Tel of a finish for Tigers
TELUSA VEAINU crossed for a late try as
roared back from the brink to snatch what could prove a crucial 30-30 draw against at Twickenham.
The full-back (below) raced over seven minutes from time after Quins looked set to inflict another damaging blow to the Tigers’ bid to claw their way away from near the foot of the table.
Boss Geordan Murphy said: “It was very tense near the end but the guys showed real character and desire.”
The Tigers are now 19 points clear of Saracens who are bottom after their 35-point deduction.
Jacobus Reinach grabbed two tries as
beat 33-26, while edged a tight game 16-14 against
Duncan Weir and Jono Lance touched down as
eased to a 20-6 win over
ENGLAND plumbed the depths of cricketing despair during an awful first two thirds of the day in which they were as sick as dogs on and off the field.
They were punished by the bats of the South African middle and lower order, while Jos Buttler and skipper Joe Root became the latest to be laid low with illness.
But a plucky fightback in the final third of the day provided the platform for what would be an extraordinary win.
Set a mammoth 376 for victory they battled to 121-1 at the close, with Rory Burns leading the way with an unbeaten 77 – but they will need a complete reversal of yesterday’s opening two sessions.
“We’ve given ourselves a fighting chance,” said assistant coach Graham Thorpe.
“It is a lot of runs to get but there is belief in the changing room and maybe what happened in the summer has helped give them that belief.
“We’ve been inconsistent at times through this Test match and made things very hard for ourselves but we have a chance. It is a long shot and we’ll have to play very well.”
After just two hours of play the Proteas’ lead rocketed from 175 to 300, nightwatchman Anrich Nortje collecting 40 of them.
Jofra Archer was inexplicably kept out of the attack for the first 45 minutes, which allowed Nortje and Rassie van der Dussen to add 91 before England’s quickest bowler stopped their fun.
With his tail up Archer continued to test the middle of the pitch but Quinton de Kock was not only ready for it, he was keen to take it on, smashing three sixes and two fours as South Africa raced away. With Root entering the field every now and again to make sure he could bat in the top six whenever the time came, England were rudderless and running on empty. Frustrations developed into a strong exchange of words between Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad as they felt the pressure of the situation. “That’s good,” said Thorpe. “The game has passion and there is nothing wrong with it. Guys need to be able to challenge each other on the pitch and sort it out.”
They soon made up and after the break the final three wickets fell – but only after Vernon Philander added 46 valuable runs.
Archer picked up Keshav Maharaj to register his third five-wicket haul in just seven Test matches, the first Englishman to do so since Phil Tufnell in 1991.
His overall figures of 5-102 from just 17 overs suggest it is unlikely be the most treasured of hauls – unless of course the batsmen produce something remarkable.