The 21-year-old got on the scoresheet as the Saints second string racked up a healthy 34-16 lead at one stage, with Howard Packman, Alex Woolford and GJ Van Velze also crossing the whitewash.
But Quins struck back with two converted tries in the space of two minutes, and Waller – who by that time had been substituted – acknowledged that there were a few nerves on the sidelines until Matt Williams sealed the win with a last-minute score.
“I was hoping that the lads would hold on and keep playing the way we’d done the whole game,” he admitted. “It was a bit tense, but credit to the boys who came on. They stuck to it and held on for the win.
“It was an even first half, but some silly mistakes let them into the game. They got a breakaway try and it was closer than we believe it should have been. But we came out firing in the second half and did it well.”
For the Wanderers the win over Harlequins brought a sense of satisfaction after two years where they had bowed out of the competition at the semi-final stage. But now they are back in the Aviva ‘A’ League final for the first time since the successful 2008/09 campaign, and Waller says that all the players will be looking forward to the clash with Bath, being played at Franklin’s Gardens on Monday, December 16th.
“We’ve been in this position for the last two years and had lost in the last two years at this stage,” Waller said. “It was something that we wanted to rectify. The strength in depth in this squad is unbelievable and GJ Van Velze after the game said this strength is measured in games like this. Today we proved we can do well in this competition.
“We’re a club that hates losing; we want to win. And we’ll have to concentrate on what we do against Bath and see how we do in the final.”
Tickets for the 2013 Aviva ‘A’ League final are now on sale at £5 for adults and £2 for juniors - to book online just CLICK HERE and follow the straightforward instructions.
Entry is FREE for all Saints Season Ticket Holders and Saints Nation Members. All tickets and entry are for unreserved seats or terrace spaces in the Tetley’s Stand.
The full interview with Ethan Waller will be in this week’s official Saints podcast, available for FREE on SoundCloud.
And highlights from the Wanderers’ win over Harlequins will be available very soon on the Saints' official YouTube channel.
