PREAMBLE It's a wet day in south-west London ahead of the clash between Harlequins and the Saints. Both teams won their respective Aviva Premiership Round 1 matches against London Wasps and Exeter Chiefs and will be looking to build on those results in this match-up between two of last year's top four sides.
KO The teams are out into the Stoop deluge, Saints led out by Dylan Hartley, Quins by Chris Robshaw. Stephen Myler kicks off, Saints playing left to right as we're looking
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2mins Quins put on the first pressure, mauling the kick off and winning a penalty. They go through phases from the subsequent lineout, with Tom Williams nudging a ball past George North and over the dead ball line. Myler drop-starts from the 22
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4mins A let off for Saints as Nick Evans puts his first shot at goal left of the uprights. The shot was from nigh on 50 metres, but with Saints dropping out Quins can build the pressure again
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7mins Saints' defence holds and wins a penalty. A superb kick from Myler sends his team to the five-metre line, and although the maul is good Quins manage to hold up over the line. Still, the visitors have a five-metre scrum
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11mins The scrum is reset three times, with Joe Marler eventually penalised for dropping the set piece. On comes the tee, Myler opens the scoring
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12mins Evans misses a chance to strike back immediately, hooking from the halfway line. It's another ruck penalty conceded by the Saints, although with the ball having been available it's a little harsh
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14mins Quins run back the drop-out, with Luther Burrell doing brilliantly to snaffle an interception. Kahn Fotuali'i puts a kick straight into touch, giving Quins a lineout midway in the visitors' 22. While this is happening Joe Gray is helped off to be replaced by Rob Buchanan
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17mins End-to-end stuff, with Saints having a great position from a lineout inside the home 22. They go through some phases, before Burrell fumbles the ball in a tackle. Quins kick 60 metres and get their own possession, only for Mike Brown to emulate Burrell to give Saints an opportunity to clear
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21mins This is some good pressure from the Saints. Ken Pisi wins back a Fotuali'i box kick, and the visitors go through the phases well, controlling the ball. Myler slides through a lovely grubber, and while Quins sweep up Saints still have a lineout a few metres from the line
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23mins A strong maul forces Quins to go to ground, but Myler misses his first kick of the season, pushing the penalty wide to the right. After all that it's Quins who will feel satisfied, forcing a knock-on from the visitors on their own 10-metre line
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26mins Quins come within a whisker of scoring, all from good Saints possession. Although Alex Corbisiero did well to win an overthrown lineout midway in the home half the attempted off-load was ambitious in these conditions. Quins run the ball out, kick deep into the visitors' 22, for Evans's chip to elude Ugo Monye and bounce into touch. Saints clear, but only to the 22
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31mins Quins turn a free kick into a scrum, which becomes a penalty, and Evans gets his team on the score sheet
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35mins Conditions are awful here at the Stoop, which makes the two bits of skill just shown by Fotuali'i and Brown all the more sublime. The scrum-half did superbly to catch a bouncing ball between his knees and maintain possession, while the home full back's step to go around Pisi was excellent. When all's done, Saints' defence wins a penalty, Myler kicks to the Quins' 10-metre line, but the ball goes down and the hosts have the scrum
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38mins An outrageously good run from Fotuali'i puts Saints into the home 22, although the visitors would probably have preferred the penalty which for which Andrew Small was playing advantage. A chip from the scrum-half is won by Pisi, but Monye snaffles up the loose ball and eventually Quins have a scrum on their own 10-metre line
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HT There were seconds to play, so the ball is sent to the sidelines for the teams to head into the warmth of the dressing rooms. Despite the conditions this has been an entertaining game, and you can only imagine how good it would have been had it been dry. Both teams have had their sight of the whitewash, but defences have been up to the challenge and it's all square. For the most part Saints have controlled the ball well, but a couple of ill advised off-loads have let Quins off the hook. There's all to play for!
