Harlequins 32 Gloucester 26

The story in the media will doubtless be  the brilliant performance of Marcus Smith but, before I pay my tribute, let us not forget he missed three kickable conversions which would have put the game beyond a rather hapless Gloucester who have now gone 8 games without a win.

Marcus is not the finished article yet and England may well play George Ford at 10 or centre in the Six Nations for his kicking and game management.

Smith remains a thrilling player in the running Phil Bennet mould.

His feints, dummies and electrifying bursts of pace into space are a joy to watch but I wonder if the leading rugby nations will work him out and deploy a more resolute defence than the Cherry Reds yesterday.

The match – billed as the “Big Game 15” – was played at Twickenham before a crowd of 76,000.

Quins always seem to do well there and their now traditional pre-match slow walk from the Stoop over the A316 by footbridge through a “corridor” of baying fans to what they call “the Big Stoop” has achieved legendary status.

Although Smith was rightly made Man of the Match, other players notably Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care and Dino Lamb made important contributions.

Gloucester were never at the races and I was particularly disappointed by Rees- Zammi.

One player who did look good – and made a claim for the England Number 8 international place – is Zach Mercer.

Number 8 was a problem position for England going into the World Cup, where Ben Earl more than acquitted himself with distinction.

With Courtney Lawes retiring I can see Earl going back to flanker and?Alfie  Barbary and Mercer competing for the Number 8 shirt.

It was typically Harlequins that, having dominated the game, they could not close it out and – down to 14 men with Tyrone Green in the sin bin – in the end Gloucester were left needing just a try and conversion to secure an unlikely and undeserved  win.