Harlequins stage late fightback to beat Premiership leaders Leicester
Andre Esterhuizen completed a trademark Harlequins fightback as Gallagher Premiership leaders Leicester were edged 26-20 at Twickenham Stoop.
Freddie Burns had nudged Leicester 20-18 ahead with six minutes to go having relieved George Ford of the kicking duties, but Quins’ response was immediate as Esterhuizen showed his strength to finish in the right corner.
A first half that finished 15-12 became even tighter after the interval as Tigers showed their resilience to weather long spells of pressure before taking control.
The tide was turning in their favour when Jasper Wiese crashed over but once an exchange of place kicking between Ford and Marcus Smith subsided, the champions burst into life to engineer the decisive score.
Quins finished the Premiership title clash strongly as they kept alive their hopes of a home semi-final, but if they meet again in the knockout phase Leicester will believe their strongest line-up could finish the job.
It was a tight contest that ebbed and flowed with the start offering little idea of what was to come as Quins surged ahead as reward for choosing touch over a routine three points.
A slick line-out allowed waves of runners to push Leicester backwards and the crucial moment arrived when Alex Dombrandt broke a tackle and then popped a pass off the ground to Will Collier who touched down.
Nemani Nadolo replied with the help of some frail home defending before Quins had a Smith try disallowed for obstruction.
A play later and they were over, however, as Smith fired a bullet pass to Cadan Murley who was given a simple run in because of the speed and precision of the move.
Murley’s fearless tackle on the giant Nadolo drew a roar from the crowd and perhaps in the sign of the difficulties faced by Leicester, director of rugby Steve Borthwick walked down from the stands to the sideline to have a lengthy chat with his veteran replacement scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth.
Tigers saw an attack on the line repelled as they looked to claw back the 12-7 deficit but they had gained a foothold up front as the tempo of the game slowed.
Esterhuizen plucked a kick out of the air two handed but his clearance was poor and the mistake was costly as a counter-attack was continued by a dynamic run from Matt Scott for Hanro Liebenberg to score.
When Quins next took a scrum in front of the posts they took the points and were back in front, but the half finished with Leicester in the ascendency.
Ellis Genge and Jasper Wiese were among four Tigers forwards summoned from the bench soon after the interval and their first task was to stop the pressure building in their 22.
Once that was achieved, Leicester moved downfield and took the lead for the first time by using their forwards to pick and go until Wiese crossed.
Ford directed the conversion on to the right upright and at 17-15 the match was finely poised heading into the final quarter.
A series of scrums became fractious with Genge and Wilco Louw the source of the problem.
Louis Lynagh had a foot in touch after Smith’s clever switch of direction gave him sight of the line as Quins stepped up the attack with a Smith penalty nudging them back in front.
With points now at a premium, Ford took aim at the posts but he was wide before Burns proved successful shortly after.
The closing stages was all Quins, however, with Esterhuizen touching down and Smith adding a penalty.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments