All Good Things Must Come to an End
By Darraghgirl
January 9 2016
I don’t enjoy writing the match report when we lose. Going back over the match is not something I much want to do in these circumstances – I’d rather just put it behind me and move on but heyho, for the sake of the board, here we go.
There was a lot of stuff pre-match about how we hadn’t lost since last May and how Quins had only won once in the last 14 meetings. That sort of thing always puts the willies up me but even more concerning was the lack of Barritt in our match day squad. There is something solid and reassuring with our Brad and without him we just aren’t quite the same. Thank goodness it looks like England don’t need him because we sure do!
As we entered the Stoop through the Porsches and BMWs of the “posh” car park, the sun shone. As we left through the mud (and a 45 minute wait to get out of Rosebine) it poured. Just about summed up the match!
The Stoop was full for the meeting between the only 2 “true” London clubs. Quins started well and after less than 2 minutes were awarded a penalty however we noted George Kruis lying prostrate on the ground. Referee Craig Maxwell-Keys, graduate of Chris White’s Refereeing Academy and Leicester University (1st MChem) was taken aside by good old touch judge Ashley Rowden and they watched the (not very big) screen replay together where Horwill does his best to decapitate our George. Mr Maxwell Keys then showed the Quins’ player a yellow card and reversed the penalty (that’s 1). Kruis was poleaxed for a good 10 minutes before being carried off the field so it was a relief to hear he was awake and about after the game. Itoje joined proceedings somewhat earlier than planned. It started raining.
The kick went towards the corner. Sarries won a scrum and then a penalty (that’s 2). Kick to the corner, throw, maul, illegal pull down, penalty (that’s 3). Do that again – penalty (that’s 4). This time take the scrum – penalty (that’s 5). Scrum again, penalty (that’s 6). Not a word to Captain Care or his team. Where on earth is Greg Garner when you need him (never thought I’d say that). Scrum and another penalty (that’s 7). Must be a card now surely- but n’ere a word from Mr Maxwell-Keys. Scrum again and finally a try. Neil De Kock got the ball down and Farrell kicked a good conversion. But what the heck was going on there? Personally I think had Quins been at full strength, someone would have gone but as they were already down to 14, Mr Maxwell Keys bottled it and decided to be, shall we say, lenient. OK so we scored but all these penalties and scrums took 10 minutes and Horwill was back on the pitch. Advantage over! (Didn’t Brad say something like this to Mr Garner last week? Unfortunately Jamie was buried in the scrum most of the time so didn’t get the chance to bend the referee’s ear).
Sarries’ scrum continued to dominate and although Quins had plenty of possession, they weren’t going anywhere. 2 more penalties to Saracens and a brilliant take at the lineout by Itoje resulted in a kick for the posts. Sadly Farrell scuffed it. Almost immediately Quins were on the attack. From a lineout just in the Sarries’ 22, Danny Care and Buchanan played a nice one-two for Buchanan to score what looked like a soft try. There was a suspicion of blocking in the lineout but despite protests, Mr Maxwell-Keys declined to review the play and the try stood. Evans missed the conversion leaving Sarries with a slender 5-7 lead.
Nice play from Farrell put Sarries back in the danger zone. Another scrum and this time Billy peeled off the back and scored a second try. Again Farrell converted for 5-14. There was another blow when the unlucky Taylor left the field for a head injury assessment, never to return. Tompkins replaced him but up against Jamie Roberts, life was not easy. Quins won a penalty and kicked for the corner. The 5m lineout looked dangerous but again Itoje was superb, stealing Quins’ ball. Minutes later Sarries conceded yet another penalty and this time Evans split the posts. As half time approached, Quins were lucky not to be penalised for what looked like a very deliberate knock on (I’ve see that carded before now). Mr Maxwell-Keys deemed a scrum would suffice. A promising move developed and the ball came out to Bosch with Ashton clear outside him but Bosch, who didn’t have the best of games, dropped the ball. Quins ended the half on the attack and some poor tackling almost let Yarde through. He was stopped but the ball came back to Clifford who went over for Quins’ second try. Evans converted and Quins went in at half time with a 1 point lead.
