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Harlequins see off Bath in high-scoring thriller to book play-off place

By PA
Press Association

Harlequins guaranteed their presence in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs after edging Bath 44-33 in a roller-coaster afternoon at Twickenham Stoop.

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Quins had to battle to the end of a 10-try thriller with touchdowns from captain Stephan Lewies and replacement scrum-half Martin Landajo eventually burying determined opposition.

Even though Lewies had crossed in the 60th minute Quins could not breathe easily as fly-half Marcus Smith, normally a pinpoint kicker, failed with three successive penalty attempts that would taken his side clear.

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The bonus point had been secured by half-time but Bath, who trailed 32-18, fought their way back into contention in the third quarter through enterprising tries by Willi Muir and Josh Bayliss and would have scored more but for wasteful finishing.

Stuart Hooper’s side finished with a deserved bonus point but it was not the result they want as they aim to salvage Heineken Champions Cup qualification from a poor season.

Roared on by a 4,000 crowd who immediately forgave Smith sending the kick-off into touch on the full, Quins made a blistering start with a quick throw-in by Danny Care renewing an attack that ended when Jack Kenningham crashed over.

Ben Spencer, Taulupe Faletau and Joe Cokanasiga made early impacts for Bath, who were causing plenty of problems until a blistering break by Max Clark hit the buffers through a lack of support at the ruck.

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Harlequins v Bath - Gallagher Premiership - Twickenham Stoop

Spotting the ball was out, Joe Marchant scooped it up one-handed, escaped down the touchline before well-timed passes from the England centre and Tom Lawday enabled Care to cross.

Faletau was a menace in the build-up to Bath’s try-scoring response with lock Josh McNally eventually forcing his way over from close range and with Spencer acting as the catalyst, a second arrived through Muir in the 26th minute.

Quins were being beaten at their own game as Bath, inspired by the influence of Spencer, Faletau and Sam Underhill, operated at a high tempo built on lengthy spells of possession.

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Harlequins v Bath - Gallagher Premiership - Twickenham Stoop

For all his brilliance, Faletau was at fault as the lead changed hands once more, missing his catch at the restart, with Marchant inevitably lurking to pounce on the error, gather the ball and touch down.

And as the half-hour mark passed, they galloped further ahead with a try launched by Tyrone Green’s enterprising break from inside the 22 and finished when Smith sent Luke Northmore sprinting through a gap.

Bath should have done better in defence and now they were looking to slow down the frantic pace set by a resurgent Quins, who sensed that more tries were there for the taking.

Harlequins v Bath - Gallagher Premiership - Twickenham Stoop

Half-time interrupted the home flow and one minute after the restart Tom de Glanville hurtled free downfield and when the ball was fed wide Muir dived over.

Bath now trailed just 32-23 and they appeared to have scored again but Cokanasiga was ruled to have dropped the ball while touching down.

The giant England wing atoned in the next passage of play, however, by marauding infield to start another of a thrilling match’s beautifully worked tries which on this occasion was finished by Bayliss.

Bath would have extended their one-point lead had Green not knocked the ball out of Spencer’s hands as he was about to score.

It proved a costly mistake because when Alex Dombrandt found space deep into enemy territory he was able to pop a high pass to Lewis, who crossed under the posts.

Smith’s problems at the kicking tee prevented Quins from finishing the visitors but Landajo dummied his way over with two minutes left to settle a crazy afternoon in south west London.

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J
Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

40 Go to comments
A
Adrian 12 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

40 Go to comments
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