Harlequins lost their unbeaten record after 22 successive victories. It was, perhaps, almost inevitable that it would happen sometime despite the targets the team had set themselves.  Nevertheless an error-strewn performance of inept rugby was not what any spectator had expected to see from Quins, but that is what they did see. 

Playing into a fierce, bitingly cold wind, Quins sought to put pressure on their opponents from the start but found the referee’s whistle regularly blown to penalise their efforts so that three penalties were given against them in the first ten minutes. Yapp missed with one kick at goal and also with an attempted drop goal from the halfway line.  Tom Williams, too, missed with a drop gaol about five minutes later.

A muddy Vos makes yards ©Barquin Mad

Exeter were quick to the breakdown and an old fashioned forward battle was the order of the day with pick and drive the main means of progress usually halted either by turnover or the whistle for a knock-on or other infringement. In the twenty-fourth minute a penalty saw Yapp open the scoring with a goal from 35 metres.

Harlequins tried to counter-attack with Monye making a run through the middle which led to a penalty and that was the first of four kicks that Andrew Mehrtens missed during the afternoon, the wind curling the ball away sharply as it seemed to be going through the posts.

Another penalty to Exeter after 30 minutes saw Lorne Ward sent to the sin bin for failing to roll away at the tackle and Yapp took the three points on offer to increase the lead to 6 – 0.  Quins counter-attacked again and this time the ball came rapidly left to Gavin Duffy who put Simon Keogh away for a try in the left corner.  With Mehrtens’ kick from the touchline again curling out in the wind, the score was 6 points to 5.

Easter helps Mehrts ©Buzz

Harlequins ought to have had another penalty for a high tackle on Duffy soon afterwards, but the offence was ignored and the half came to an end. It had not been a good performance and the wind certainly played a part.  A box kick from So’oialo was blown back over his head putting him offside!

That the wind was causing some problems was emphasised when Mehrtens put a ball over the dead ball line from just outside his own twenty-two shortly after the start of the second half.  Quins’ errors continued to cause loss of possession and the Exeter pack were quicker to the breakdown and Quins were being starved of possession.  A free kick was fumbled, a line-out was lost and Exeter gave no space or quarter.

Quins' front row ©Barquin Mad

Then after thirteen minutes of the half, Luff, jinked past the Quins’ defence and touched down by the posts for the decisive score of the match.  Yapp added the conversion and the home team led 13- 5.

Three minutes alter and again after a further four minutes penalty kicks which Mehrtens would normally slot easily slid past the posts on the outside, one left and one right.  As the last quarter of the match started the Exeter forward, Hanks, was sent to the sin bin for an offence at a ruck.   In an attempt to get on terms and score Quins called for a scrum at the penalty but a knock-on again ceded possession. Despite this they remained in the Exeter twenty two for the rest of the match.

So'oialo offloads ©Barquin Mad

But in the next five minutes Quins managed to lose three successive attacking line-outs and to concede a penalty at another scrum.  Time was ticking away rapidly and Exeter defended staunchly and there seemed no way through.  Another penalty to Quins saw Mehrtens add three points with six minutes remaining. 13 – 8 and a bonus point gained if the score remained the same as it did.

In the remaining time a fine break by Keogh was halted short of the line and another scrum was lost.  Enormous pressure was exerted by Quins, but Exeter held firm and when the ball was trapped in a ruck the final whistle followed and the victory went to Exeter amid considerable celebration and jubilation.

Deano not happy ©Barquin Mad

Dean Richards was clearly disappointed. He thought Quins had played with a lack of imagination and had not played as they had agreed to play.  He was only slightly assuaged by the fact that Bedford had lost and made it clear that as far as he was concerned he did not intend to lose again.

Andrew Mehrtens said that Exeter had done what they did very well and without many errors.  On the subject of kicking, he was clearly very disappointed at his failures. He agreed that the wind was tricky but said that the kicks were well within his range and ability and the wind should not matter. He had just kicked badly.

Quins must go next week to play Nottingham in the National Trophy.  It was Nottingham that yesterday beat Bedford at Goldington Road so the prospect is for a tough match.  Exeter will play in the other semi-final and there is the prospect of another meeting at Twickenham possibly in the future,

Teams:

Exeter Chiefs:
15. S Ward;  14. J Luff, 13. J Fatialofa,  12. M Fatialofa,  11. A Murdoch;  10. T Yapp,   9. K Barrett;  1. S Bennett,  2. S Jenkins, 3. D Porte; 4. C Bentley, 5. J Hanks;   6. G Willis,    7. A Miller,  8. R Baxter (capt).
Replacements: G Davis, R Liddington, M Gabey, T Walker, I Wilson, A Staniforth, P Fisher.

NEC Harlequins:
15. Tom Williams;  14. Simon Keogh,  13. Gavin Duffy, 12. Mel Deane,
11. Ugo Monye ,  10. Andrew Mehrtens , 9. Steve So'oialo, 1. Ceri Jones,  2. Jimmy Richards,  3. Lorne Ward,  4. Jim Evans,  5. Simon Miall,  6. Tom Guest,  7. Andre Vos (Capt.) ,  8. Nick Easter   
Replacements:  Aston Croall,  Mark Lambert,  Kevin Burke,  Luke Sherriff,   Adrian Jarvis,  Charlie Amesbury, George Harder

Referee: Dale Newett

Attendance  3,645

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