By Billy Hamilton
March 7 2003

For this trip into the archives Billy has uncovered an altogether happier experience of a match against the multi-coloured ones. A result I think that most of us would be happy to see again on March 16th.

Harlequins v London Irish

Saturday 23^rd January 1999 – The Stoop

As we try to recover from last weekend and as part of the build-up to St.Patrick’s Day I feature another of my reports from better times.  This report appeared in the Irish “Sunday Independent”.

Billy Hamilton

O’Shea turns on style to sink Quins

Harlequins   17  London Irish    22

LONDON Irish now sit in third position in the Allied Dunbar Premier Division after a fully deserved 22-17 victory over Harlequins yesterday. This was their seventh consecutive League victory and completes the double against near neighbours Quins this season.

In spite of the cosmopolitan nature of the Exiles team, Irishmen recorded all the points. After the game, Irish winger Niall Woods was full of praise for the team performance.

“We put in a lot of hard work in training and it is now playing dividends. Our performance today was marvellous.” Asked about the chances of his own return to the international side, Woods added: “I can only continue to play well and hope that I will be noticed. lt would be nice to get back in the team.” Irish suffered a setback just minutes before the kick-off, when scrumhalf Kevin Putt was forced to withdraw with a calf strain to be replaced by Peter Richards. The first period of the game belonged to the home side, with the Exiles pinned inside their own half, and only good defending kept the score sheet blank. Woods was the main saviour when he denied Quins fullback Jamie Williams the touchdown after Williams’ chip through had landed just under the posts.

The boot of Woods took the Irish inside the opposition half for the first time after 18 minutes but he was unable to capitalise on a penalty which would have given his side a welcome, if somewhat undeserved, lead. With just over 30 minutes gone, it was John Schuster who eventually broke the deadlock, giving the home side the lead with a penalty.

With a minute left of the first half, Nick Burrows got the ball inside his own half and found a gap in the defence to run 30 metres into the Quins half He passed to Conor O’Shea, who outpaced his pursuers to score the opening try. Woods converted to give the Irish a 7-3 lead at halftime.

Early in the second half, the game was delayed for six minutes after an injury to Quins French international Thierry Lacroix and Quins pounced after the resumption. A pass from Burrows to Woods was neatly intercepted by Darren O’Leary and the Irish could only look on dejectedly as he ran 40 metres to score under the posts and give Schuster an easy conversion to regain the lead. This was the only serious Irish lapse of the half. They then took the bit between their teeth and with two marvellous tries, took charge of the game. O’Shea got his second following a pass from Stephen Bachop. He outpaced his pursuers and scrambled for the line, his momentum taking him over. Woods added the conversion to regain the lead and later extended it with a penalty.

The next Irish try was also out of the top drawer. Woods received the ball on the left wing just inside the opposition half. He jinxed his way across the field, sidestepping defenders, to pass inside to Justin Bishop who out-paced the defence to score in the corner. Although Peter Mensah touched down for Quins in injury time, it was only a consolation as Schuster’s successful kick brought the final whistle and the victorious cheers of the Irish supporters.

Harlequins:            J Williams; D O’Leary, P Mensah, J Schuster, D Luger: T Lacroix (Officer 47), H Harries (Walsh 29); J Leonard, K Wood, G. Halpin (Barnes 63); G Morgan (Davidson 75), G Llewellan, Z Brooke (Capt)( Jenkins 11) A Leach, C Sheasby.

London Irish: C O’Shea (Capt.); J Bishop, N Burrows, B Venter N Woods; S Bachrop, P Richards; N Hatley, R Kirke, K.Fullman (R. Hardwick 73); N Harvey, M O’KelIy, J Boer R.Strudwick, R. Gallacher.

Referee: B Campsall (Yorkshire).