HARLEQUINS 24 NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 19
Quins are quite often given the Friday evening slot as a televised apéritif for the weekend’s rugby and this match proved an excellent taster even though both teams were bereft of key players called up for international duty. Quins have depth – whether it is the evergreen Danny Care, the reliable James Chisholm, or the sparky Tyrone Greene who had a terrific match.
They also restored the electric Cassius Cleaves returning from a hamstring injury which had not affected his blistering pace and the 21 year old Will Joseph.
Of the 3 Quins’ tries, Cleaves scored two and Joseph one.
If Saints were to achieve a play-off place they had to win. They did not.
It was 14-10 in their favour at half time, Jarrod Evans having failed to convert the 2 Quins tries. It was on conversions like these that Marcus Smith might well have made a difference. Saints scored again, but in the dying embers of the match Cleaves went over in the corner to win a hard fought battle where no quarter was asked or given.
Full credit to Northampton, who not only lost Tommy Freeman, Ollie Sleightholme, Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell, but had to reorganise after late call ups for Chris Langdon and Henry Pollock.
Undoubtedly these made a difference but so would have Marcus Smith, Oscar Beard, Caden Marley and Fin Smith, whilst Alex Dombrandt was injured.
Orla Chennaoui presented for TNT.
We did not really need a demonstration of the new scrum half regulations by Austin Healey and Ben Kay, but otherwise the broadcast was satisfactory.
As was the result.