A 29-14 defeat brought Northampton Saints’ first block of PREM Rugby Cup matches to a close at Twickenham Stoop, with Harlequins scoring two late tries to take home the spoils in Round 2.
Northampton mirrored their hosts in the first half as the sides scored two tries apiece – Saints through Tom Pearson and Toby Thame – with Hugh Shields’ two conversions to Josh Bellamy’s one for Quins the only difference between the sides.
Saints’ luck dwindled in the second half, though, with the TMO denying them their only real shot, and Quins capitalised as they crossed the whitewash three times more themselves before the final whistle to take away the win.
FIRST HALF:
Saints thought they might have opened the scoring after five minutes, when Thomas Rowe scooped up loose ball and set off sprinting for the line – but the TMO intervened to call a knock-on by Northampton in the build-up.
The hosts hit back, patiently working the phases to creep close to Saints’ line before Will Hobson powered over.
Saints thought they were in for another when Craig Wright sprung free of Quins’ defence and went careening towards the remaining men in the backfield, but while his offload found Jonny Weimann, Saints then knocked-on and the chance went begging.
Northampton did eventually have their score though, with patience in attack earning them territory before Pearson muscled his way over from close range. Shields’ conversion put Saints two points up and Northampton wasted no time crossing again.
This time the away side set themselves from an attacking lineout, swiftly recycling the ball off the top to see Thame on the crash ball to go barrelling over the whitewash.
A second Shields conversion made it 5-14, but it was Quins who had the last word of the half. They worked their way into Saints’ territory with a string of penalties before Sean Kerr broke free and darted in from the 22 to cross for their second of the afternoon.
SECOND HALF:
Josh Bellamy’s conversion just before the break had taken the scoreline to 12-14 and Saints thought they were soon extending their lead, with Pearson and Ed Prowse linking up in the middle of the field before Weimann sent a looping pass over to Aiden Ainsworth-Cave on the right.
An intervention from the TMO chalked that score off though for a tackle off the ball in the build-up, and Quins found themselves ahead when first Stu Townsend and then Cameron Anderson went diving over.
Saints got within inches in response, pushing their way close through the forwards only to be held up over the whitewash. They suffered the same fate in the 72nd minute too, when this time Henry Walker was the man held up over the tryline.
It was Quins who eventually had the final word on the game, however. Saints had chipped the ball over the top of the home defence hoping to chase it themselves, but Bellamy made it to the ball first and jinked his way through Northampton’s broken field and over the tryline to close out the game.
LINE-UPS:
QUINS: 15 Nick David, 14 Cameron Anderson, 13 James Lang, 12 Sean Kerr, 11 Theo Povey, 10. Josh Bellamy, 9 Stu Townsend; 1 Will Hobson, 2 Jack Musk, 3 Sitiveni Vasuturaga, 4 Jonny Green, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 6 Jake Spurway, 7 Will Evans (c), 8 Lucas Schmid.
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Jamie Miller, 18 Osman Dimen, 19 Harry Browne, 20 Leo Dickinson, 21 Alfie Bowman, 22 Bryn Bradley, 23 Sean Sharp.
SAINTS: 15 James Pater, 14 Thomas Rowe, 13 Toby Thame, 12 Fraser Dingwall (c), 11 James Martin, 10 Hugh Shields, 9 Jonny Weimann; 1 Jordan Els, 2 Craig Wright, 3 Cleopas Kundiona, 4 Tom Lockett, 5 Ed Prowse, 6 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 7 Tom Pearson, 8 Josh Taylor.
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Aiden Reid, 18 Sonny Tonga’uiha, 19 JJ Van Der Mescht, 20 Jack Lewis, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Freddie St John, 23 George Hendy.