Tigers show their teeth to tear apart Quins’ proud home record
LEICESTER, despite all their troubles this season, are again in contention for the playoffs after forcing Quins to surrender their proud home record.
Quins, who were yet to lose a league game at the Stoop this season, led 13-3 after a lacklustre first half but the Tigers turned the screw and 24 points in 18 minutes at the start of the second half helped secure their third win on the bounce.
Half-backs Sam Harrison and Freddie Burns got the tries either side of a penalty try after Aaron Morris recklessly tackled Adam Thompstone in the air near his line.
Leicester’s humiliating defeats in the Champions Cup and the subsequent sacking of Richard Cockerill in December seem truly to be behind them. They have come a long way in recent weeks.
So much so that head coach Aaron Mauger was disappointed not to have claimed the try bonus-point.
“I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t get five points,” he said. “To come here and play in the manner we did was really pleasing.
“We’ve made a lot of progress recently and we’re pretty happy about where we’re at but there’s still plenty to improve on.”
Buoyed by two bonuspoint wins at Welford Road in the last two outings, Leicester, and especially Greg Bateman, arrived at the Stoop with a spring in their step.
The tighthead made two impressive breaks in the opening quarter as Tigers monopolised the ball. He came close to scoring from the first but the chance went begging as an unnecessary flick-pass from Brendon O’Connor ended up on the ground.
Burns did open the scoring from the tee on 17 minutes before Harlequins levelled the score through Nick Evans which sparked the hosts into life.
A break from Morris from the restart was followed by one from James Chisholm and Alofa Alofa was on hand to dot down after the ball was kept in play by the corner flag from a Matt Hopper chip through.
Evans slotted the touchline conversion and Harlequins had a 10-3 lead, but in the lead up to the try the former All Black had taken a heavy hit from O’Connor and was forced to leave the field six minutes later with a shoulder injury.
His replacement Ruaridh Jackson kicked a penalty to take Quins’ lead to 13-3 at the break but that was as good as it got for the Londoners as Tigers started the second half with far more urgency.
They looked after the ball better and it quickly paid off as Harrison wriggled his way over.
Morris’ yellow card turned the game as Leicester went in front thanks to the resulting penalty try.
Quins did well to concede only a penalty in the following ten minutes but an intercept as soon as they returned to full complement saw Burns race over.
Quins launched a last assault on the Tigers line and Dave Ward barged over on the last play after Luke Hamilton had been yellow carded for repeated offence at the breakdown.
Jackson’s failure to convert from the touchline meant Harlequins had nothing to show for their efforts.