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41mins No changes to either team and Evans gets the game re-started. Saints fumble the kick off and Quins go through phases, eventually winning a penalty
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42mins Evans misses to the right of the uprights, but Quins get the ball back from the drop-out. Sam Dickinson comes on for Courtney Lawes
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45mins Evans puts Quins in front for the first time after Saints are deemed to have held down a jumper in a lineout just outside the visitors' 22
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48mins Gareth Denman is on for Tom Mercey, and his first job is to help his pack build a maul close to the home line. Quins' defence is solid, and although Saints go from right to left and back again they can't find a way through. Quins eventually win a scrum and it's a good chance for them to clear
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52mins Saints maintain the pressure, building a maul from a lineout just outside the home 22. In come Quins from the side, up goes Mr Small's arm. It's a tricky kick, but Myler makes no mistake. Quins make a change, Will Collier on for Paul Doran Jones
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55mins Saints won the kick off, but are offside from a Fotuali'i box kick. Evans goes for goal from long range but misses. Myler clears to halfway
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57mins Collier, just on, is taken to school by Corbisiero and Saints win a penalty at a scrum 15 metres in their own half. A trio of subs - Jamie Elliott, Phil Dowson and Lee Dickson on for Pisi, Calum Clark and Fotuali'i
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61mins A bit of crossing at the lineout lets Quins off the hook, who make a double sub, Ben Botica and Mark Lambert on for Evans and Marler. Botica has an immediate chance to make an impact with Quins awarded a penalty in front of the sticks. But he hits the right-hand upright, Tom Wood sweeps up and Saints clear
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62mins It's taken an hour, but North has had an opportunity, showing great balance down the left wing to put Saints onto the front foot. Foden, Myler and Elliott are in support, but while Saints get a good maul Quins hold it up to win a scrum close to their own line
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65mins Try for the Saints! A charge down sparks a bit of pinball, and when things settle down Burrell sends a long pass to Wilson, who in turn loops around Elliott and in at the corner. The TMO takes an age to confirm the score, but there's no denying Myler from the touchline. Quins make a sub, Tom Guest on for George Merrick. Alex Waller's also on for Corbisiero
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67minsTwo huge scrums from the Saints, firstly to win the ball against the head and then to put on the power to earn a penalty. Myler kicks midway into the home half, but the ball goes to deck in the lineout maul and not only do Quins have a scrum, but also a free kick. Quins bring off Fa'asavalu for Luke Wallace
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72mins It's a huge 10 minutes for the Saints coming up, but they just can't maintain possession, despite Wood winning a turnover in midfield and Dickinson a lineout against the throw. So Quins have the ball, but the defence is good and Saints have a throw in 15 metres in their own half. For Quins, Tom Casson comes off, Karl Dickson comes on
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75mins Saints' pack are keeping things tight now, marching the hosts upfield and winning a penalty on Quins' 10-metre line. Myler pushes the kick wide of the posts, but not only has it taken a minute off the clock but the hosts will have to play without Nick Easter, yellow carded for killing the play
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77mins It's an even 14 men on the pitch now, Myler yellow carded for a deliberate knock on in the home half. Botica puts play deep into Saints territory, and it's still in the balance!
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FT That's all at the Stoop and having suffered narrow defeats on each of their last two visits, the Saints have the win they craved. Not an easy night for any aspect of the game, kickers from both sides missing what prove to be rare chances at points. Stephen Myler lands the one that matters though, the touchline conversion of James Wilson's second half try and in truth, Quins never looked like overturning the final seven-point deficit as the Saints defence stands strong once more. We'll see you all next week for the second of back-to-back games on the road at Kingsholm!
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TEAMS
HARLEQUINS - Brown; Williams, Lowe, Casson, Monye; Evans, Care; Marler, Gray, Doran Jones, Merrick, Robson, Fa'asavalu. Robshaw (capt), Easter
Replacements - Buchanan, Lambert, Collier, Wallace, Guest, Dickson, Botica, Smith
SAINTS - Foden; K Pisi, Wilson, Burrell, North; Myler, Fotuali'i; Corbisiero, Hartley (capt), Mercey. Lawes, Day, Wood, Clark, Manoa
Replacements - Haywood, Waller, Denman, Dickinson, Dowson, Dickson, G Pisi, Elliott
REFEREE - Andrew Small
ATTENDANCE - 11,498
TIMELINE
4mins QUINS Miss pen Evans
10mins SAINTS Pen Myler 0-3
30mins QUINS Pen Evans 3-3
HALF-TIME HARLEQUINS 3 SAINTS 3
41mins QUINS Miss pen Evans
44mins QUINS Pen Evans 6-3
52mins SAINTS Pen Myler 6-6
54mins QUINS Miss pen Evans
60mins QUINS Miss pen Botica
62mins SAINTS Try Wilson Con Myler 6-13
74mins QUINS Yellow card Easter
75mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
76mins SAINTS Yellow card Myler
FULL-TIME HARLEQUINS 6 SAINTS 13
