DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
ComeAllWithin (Harlequins Rugby)
HTML https://comeallwithin.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: ComeAllWithin Board
*****************************************************
#Post#: 11732--------------------------------------------------
Match Report: Harlequins vs Exeter
DIR By: Admin
Date: December 6, 2018, 2:55 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Quins Boss The Chiefs.
by BedfordshireBoy
Another Friday night under the lights with the usual challenge
of negotiating the M25 at peak period, quite breezy and overcast
but at least the recent rain was forecast to stay clear. Must
admit that I had a good feeling about this game, not necessarily
expecting a win but certainly a good performance from a Quins
squad that seems to be finding itself once again. Only one
change for Quins with Ben Glynn replacing Matt Symonds in the
second row; as an aside I am still waiting to see the Symonds
Horwell combination perform regularly for Quins although just
seeing James Horwell back on the field would be a real bonus.
James Lang got the game underway with Quins looking very lively
in the opening minutes and being awarded a penalty a couple of
minutes from the start. Quins kick to the Chiefs twenty two, win
the line out but play is brought to an end as Quins spill the
ball 10 metres from the Chiefs line. Quins eventually get some
reward from their pressure when Chiefs are penalised at the
scrum giving Lang a fairly straightforward conversion attempt,
Quins 3 Chiefs 5 after 6 minutes. Although Quins clear the
restart kick to touch, a whole series of penalties eventually
sees Chiefs with a line out 5 metres from the Quins line to set
up a classic Chiefs rolling maul which sees Matt Kevesic touch
down for a try. The conversion attempt from Joe Simmonds hits
the post leaving the score Quins 3 Chiefs 5 after 14 minutes. A
bit of a Deja Vu moment after that score seeing Chiefs scoring a
try following their first incursion into the Quins half, I
wonder how many of their points have come from the 5m rolling
maul?
[attachimg=1]
Chiefs First Try
Chiefs continue to press for a period with it looking inevitable
that they will score again but Quins hold out and clear the ball
from a scrum after a Chiefs knock on under the posts. A period
of play confined to the midfield but Quins work their way into
the Chiefs half and are awarded a penalty for Chiefs killing the
ball which Langs kicks to the Chiefs corner. Another successful
line out from a Dave Ward throw sees Glynn take the ball which
captain James Chisholm takes and runs around the edge of the
Chiefs defence to touchdown for a well taken try. This time it
is James Langs turn to hit the posts with a conversion attempt,
Quins 8 Chiefs 5 with 10 minutes left of the first half. Quins
are certainly well up for this contest and look by far the most
dangerous team in open play with Chiefs making a lot of
uncharacteristic errors. As half time approaches Danny Care
makes a lovely break into Chiefs territory which unfortunately
ends up with a pass to nobody but with less than 2 minutes to
the interval, Chiefs knock the ball on 30 metres out from their
line. Quins win the scrum ball, Care shifts the ball to Francis
Saili whose perfectly timed pass finds Mike Brown who slips the
ball to Nathan Earle who bundles over in the corner. Another
conversion kick missed by Lang but Quins lead at the break by 13
points to 5, probably a fair reflection of the first 40minutes.
The Chiefs start the second half and Quins safely gather the
ball but a Sinckler knock on results in a Chiefs scrum. After a
reset, Chiefs are penalised allowing Lang to find touch on the
halfway line, Quins win the ball and a high kick from Care sees
a great chase from Ibitoye who tackles the Chiefs player on
their twenty two. Quins still playing with a very solid defence
and running some good lines in attack but often just seem to try
a bit too hard to manufacture something out of nothing. Chiefs
win another penalty and turn down another chance to kick at goal
and opt once again to kick to the corner. Quins are penalised
for off side as the Chiefs attack breaks down but another kick
to the corner keeps the pressure on Quins.
Same old routine for Chiefs, and although Quis are yet again
penalised, this time the Chiefs pack drives over the line.
Captain Jack Yeandle comes up with the ball, the Simmonds
conversion is accurate and Chiefs move within one point of the
Quins total, Quins 13 Chiefs 12 after 51 minutes. Chiefs are
penalised for holding on following the restart which allows Lang
to find touch bout 19 metres from the Chiefs line. Chiefs
replace Dave Dennis with Ollie Atkins in the second row and
Steenson for Simmonds a minute later. Quins win yet another line
out and from the resulting attack phase a precision grubber kick
from Mike Brown sees Nathan Earle gather the ball 25 metres from
the Chiefs line, and although he is tackled, momentum takes him
over the line for his second try of the evening. A successful
conversion from Lang and Quins add seven more points to their
total, Quins 20 Chiefs 12 on 57 minutes as Ollie Devoto replaces
Sam Hill for Chiefs.
