Archive Report - Harlequins vs London Irish - 1997

The Stoop 27^th December 1997

Background – This is a report I wrote for the Irish "Sunday Independent". The opening paragraph refers to the fact that the weather in Ireland over Christmas had been very bad. Some players staying in the West of the country had a Christmas without electricity.

Political correctness crept in and the penultimate paragraph was edited. I referred to the "green-shirted defenders" repelling the "multi-coloured attackers", alluding to the Quins jerseys. The sub-editor must have thought that this had a racial connotation and dropped the "multi-coloured".

Billy Hamilton

Harlequins 26 London Irish 24

LONDON Irish players returned to league action yesterday after the Christmas break. The windswept and often powerless conditions some of them suffered in Ireland did not dull their game and they came within two points of recording a historic second successive victory against a multi-national Harlequins side

The Irish outscored the home side by three tries to two but at the end, the result depended on the kicking abilities of Thierry Lacroix, who scored 16 of his side’s points.

Irish coach Willie Anderson will have been pleased, not only with his side’s defence but also the attack spearheaded by Niall Woods, who popped up all over the field and was ably supported by fellow winger Justin Bishop and full-back Conor O’Shea. Sean Burns, standing in for the injured David Humphreys at out-half, also shone

The Irish kicked off but lost territorial advantage by conceding two unnecessary penalties Harlequins capitalised on these mistakes and were 7-0 up within two minutes, following a debut try by prop Rickie Nebbitt which French international Lacroix converted. The Exiles recovered and had most of the play in the first half. Initial pressure was only rewarded by a penalty from the boot of Woods. Conor O’Shea was to score the first of his two first half tries to give his side the lead. This score followed a solo run from half way after a pass from Woods.

Lacroix tied the game with a penalty but in injury time, O’Shea opened up a half time lead of 17-10 when he scored under the posts following a pass from Sean Burns. Woods converted both tries.

Justin Bishop set off on a 30-metre run and shook off two tackles to score his side’s third try early in the second half but the Irish lead was again nibbled away when infringements gave trustworthy Lacroix three penalties to bring the home side back to within five points of the Irish with 15 minutes remaining.

In the final exciting period, the home side were in the driving seat and threw everything at the Irish. The visitors, however, rose to the task and the green shirted defenders repelled the waves of attackers.

In the final minute, the Irish voices in the 7,300 crowd willed their men on but in the second minute of injury time, Quins captain Bill Davison dashed their hopes when he went over for the try which tied the game. Lacroix’s dependable boot put the conversion over the bar to deny the gallant Irish the victory they deserved.

Harlequins: S.Stewart, L Belligoi, T. Tullett, W.Carling, D. Luger, P Lacroix, H Harries, M.Cuttitta, T.Pillups, R.Nebbitt, , C. Llewellyn, R.Strudwick, R.Jenkins, E Davison (captain), L Cabannes

London Irish: C O’Shea (captain), J Bishop. N.Burrows, M McCall, N Woods, S Burns, N Hogan, J.Fitzpatrick, T Redmond, G Halpin, G Fulcher, M.O’KeIly, K O’Connell, K Spicer, C Bird

Referee: S Lander (Liverpool)