Harlequins 33-43 Leicester
Leicester, as the Wasps of old used to do, are coming good at the right time. A sixth successive bonus-point victory, and their second in a week against rivals for the title, took the Tigers to within a point of Harlequins, the leaders. As the play-offs loom, the momentum is with the midlanders and their blend of graft and craft.
Quins, who had the chance to become the first team to secure a home tie in the play-offs, were looking for a first Premiership double against Leicester. The crowd welcomed the home side with such a roar that it sounded like Welford Road and there was an energy about Harlequins that Ugo Monye epitomised; he ran some 40 metres after the first scrum to congratulate his prop James Johnston. Leicester had opted for the set-piece after winning a free-kick from a line-out 40m from the home line. Johnston put Marcos Ayerza under such pressure that the Tigers were shunted sideways and backwards and conceded a penalty.
Quins won some early collisions, but exuberance too often turned into indiscipline. They conceded 12 penalties in the opening half, six in the first 13 minutes, and the second saw Toby Flood kick to touch deep in the home 22. Tom Croft caught the throw and Leicester drove a maul that took Thomas Waldrom over the line with the ball.
Monye seized the restart and when Waldrom strayed off-side, Nick Evans kicked Quins's first points. Flood and Evans exchanged penalties and a frantic opening quarter looked to have been shaded by the Tigers when Flood, launching an attack on the Quins's 10m line, seemed spooked by an inside run from his captain, Geordan Murphy.
The England fly-half threw out a pass to a player who was not there. Monye was waiting and only had Anthony Allen for company on his 60m run to the line, and then for just part of the way. Quins were ahead for the first time and Monye's fellow England discard, Nick Easter, snatched Flood's restart and stormed away to launch a pivotal attack.
Harlequins were by now playing like a team that had led the table for most of the season. Jordan Turner-Hall, like Monye a player hell bent on shaping destiny, went on another leg-pumping run, this time inside Leicester's 22, and as defenders buckled, he slipped an off-load to Monye, who had run into midfield from his wing only to be held back by Manu Tuilagi. He was sent to the sin-bin and, after Evans had kicked the penalty, Quins were soon back in the Leicester 22. Evans's kick bounced into touch five metes out and, after George Chuter had overthrown, Waldrom knocked on. Easter picked up from the scrum, ran through Tom Croft and Ben Youngs and scored a try that, along with the conversion, put his side 23-10 ahead.
Play was held up for seven minutes while Croft was treated for a neck injury. He had appeared off-balance making the tackle on Easter and he left the field on a stretcher with his neck in a brace. The hold-up muted play for a while, with Flood and Evans trading penalties.
Leicester were level six minutes after the break. Their second try came from a line-out, on 37 minutes, Allen breaking the midfield and off-loading to Alesana Tuilagi, who had come into midfield. Harlequins went missing at the breakdown and Steve Mafi, Croft's replacement, had a 25m stroll to the line.
Flood's penalties either side of the interval brought the Tigers level but at the point they appeared to have reasserted themselves, they were behind again. Evans's answer to the visitors's rush defence was to chip the ball to the line from an attacking scrum for George Lowe to secure the bounce in splendid isolation and score.
Back came Leicester. Quins, fading visibly, repulsed a wave of attacks until, with 14 minutes left, Allen charged through Turner-Hall's tackle and as Leicester recycled quickly, Alesana Tuilagi was unmarked on the left. Flood's conversion levelled the scores and the Tigers regained the lead when Allen's break left Monye injured on the floor and Waldrom finished off the move for his second try.
Quins were left with nothing when Lowe infringed for Flood to kick his fifth penalty and will probably need to win at Sale in the final round to secure a home draw.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/apr/21/harlequins-leicester-premiership
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento