Quins end Sarries' run with win at the Stoop
MATCH REPORT: Harlequins ended Saracens’ 100 percent record in this season’s Premiership by defeating their London rivals 17-10 in a bruising encounter at the Twickenham Stoop.
Sarries, who had won their first three games of the campaign, put Quins to the sword in both of the league fixtures between the two last season, but they found their hosts far more resilient this time around.
A try from young centre Lennox Anyanwu proved crucial for the hosts, who tackled themselves almost to a standstill as their visitors piled on the pressure for long periods of the contest.
Saracens suffered an early injury blow when openside flank Andy Onyeama-Christie had to be stretchered off with only seven minutes played, not long after a strong carry deep into the Harlequins 22.
Harlequins then lost James Chisholm to the sin bin in the 10th minute when he tackled Nick Tompkins without the ball near his tryline after the Wales centre had chased down Elliot Daly’s kick ahead.
The hosts held firm with 14 men, however, spending most of the 10 minutes while a man light in possession, but unable to make any real dents in Sarries’ defence.
But they took the lead after Chisholm returned to the field in the 28th minute, when the No.8 was tackled within a metre of the line, with loosehead Fix Baxter following up to barge his way over.
Marcus Smith added the easy conversion and it almost got better for Quins off the final play of the first half when Irne Herbst was held up in-goal after Jack Kenningham and Will Porter had brought their team within striking range.
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Eight minutes into the second half, Saracens finally broke through the hosts’ resolute defence and it took a former Harlequin to do so as Hugh Tizard crashed over following a strong carry from Tom Willis.
Alex Lozowski’s conversion levelled the game but parity lasted just four minutes as Harlequins restored their lead in typically swashbuckling fashion.
Smith glided through a gap inside his half and got an off-load away to put Porter into space and the scrumhalf timed his pass to put Anyanwu, who was having an impressive match, in the clear down the right.
Quins were continuing to have a stormer out of possession and the gap remained at seven points when Lozowski sent a penalty wide after Joe Launchbury went off his feet at a ruck.
Smith, however, moved the hosts closer to a memorable win when he sent a kick of his own through the posts with nine minutes left.
Lozowksi quickly moved Saracens back within one score after Joe Marler could not stay on his feet at another ruck, but Harlequins doggedly held on in the time that remained.
The scorers
For Harlequins
Tries: Baxter, Anyanwu
Cons: Smith 2
Pen: Smith
For Saracens
Try: Smith
Con: Lozowski
Pen: Lozowski
Yellow card: James Chisholm (Harlequins, 10 – cynical foul, tackling a player without the ball)
Teams
Harlequins: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Nick David, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Lennox Anyanwu, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Will Porter, 8 James Chisholm, 7 Jack Kenningham, 6 Dino Lamb, 5 Stephan Lewies (captain), 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Titi Lamositele, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Fin Baxter.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Jibulu, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Chandler Cunningham-South, 21 Will Evans, 22 Danny Care, 23 Jarrod Evans.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Tobias Elliott, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Jamie George, 1 Rhys Carre.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Hugh Tizard, 20 Tom Willis, 21 Toby Knight, 22 Gareth Simpson, 23 Lucio Cinti.
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant referees: Tom Foley, Simon Harding
TMO: Dean Richards
