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In-form Harlequins moved a step closer to the Gallagher Premiership play-offs after they produced a clinical seven-try showing to beat London Irish 41-14.
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Paddy Jackson gave Irish the lead, racing over in the corner following a turnover in front of the Quins try-line, but their advantage was short lived.
Jack Walker was driven over from a surging maul while Cadan Murley and Huw Jones followed with tries soon after.
Walker and Hugh Tizard then combined from a smartly executed line-out, Danny Care and Andre Esterhuizen both touched down and, after Benhard van Rensburg added a second Irish score, Jones rounded off the scoring with his second try.
Tabai Matson’s side sit third in the table after a fifth straight win.
The hosts came out firing at the Brentford Community Stadium in front of a partisan derby-day crowd, with Jackson keen to keep the ball in hand as often as possible.
He had a willing ally in Curtis Rona and it was the midfield pair who combined to turn Irish’s early exuberance into points as the Jackson went over unscathed following a turnover.
If the defending champions needed a wake-up call, that was it. Just two minutes later they were on level terms.
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Walker’s feed into the lineout was unerring, and it was the former England Under-20s skipper who was driven over from the resulting maul, with Marcus Smith slotting home an awkward conversion.
Rona was again at the heart of everything positive for Irish, putting away Ollie Hassell-Collins who inexplicably lost control of the ball in the act of scoring.
And it was costly as three Quins tries in the following 10 minutes securing the four-try bonus point.
Alex Dombrandt and Esterhuizen did the heavy-duty work ahead of Smith superbly releasing Murley with a long, looping pass which the Quins man gobbled up ahead of comfortably dotting down.
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Sensational from Marcus Smith 🙌@Harlequins take the lead after an inch-perfect pass from their number 🔟
THIS. GAME. IS. BRILLIANT!#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/FL0KYQWyUR
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) April 3, 2022
Smith was at it again minutes later, his deft hands allowing Jones to wriggle over in the opposite corner.
When Walker went over for his second – sent on his way by Tizard’s pass back to him five metres out – Irish were in danger of being overrun at 22-7 down.
Care was hauled over for a fifth Quins try, capitalising on Joe Marchant’s line-break, and after Irish’s Lucio Cinti lost control in the in-goal area when all he had to do was get to the floor, Esterhuizen eased past two half-hearted tackles to underline his side’s superiority.
Van Rensburg crept over the line five minutes from the end as Irish rallied but, fittingly, Quins had the final say when Will Edwards ghosted one into the path of Jones to cross.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
1 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
38 Go to comments