ONE HUGE ED SCRATCHER Jones left stunned after first home loss to Scots in 38 years
sixth league loss in eight games intensified the pressure on director of rugby Stuart Hooper.
But Hooper said: “We are here to win, but there are massive positives to take.
“We showed a lot of resilience, I’m massively proud of the performance.
“We need to harness this energy because the boys came together.”
Alex Dombrandt, Aaron Morris and Danny Care crossed for Quins and attack coach Nick Evans said: “We are on a peak and we’ve got to maintain that.”
GLOUCESTER remain bottom after a 32-26 defeat at LONDON IRISH, who now have back-to-back wins, although they did pick up two losing bonus points.
LECIESTER thumped WORCESTER 41-24, Julian Montoya and Jasper Wiese scoring two tries apiece.
NORTHAMPTON held out for a third straight win as they beat WASPS 22-17.
Shaun Adendorff, Sam Matavesi and Taqele Naiyaravoro crossed to put Saints in control but Rob Miller and Tommy Taylor tries set up a tense finish.
Saints boss Chris Boyd said: “The first 30 minutes we were good, the second 50 we were rotten.
“We could have easily lost in the final moments.”
EDDIE JONES admitted England’s first home defeat to Scotland for 38 years will leave a scar which will stay with the side after a calamitous self-inflicted failure yesterday.
Duhan van der Merwe’s 30th minute try – the only one of the match – proved the difference on the scoreboard but the Scots were all round the better side on a red-letter day for Gregor Townsend and his men as the Six Nations Championship was turned on its head. The defending champions were their own worst enemies, coughing up 15 penalties and creating nothing as they fell to only their third home defeat under Jones.
“You never atone for a game like this. This stays with you for a long time, “said Jones. “It’s my responsibility to get them right and I didn’t manage that.
“We were a long way off our best.
We couldn’t find a way to get in the game.
“Congratulations to Scotland, they were too good for us. We were not at the races.”
Jones’s decision to pick his Saracens en masse when they had played no rugby since the Autumn
Nations Cup backfired badly. Owen Farrell’s tactical kicking was awful, Elliot Daly poor in defence and under the high ball and Jamie George and Billy Vunipola were subbed early after invisible performances. Only Maro Itoje showed up but he too was guilty of giving away too many penalties. England’s timing was off all over the field. Their chronic indiscipline tested the patience of referee Andrew Brace, who s in-binned Vunipola for a high tackle on Finn Russell in the 24th minute.
While he was away
Scotland struck. Van der Merwe was put into space by hooker George Turner and the South Africanborn wing stepped inside Daly and went through Farrell before touching down, despite the attention of Mark Wilson.
It was Van der Merwe’s fourth try in six Tests having almost scored a minute earlier when a cross-kick by Russell bounced away from him.
Flanker Watson had also gone close only to be held up over the line by Ellis Genge.
The only two promising attacking positions England carved out all game both collapsed when Scotland second rows