Another silly penalty by Quins, which is then marched on a
further 10 metres for backchat, sees Chiefs once again kick to
the corner. Another change for Chiefs as Kvesic is replaced by
Lawday in the back row and Matt Luamanu replaces Ben Glynn and
Cadan Murley replaces Gabriel Ibitoye for Quins. Chiefs lose the
lineout but another penalty, this time against Chisholm allows
Chiefs to once again kick to the corner. Chiefs move the ball
quickly from the line out, and with almost his first touch of
the ball, Devoto is driven over the Quins line. After some
deliberation the try is awarded and Steenson adds the extra
points closing the gap once again to the single point. After
treatment as he emerged from under the pile of bodies, James
Lang has to leave the field of play to be replaced by Marcus
Smith.
Boyce and Swainston replace Marler and Sinckler respectively
before the restart. A few minutes later Marcus Smith moves the
Quins total on by another three points as Chiefs are penalised,
just starting to believe that Quins can win this game, Quins 23
Chiefs 19 with 13 minutes left to play. More Chiefs
replacements, then a great steal by Alex Dombrandt sees him
charge up the middle of the field, the ball is kicked on and
Chiefs manage to safely touch the ball down in their own in goal
area. Quins totally dominant now as the support from the crowd
urges them on and the scrum results in Quins being held up over
the Chiefs line.
[attachimg=2]
DC prepares for a box kick
Six minutes to go and another Quins attack breaks down when the
ball is spilled in the tackle but two minutes later following
another line break by Saili, Care chips the ball through for Joe
Marchant to gather and score Quins fourth try of the evening.
The conversion attempt from Smith wide out is unsuccessful, but
Quins have a nine point advantage with just four minutes
remaining. Now all Quins have to do is slow down the tempo and
eke out the remaining minutes of the game but they continue to
throw the ball around resulting in a very straightforward
intercept by Chiefs number thirteen Ian Whitten. Head in hands
time as the conversion by Steenson brings Chiefs to within two
points of the Quins scoreline with around a minute left on the
clock. With time ticking by Quins are awarded a scrum, and with
the crowd counting down, the ball is safely hoisted into the
east stand. Final score Quins 28 Exeter Chiefs 26.
Well well well, welcome back Harlequins, the sort of performance
that has been missing for the last two or three (or more?)
seasons. Gussy said before the game that the squad had been
working on attack during the week after they had dominated large
parts of the game last week but had been unable to convert that
into points. Whatever it was they did, it certainly worked with
players running clever lines instead of simply shipping the ball
along a flat attacking line. Some really standout individual
performances but more importantly was the input by the whole
team. The defence harried Chiefs whenever they had the ball and
deprived them of any space while the Quins attack ran clever
lines throughout. Now that he has had a run of a few games we
are now reaping the benefits of the class act who is Francis
Saili, he almost seems to break the oppositions line at will and
always gets his hands free and looks to offload the ball.
Saili was my Man Of The Match although it is difficult to argue
with the BT Sport nominee Alex Dombrandt who continues to
impress with more and more game time. The back row combination
of Chisholm, Clifford and Dombrandt is very effective so it
should be quite interesting when Chris Robshaw becomes available
for selection. The second row worked well with George Merrick at
long last showing some of the form from before his injury and
lay off and the front row were pretty dominant throughout,
definitely very happy to see Dave Ward at hooker now he seems to
have sorted out his line out issues. Very impressed with all of
the backs with particularly good performances from Mike Brown
Nathan Earle, Joe Marchant and Saili. Our two young fly halves
can only getter better and it good to see young wingers stepping
up to the mark.
Biggest disappointment of the evening was the loose pass from
Marcus Smith at the end allowing Chiefs to leave with two
undeserved points, we really need to learn the art of closing
out a game. The supporters also played their part, the hijacking
of the Tomahawk Chop is always amusing, I often wonder what it
sounds like to the players on the pitch. Hopefully this is not
another false dawn, meanwhile just enjoy this score line:
[attachimg=3]
[attachment deleted by admin]
#Post#: 11799--------------------------------------------------
Re: Match Report: Harlequins vs Exeter
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 7, 2018, 4:05 am
---------------------------------------------------------
What a night that was! Thanks.
#Post#: 12346--------------------------------------------------
Re: Match Report: Harlequins vs Exeter
DIR By: InsertQuinsPunHere
Date: December 14, 2018, 6:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the write-up. (Sorry it's taken me so long to read
and comment!)
It was indeed a marvellous night. Hopefully we can put on a
performance like that tomorrow against Trevisio.
*****************************************************
Page 1 of 1