KO
Game underway through Myler, Saints playing towards the Burrda South Stand...
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
2mins
A smart looking kick from Care skids across the surface and goes right through the deadfall zone at the cost of a scrum and some 55m.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
3mins
And that's a scrum penalty too! It's not a full house here, but under the Friday night lights the Gardens is bouncing.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
3mins
Elliott challenges Brown under a cross kick and it’s not the smartest tackle by the wing. Quins full back Brown is receiving treatment on the touchline and Elliott gets a yellow card after a TMO referral.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
5mins
Botica's poor kick misses touch from the penalty and Wilson slots a humdinger right in behind the Quins defence. A wonky lineout makes the Kiwi's kick even better and Saints scrum 15m from the line.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
6mins
Quins level up the scrum penalty count, even with Marler flat on his stomach on the nearside. A slippery kick through has Wilson scampering back but the full back beats Care in the chase and Saints take their time with the 22 dropout.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
7mins
Excellent kick from Myler pegs the visitors right back into their own 22. A poor return gives North the chance to stretch his legs and after the Welshman breaks the first tackle, Fotauli’i skids another good territorial one into touch.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
11mins
Quins edging ahead in the scrum battle now and another penalty is in kickable range for Botica. It’s a long way out though and the Quins fly half falls some way short from 50-odd metres.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
13mins
Having got his eye in with the last penalty, Botica decides one from a similar distance is too far. He pings it onto the Saints’ 22m line instead.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
15mins
Every scrum so far has ended in a penalty and it’s even again as Saints win a second of the night. Myler takes play up to halfway - Elliott now back on the field.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
17mins
Pats on the back for McMillan as he gets stuck right into a Quins maul and wraps up the ball carrier. Another Saints scrum, this time outside the visitors’ 22.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
20mins
Saints make a change, North jogging off gingerly to be replaced by Collins. Hopefully just a precautionary change.
SAINTS 0 QUINS 0
22mins
Thud! We finally have some points on the board courtesy of a Myler penalty. Quins hold on on the floor and the Saints fly half clips it over from 42m out.
SAINTS 3 QUINS 0
25mins
Collins looks to have the legs on Walker in a footrace and while the ball skids out and Quins take a quick one, Care throws a wild offload into touch and Saints can attack from 20m.
SAINTS 3 QUINS 0
27mins
SAINTS TRYYYY!!! Super work first from Craig and then McMillan to slice Quins open. Advantage is being played as Care goes miles offside but Fotuali’i guides a kick in Collins’ direction and the young winger catches and finishes brilliantly in one motion. TMO confirms.
SAINTS 8 QUINS 0
28mins
Rare miss from Myler - albeit from right on the touchline. Saints have a handy lead though as the half hour approaches and from the restart it’s maul time.
SAINTS 8 QUINS 0
32mins
Magical kick from Elliott, who slides across the turf and hooks one down the line and into touch at an impossible angle. Pressure on Quins to clear and Care’s kick only provides momentary respite.
SAINTS 8 QUINS 0
34mins
Super work from Collins chasing his own high ball puts Quins under all sorts of pressure and on turnover ball Wilson flattens Robson. Quick ball gets the crowd on their feet and the Saints within 5m of the line, but it squirms free at a breakdown to end a flowing move.
SAINTS 8 QUINS 0
34mins
Robson isn’t going to be able to continue and the medics are taking their time to make sure the second row is ok. Fingers crossed it isn’t as serious as it looks. Guest comes on.
SAINTS 8 QUINS 0
35mins
Not as bad as first feared and Robson has left the field - albeit a little shakily - by his own accord.
SAINTS 8 QUINS 0
36mins
Quins don’t contest the lineout but they do go in illegally at the breakdown. Good, solid nudge from Myler puts another three on the board.
SAINTS 11 QUINS 0
38mins
Danger moment. Quins threaten out wide but with a big overlap, supporters overrun and Guest can’t get his offload away. The attack is still alive but Saints are right up in Quins’ faces and Walker knocks on with the move going backwards.
SAINTS 11 QUINS 0
40mins
Just as it looked like Saints would head in with an 11-point lead, Quins pinch a penalty against the head and Botica is free to knock over a simple penalty. Still all to play for at the Gardens as the teams head for the changing rooms.
SAINTS 11 QUINS 3
HT
A slightly disappointing end to an opening 40 that the Saints deservedly lead. Still, they’d probably have taken an eight-point gap and have certainly looked the more threatening, taking every opportunity to peg the visitors back, too.
