andrew Mehrtens’ kicks suddenly slewing through ninety degrees as they approached the posts leaving Quins 18 – 10 in arrears.  Last season too Nick Evans found a similar difficulty and once again Quins left the West Country empty handed.

So the sight of the normally excellent kicking of Rory Clegg being reduced to only two out of seven attempts was not wholly surprising but merely unexpected.  Fourteen points drifted away on the Sandy Park wind and would have provided a comfortable win. 

Harlequins started at great pace and were up into their opponents twenty-two within the first couple of minutes when a knock on ended the attack and the scrum that followed hinted at trouble ahead.  Exeter totally overcame the Quins forwards and a penalty ought to have followed. But it did not and Quins somehow regained possession of the ball and continued to attack moving the ball rapidly left where Hopper was stopped a few metres short of the line but Exeter went off their feet.  The penalty was taken very quickly by Danny Care and two jinks and a stretch later he had scored a try.  Clegg missed with the conversion attempt.

Exeter is a side which plays with physicality and relies on forward power.  For most of the first half, with their scrum dominant and penalties following most set pieces, Quins struggled to find attacking rhythm.   Mieres successfully kicked two penalties, one from half way while Clegg missed with two further attempts at goal. A successful penalty kick from Clegg close in front of the posts allowed Quins to end the half leading 6 – 8.

The arrival of James Johnston to replace Farebrother in the front row changed the balance of forward power and the Quins’ scrum began to function more securely. Quins resumed their pace and attack and another two penalty kicks went adrift from Clegg.

Quins produced a further series of attacks and Johnston might have had a try, but appeared to have been obstructed as the ball was being passed to him. Exeter’s attacks were resisted staunchly, but eventually Exeter had an opportunity for another kick at the posts.  Steenson, who had replaced Mieres, was short form half way but had a second chance from forty metres which just crept over the bar and needed the intervention of the video referee to confirm and Exeter were in the lead with only six minutes remaining.

Quins attacked, looking for position with great pace and handling. A deliberate knock on gave Clegg an opportunity at redemption from the touchline with the most difficult of his seven attempts. Calmly he bisected the posts for the lead.   Exteter tried to attack and finally gave Steenson a last chance to win the match with a drop goal, but his kick was well wide.

A final flurry in attack gave Exeter a lineout from which an attack might have launched, but Robson stole the ball and Care hoofed it into the stands.  The league leaders continue to lead.

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