News

Harlequins leave it late

November 30 2008

Harlequins scored two late tries to prevent Bath from going back to the top of the Guinness Premiership with a 21-14 win on Sunday.

Centre Jordan Turner-Hall and Welsh prop Ceri Jones struck the crucial blows after number eight Daniel Browne broke the deadlock with the opening try for Bath in the 50th minute.

It took something special to win the match and inflict a first away defeat of the season on Bath, who had been knocked off the top of the table 24 hours earlier by Gloucester's victory over Northampton.

The moment of magic was provided by Andy Gomarsall, the 34-year-old former England scrum-half standing in for England number nine Danny Care, whose sublime inside pass opened up the visiting defence to send Jones charging over in the 69th minute.

The first half had ended level at 9-9, with Bath fly-half Butch James having three penalties cancelled out by three from Harlequins opposite number Nick Evans before the impressive Browne scored his try in the right-hand corner.

James supplied the pass to hooker Pieter Dixon, whose thrusting run and offload enabled Browne to squeeze over.

Harlequins reacted by launching their own offensive in which a deft through kick by Evans almost produced a try between the posts before a quickly-taken tap penalty by Gomarsall resulted in number eight Tom Guest being bundled into touch just short of the line.

The pressure paid off with a Quins try in the 63rd minute. Skipper Will Skinner made the initial break before a long, looping pass from Evans sent Turner-Hall over in the left corner.

The second try from Jones settled a hard-fought clash, with former All-Black Evans landing the conversion to put his side seven points clear and edge the kicking duel with South African World Cup-winning fly-half James.

The sides had cancelled each other out in a first half dominated by two well-drilled defences.

James put the visitors ahead three times as he landed all his penalties only for Evans to equalise each time as he responded with three from four attempts.

The best first-half try-scoring opportunity had fallen to Harlequins when Gomarsall intercepted a pass from Browne midway inside his own half.

The veteran scrum-half's run took him into visiting territory but he lacked the legs to outpace the visiting defence and his pass failed to give young right wing Seb Stegmann the space to finish the move.

Another Quins opportunity went begging over on the left flank when winger Tom Williams failed to find Turner-Hall on the touchline with a pass which flew high but the home side took their chances in the second half to secure victory.

The scorers:

For Harlequins:

Tries: Turner-Hall, Jones

Con: Evans

Pens: Evans 3

For Bath:

Try: Browne

Pens: James 3

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Seb Stegmann, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Andy Gomarsall, 8 Tom Guest, 7 Will Skinner (c), 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Jim Evans, 4 James Percival, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Tani Fuga, 1 Ceri Jones.

Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 George Robson, 19 Neil McMillan, 20 Junior Poluleuligaga, 21 De Wet Barry, 22 Chris Malone.

Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Jack Cuthbert, 13 Tom Cheeseman, 12 Shontayne Hape, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Claassens (c), 8 Daniel Browne, 7 Jonny Faamatuainu, 6 Stuart Hooper, 5 Peter Short, 4 Justin Harrison, 3 Duncan Bell, 2 Pieter Dixon, 1 David Flatman.

Replacements: 16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Paulica Ion, 18 Andy Beattie, 19 James Scaysbrook, 20 Scott Bemand, 21 Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, 22 Michael Stephenson.

Referee: Martin Fox

Touch judges: Bruce Robertson, Kevin Stewart

Assessor: Brian Campsall

Television match official: John Burtenshaw