SAINTS 11 QUINS 3
40mins
Quins have pulled Brown, presumably after the knock he took early on. Lindsay-Hague is on as Botica restarts the game…
SAINTS 11 QUINS 3
43mins
He scored the last points of the first half and he’s going to have a shy at the first points of the second. Botica’s penalty is wide of the mark though - his second miss of the evening.
SAINTS 11 QUINS 3
45mins
SAINTS TRRRYYY!!!!!! Three tries in five games for Fotuali’i! The scrum-half pounces on a loose ball and is away like a shot. Five Quins are chasing him but no one can stop him. TMO confirms once more.
SAINTS 16 QUINS 3
46mins
Myler adds the two.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
48mins
Quins probing, but the green and gold quartered shirts are up in defence and all over Quins like a rash. The Gardens crowd rumbles again and a forward pass ends the move.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
50mins
Superb breakout by the Saints, Elliott making the most metres out wide and then part of the chase that forces Walker into touch. The Saints faithful respond with even more noise.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
52mins
A long way back for Quins, but as we saw last weekend it’s never over until it’s over. Saints looking to keep the squeeze on in Quins’ half.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 22
55mins
Almost space for the dancing Lindsay-Hague but while his pass goes into Quins hands, Saints turnover on the floor. Elliott hammers it long upfield and Botica slices his kick out, only making the 22.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
58mins
Here comes the bench… Lawes and Wood are on for Clark and Manoa. Big shifts from both those leaving the field.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
60mins
Marler and Care off for the visitors, Lambert and Dickson on. Quins have an attacking lineout - time for the Saints to roll up their sleeves in defence again.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
61mins
Pressure building as Dickson taps a quick penalty to go within 5. The scramble defence is good again but Dickson will put into a 5m scrum.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 3
63mins
Quins try. Saints get a big nudge on and Fotuali’i scrags Easter. It’s oh so close for under the sticks though and referee Clancy is asking the TMO to have a look into the mass of bodies. Easter awarded the score.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
65mins
Saints still two scores up but now would be a good time for a penalty or any kind of points just to settle again. Harlequins are the side trying to play the territory game now.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
68mins
More replacements for the Saints, Burrell and Haywood on for McMillan and Stephenson. Haywood is straight into the action, almost sending Fotuali’i clear in a neat interchange of passes but the last one is forwards and play is pulled back.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
71mins
Quins bodies scattered across the Gardens turf as a ball is spilled. Saints kick forwards and when a man is taken off the ball it’s a home penalty.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
72mins
Two poor kicks in a row, Grimoldby landing one right down Wilson’s throat but the Saints full back then proceeding to kick out on the full. Eight minutes for Saints to see out with an eight-point advantage. Denman on for Waller.
SAINTS 18 QUINS10
76mins
Another penalty for the Saints, this time Quins giving it up on their own ball and the clock is now down to less than three.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
79mins
An excellent kick in behind pegged Quins back and another has just forced Lindsay-Hague to carry into touchh. A 5m lineout for the Saints with just 90secs to play. Cardiff is tantalisingly close!
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
80mins
Bar a miracle this game is up. Quins scrumming down 25m from their own line now and all being well, this will be the last play.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
FT
Saints are into the Amlin Challenge Cup final!! A thoroughly deserved win after an excellent display on home soil. Fotuali’i is named man of the match after marshalling the Saints all the way to Cardiff.
SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
TIMELINE
3mins SAINTS Yellow Elliott
12mins QUINS Miss pen Botica
23mins SAINTS Pen Myler 3-0
27mins SAINTS Try Collins 8-0
36mins SAINTS Pen Myler 11-0
40mins QUINS Pen Botica 11-3
HALF-TIME SAINTS 11 QUINS 3
44mins QUINS Miss pen Botica
45mins SAINTS Try Fotuali’i Con Myler 18-3
65mins QUINS Try Easter Con Botica 18-10
FULL-TIME SAINTS 18 QUINS 10
SAINTS: Wilson; Elliott, G Pisi, Stephenson, North; Myler, Fotuali’i; A Waller, McMillan, Ma’afu, Manoa, Craig, Clark, Dowson (capt), Dickinson
Reps: Haywood, Denman, Mercey, Lawes, Wood, Glynn, Burrell, Collins
QUINS: Brown; Walker, Molenaar, Turner-Hall, Smith; Botica, Care; Marler, Ward, Sinckler, Matthews, Robson, Wallace, Robshaw (capt), Easter
Reps: Buchanan, Lambert, Doran-Jones, Guest, Fa’asavalu, Dickson, Grimoldby, Lindsay-Hague
Amlin Man of the Match: Kahn Fotuali’i
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)
Att: 10,077
