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Face stamp sees Mike Brown sent off but Marcus Smith inspires Harlequins to thrilling win
Mike Brown may have played his last game for Harlequins after he was sent off for stamping in a remarkable 48-46 Gallagher Premiership victory over Wasps that was only decided in the last play of the game.
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England’s most-capped full-back was shown a red card four minutes into the second-half after stepping backwards and standing on the head of Tommy Taylor, who was holding him at a ruck.
Referee Wayne Barnes reviewed the incident on the big screen at Twickenham Stoop and gave Brown his marching orders. Earlier in the game he was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on.
Any stamp involving the head carries a minimum six-week ban, pointing to the likely end of his Harlequins career given he joins Newcastle next season.
Just four rounds of the Premiership remain and his only hope is for his team to reach the play-offs or for the disciplinary hearing to show leniency by reducing his suspension.
Red for Mike Brown and that could be the end of his Quins career. pic.twitter.com/i9UnPY1V9o
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 9, 2021
It is a savage blow for a player who made his Quins debut 16 years ago and until his moment of madness had contributed fully to a rollercoaster game that saw England fringe players Marcus Smith, Joe Marchant, Dan Robson and Paolo Odogwu shine in front of Eddie Jones.
The home side rallied manfully after the loss of Brown and against all odds engineered the critical try when man of the match Smith sprinted over just as the clock passed 80 minutes, before adding the conversion himself.
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Even the loss of tighthead prop Kieran Brookes in the fourth minute to what appeared to be a significant injury failed to dent Wasps’ early exuberance as they imposed themselves with a series of determined carries.
But against the run of play Quins showed their ruthless streak to cross in the 12th minute, Smith chipping the ball to the right touchline where Marchant gathered before winning a sprint for the line.
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Wasps were straight back on the offensive and exploited a defensive lapse by Danny Care beautifully when Robson drew his opposite number to send Josh Bassett over.
Robson was at the heart of a dangerous Wasps break and when Quins try to escape the stranglehold they were turned over in their own 22, allowing Tom Willis to send Odogwu through a gap and across the whitewash.
Brown was sin-binned to compound the home misery, yet it failed to dent their confidence and they were the next over as the rollercoaster first half continued.
Repeated carries stretched the visiting defence and once more it was Smith who pulled the trigger, firing a rapid pass to James Lang who completed a simple run-in.
A powerful Odogwu break that continued with Robson racing crossfield laid the platform for Wasps to score their third try with the scrum-half showing strength to force his way over.
The sixth try of the first half arrived shortly before it ended, Brown, Smith and Marchant combining brilliantly for Smith to touch down and when the England prospect then kicked a penalty, Quins led 24-22.
Brown was sent off, forcing the double blow of Luke Northmore’s try also being chalked off, and almost immediately Wasps plundered the bonus point when Malakai Fekitoa barrelled over.
When Thomas Young then scored in a similar position, the balance shifted heavily towards last season’s runners-up – only for Care to keep Quins’ hopes alive.
Remarkably given they were a player down, the 2012 champions regained the lead through an Alex Dombrandt try that was converted from the touchline by Smith.
Robson’s pinpoint grubber from a scrum enabled Bassett to score his second and with Jacob Umaga adding the conversion and a penalty, it appeared to be over.
But the final six minutes were the Smith show as the England prospect kicked a penalty, scored a try and then converted to break Wasps’ hearts.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to comments