By Alanquin
November 5 2014

Harlequins started their LV= Cup campaign with a loss to Saracens by 25 – 20 at Allianz Park on Sunday, a defeat brought about by a poor first half performance in which the lineout barely functioned and unforced errors abounded. Eventually Harlequins pulled themselves together and made a fist of trying to win, but they were playing catch-up rugby and were unable so to do. 

An early penalty, in the third minute, gave Saracens a lead that they never lost or looked like losing. Almost from the start Saracens were on the attack with the bulk of the possession and territory, so that Quins were forced to defend deep in their own half. Another penalty gave Saracens a five-metre lineout. The subsequent catch and drive crossed the line but the TMO ruled the ball held up. 

The pressure of Saracens’ play was bound to penetrate the defence eventually, but in the twenty-fifth minute an attempted low clearance from Quins’ fly-half, Grimoldby, was charged down with an inevitable try and simple conversion to follow, Play had barely restarted when a flowing attack and two missed tackles brought Saracens’ wing, Ellery, to cross for their second try and open a 15 – 0 lead. 

A rare foray into Saracens’ half produced a penalty at a scrum and three points and the score at the interval was 15 – 3. 

Harlequins started the second half with clear determination to do better. They brought on new signing Tim Swiel to replace Grimoldby. The lineout began to function properly and effectively and the scrum too. Then a kickable penalty was instead kicked to touch deep in the Saracens’ twenty-two and the subsequent pressure ended with Mark Lambert pirouetting over for a try, duly converted by Swiel. Quins were back in the game. 

But Saracens were stung into action and within five minutes they produced a flowing move that cut through the Harlequins like a knife through butter to score another try. The conversion made the score 22 – 10 Quins too produced rapid response in attack ending when Swiel’s fine miss pass found Charlie Walker in clear space for a good try in the right corner. An excellent conversion from the touchline opened Swiel’s account as a Quin. 

A penalty gave Saracens an unsuccessful kick at goal but another opportunity soon followed and extended the lead to 25 – 17. That opportunity arose from a somewhat harsh yellow card for Lindsay-Hague and Quins reduced to fourteen for all but the last five minutes of the game. With four minutes remaining, a successful penalty from Swiel brought Quins within a single score of a win, but Saracens’ defence held firm and a losing bonus point was the only benefit for Quins.