by Harlequins 28 Glasgow Warriors 24
Harlequins edged past Glasgow Warriors and into the quarter-finals of the Investec Champions Cup after a superb second-half display that rewarded Marcus Smith early on.
The England fly-half scored one try and added two more before the break but the hosts had to save themselves from slipping to victory as Glasgow, with Sione Tuipulotu and George Horne excellent, were good enough to take advantage 24-21 to reach. A pressured try with four minutes left, scored by Sam Riley, sealed it.
Even if a trip to Bordeaux looks more likely, Harlequins will be watching Saturday and dreaming of a tasty home tie against Saracens. They could have Chandler Cunningham-South back next weekend to give them a boost. Smith admitted the win was “a monkey off our back” as Harlequins made the last 16 twice in a row.
“Fans complain that they’re always on the edge of their seats,” Smith said. “When we’re in the lead, we let the other team in and that’s something we’re trying to work on: consistency.”
This game ended a post-Six Nations period of three that Billy Millard, Harlequins’ director of rugby, had identified as “defining” the entire season. After a humiliating loss to Saracens and a frantic win over Bath characterized by exciting attack and flaky defence, here was a chance to reach a first quarter-final in this competition – and its previous incarnations – since 2013.
Glasgow, second in the United Rugby Championship and full of Scottish players, began to dampen such hopes. They scored with their first possession, a patient strike that inspired a carry from Tuipulotu, appearing for the first time since a knee injury in February’s win over England at Murrayfield, along with Kyle Steyn, Tom Jordan and Jack Dempsey. A busy Scott Cummings, who was brilliant in that Calcutta Cup win, went back. Only four minutes had passed.
The visitors got off a series of driving skips and survived Cadan Murley spilling over the try line. Line-out errors hampered Harlequins and their frustration was summed up in an ill-judged quick throw from Tyrone to Murley as the latter gang tackled their own 22.
Alex Dombrandt drove the ground with a breakaway at the end of the first quarter. Although he couldn’t put Louis Lynagh clear, Glasgow’s indiscipline did the rest. Will Evans went to the jack and Harlequins were in the corner again. Smith found Andre Esterhuizen with a delicate dink. The strike slipped into the South African’s mitts and the touchline conversion was successful. The ruck was a mess but Harlequins were backed into the opposition 22 with a few more penalties.
After two more, Tuipulotu was sent to the bin for being outside a scrum. Harlequins opted to intervene and, against a lackluster defense and the Warriors backline compromised by substitute winger Jamie Dobie, Smith pounced. He went past Horne and Rory Darge and over.
By now, Glasgow were well on the wrong side of referee Tual Trainini. A late tackle from Steyn on Green allowed Smith to put the ball in the corner. Breaking the scrum, he ghosted to the short side and onto Danny Care’s pass to feed Murley. Harlequins led 21-7 at half-time.
Warriors, down to 14 men, were also 12-2 behind on the penalty count. Dombrandt’s broken steal, meters from the line, capped Glasgow’s response early in the second period but Johnny Matthews closed the gap from a point-blank header with half an hour remaining. Glasgow were within seven points of Horne’s conversion and the fearsome striker connected with a trademark line of support, connecting on the inside with slick cap work from Dobie and Steyn.
The tide had turned with Trainini, too. Evans, who tackled hard without stopping, latched onto the ball and Horne converted the penalty to give Glasgow the lead after an hour. Harlequins needed a spark but only got a goal, Joe Marler seeing yellow for a high tackle on Darge. It was a testament to admirable grit and determination that they did not concede in the next 10 minutes.
Marler’s return resulted in a scrum penalty and Riley’s big tackle pulled over. Smith, naturally, converted and the Stoop was pressured when Duncan Weir’s cross, aimed at Horne, went into the final.
Data matching
Scoring: 0-5 Cummings try, 0-7 Horne conversion, 5-7 Esterhuizen try, Smith 7-7 conversion. 12-7 Smith try, 14-7 Smith conversion, 19-7 Murley try, 21-7 Smith conversion, 21-12 Matthews try, 21-14 Horne conversion, 21-19 Horne try, 21-21 Horne conversion, 21- 24 Horne penalty, 26-24 Riley try, 28-24 Smith conversion
Yellow cards: Tuipulotu 33, Marler 61
Harlequins: T Green; L Lynagh, O Beard, A Esterhuizen, C Murley; M Smith, D Care; F Baxter (J Marler, 40), J Walker (S Riley, 69), W Collier (D Lewis, 58), I Herbst (J Launchbury, 54), G Hammond (W Trenholm, 65), S Lewies (T Lawday , 69-73), W Evans A Dombrandt
Unused replacements: M Green, C Anderson
Glasgow Heroes: J McKay, K Steyn, S MacDowell, S Tuipulotu, K Rowe (J Dobie 22); T Jordan (D Weir, 69), G Horne; N McBeth (O Kebble, 60), J Matthews (G Hiddleston, 60), Z Fagerson (L Sordoni, 60), M Williamson (S Manjezi, 60), S Cummings, M Fagerson (H Venter, 60), R Darge , J Dempsey
Unused replacement: To Miller
Referee: T Trainini
