Quins overpower URC Champs to secure Round of 16 place
MATCH REPORT: Harlequins qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup with a 24-7 victory over Glasgow Warriors.
The result means Quins will finish Pool Four with nine points and are certain to finish in the top four due to a considerably superior points difference over Racing 92, who could not record a big enough win against the Stormers.
The Warriors were already assured of a home tie in the last 16, which takes place on the first weekend of April, but they will be frustrated at not being able to avenge last season’s defeat against Harlequins at that stage of the competition.
In a cagey opening at the Twickenham Stoop, Glasgow were forced into a change after only 10 minutes when injured lock Scott Cummings – in what could be a blow to Scotland’s Six Nations preparations – had to be replaced by Alex Samuel.
It was Harlequins who broke through in the 14th minute when England international Chandler Cunningham-South was able to force his way over from a metre out after a series of pick-and-goes by his fellow forwards.
The hosts quickly added a second try when a flowing couple of phases ended with Cunningham-South off-loading for James Chisholm who charged through a gap down the left to score.
Marcus Smith converted both scores and then added a simple penalty from in front of the posts to extend Quins’ lead to 17-0 after 25 minutes.
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Glasgow then exploded into life with a superb try just before the half-hour mark when Kyle Rowe broke down the left wing with the ball going through the hands of Stafford McDowell and Jamie Dobie before flyhalf Tom Jordan ran in under the posts.
Harlequins youngster Ben Waghorn thought he had marked his first European start with a try just before half-time, but his joy was short-lived after the TMO spotted an obstruction by Oscar Beard on Huw Jones in the build-up.
The hosts turned around 17-7 ahead at the break, but Glasgow almost pulled another score back in the 53rd minute when Josh McKay knocked on close to the line in challenging Smith for Jordan’s kick ahead.
The Warriors were now dominating, but a series of errors, such as knock-ons or moments of indiscipline, kept allowing Harlequins, still searching for a match-clinching score themselves, a chance to escape.
In truth, where the first half flowed nicely, the second half had become a scrappy affair, which was not suiting either side’s ambitions.
What was far more helpful for Quins was a third try in the 68th minute as they turned the ball over inside their own half before Tyrone Green’s pass gave Cadan Murley a clear 50-metre run to the line to secure the win.
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Scorers
For Harlequins:
Tries: Cunningham-South, Chisholm, Murley
Cons: Smith 3
Pen: Smith
For Glasgow Warriors:
Try: Jordan
Con: Jordan
Teams
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Nick David, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Ben Waghorn, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Will Porter, 8 Alex Dombrandt (captain), 7. Jack Kenningham, 6. Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 James Chisholm, 3 Titi Lamositele, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Fin Baxter
Replacements: 16 Sam Riley, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Tom Lawday, 21 Will Evans, 22 Danny Care, 23 Jarrod Evans
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Stafford McDowall (captain), 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Euan Ferrie, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Rory Sutherland
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston,17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Alex Samuel, 20 Gregor Brown, 21 Henco Venter, 22 Ben Afshar, 23 Duncan Weir
Referee: Pierre Brousset
Assistant referees: Kevin Bralley, Vivien Praderie
TMO: Tual Trainini