By now the rain was falling heavily and the wind seemed to have got up. It looked like Sarries would have the benefit of the elements in the 2nd half so we were quietly optimistic especially when a penalty kick from Evans in his own 22 skewed into touch barely meters away. There was some nice play from Alex Goode but inevitably another penalty was conceded and Quins cleared although again it was a poor kick which didn’t find touch into the gusting breeze. Sarries won a penalty in front of the posts which Farrell kicked to retake the lead 15-17. A lively attack from Quins wasn’t going anywhere and eventually Sarries turned the ball over but when the ball was kicked into touch, Mr Maxwell-Keys’ attention was drawn to a tackle on Brown by Farrell. Quins supporters were baying for a card – yellow, orange red any colour! To give him his due (or maybe the TMO, who knows?) the tackle was deemed legal and play resumed. Sarries made a mess of some decent possession in the Quins’22 and the ball was cleared.
Wiggy replaced De Kock and Evans was limping heavily. Now it was dark, the adverts along the side of the pitch were very distracting. Another Sarries’ penalty and another 3 points. Now 15-20. Evans limped off to be replaced by Botica.
Then came the first of 3 defining moments. A good move started by Goode almost saw Ellery over in the corner. The ball was recycled and it looked like a try to Jamie George. Mr Maxwell-Keys went to the TMO to check the grounding. It was fine. But no try because he then went back about 10 minutes, noticed a rather dubious crossing, disallowed the try and gave Quins a penalty. Shortly after came the 2nd defining moment. A long kick from Ellery caught the breeze and instead of bouncing into touch for an awkward lineout, went over the dead ball line with the help of Brown’s foot. Mr Maxwell-Keys was 50 yards away and followed Mr Care’s advice to give Quins the scrum-back (rather than the 22 it should have been). After several resets, Quins won a scrum penalty (without the ball even being put in so I assume for something said maybe?) and Botica kicked the points to narrow the gap to 2. Quite a reversal in short time.
And so to the 3rd defining moment. Gill came on for a tiring Mako. In less than 2 minutes he was off again. Farrell just had time to score another 3 points when Gill was initially yellow carded which was upgraded to red after a pretty awful tip tackle on Lowe was reviewed on the screen. Correct decision by the ref, silly one by Gill and one which probably cost us the match.
So 15 minutes left and a man down. Quins won another penalty which Botica kicked for 21-23. It looked a very slender lead. The momentum was with the home side. Sarries had a few chances but everything seemed to end in turnovers or handling errors. Inevitably Quins won another penalty and Botica never looked like missing. As in the first half, as the clock ran down, Quins took the lead.
Sarries won a minor victory with a 7 v 8 scrum penalty and it looked like a last chance to snatch it. The play was in the Quins 22, Charlie (who had replaced Bosch) was back in the pocket ready for the drop goal – only no one gave him the ball! Somehow Quins turned over a promising situation, broke into the Sarries 22, won a penalty and drove over from the lineout. Ironically it was Horwill who scored. Small consolation – Botica missed the conversion and Sarries were grateful for a losing bonus point.
So the run is over – but at least we can thank Quins for removing that monkey from our backs. What may hurt more in the long run is not the loss to Quins but the loss of Kruis. Hopefully the injury isn’t as serious as it appears.
Harlequins
Brown, Yarde, Lowe, Roberts, Chisholm, Evans, Care, Marler, Buchanan, Jones, Horwill, Matthews, Robshaw, Wallace, Clifford
Subs: Ward, Adenisan-Olule, Gary, Merrick, Walker, Dickson, Botica, Sloan
Saracens:
Goode, Ashton, Bosch (Hodgson), Taylor (Tompkins), Ellery, Farrell, De Kock (Wigglesworth), M Vunipola (Gill), George, Du Plessis (Lamositele), Hamilton,Kruis (Itoje),Wray, Fraser (Burger), B Vunipola
Sub (not used) Saunders
Scores:
QUINS Tries: Buchanan, Clifford, Horwill; Conv: Evans; Pens: Evans, Botica (3)
SARACENS: Tries: De Kock, B Vunipola; Conv: Farrell (2); Pens Farrell (3)
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Attendance: 14,800
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:01:23:16:03:10 by TonyTaff.
Why didn't you send your butler to clear a path out of the Rosebine?
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
I don't think you've quite mastered the required mindset to join the aristocracy!
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!
I wasn't there but your review well reflects what I understood from the garbled utterings on the radio.
I despaired at the breakdown of the last attack when the commentators said that both Charlie and Owen were in the pocket. I really felt we could do it, but when they nearly stopped us even LBP I was so heartbroken- and it's only just been repaired!!
Onwards and upwards to Europe!
Sozz, the l key seems to be broked.....
