Quins lay down early marker in Gloucester
Glo’cester-Har ..24pts Harlequins .......... 38pts
HARLEQUINS Ladies matched reigning champions Saracens in the scoring stakes on the opening day of the new Premier 15s season, courtesy of a fine victory at Gloucester-Hartpury.
Both Quins and Sarries totted up 38 points on Saturday, with the former getting their new campaign up and running with a bonus-point success on the road in the West Country.
Gloucester, who lost to eventual champions Saracens in last season’s semi-finals, opened the scoring on six minutes when Sasha Acheson crashed over in the corner.
However, they soon found themselves pegged back as they were penalised at the scrum, a penalty try awarded.
A nudge-through from Ceri Large pinned Quins inside their own five-metre line, with Gloucester then earning a penalty, but the visitors eventually cleared their lines and escaped unharmed.
With 20 minutes gone, Quins saw Large sent to the sin bin for an infringement at the breakdown and six minutes later, the hosts made their personnel advantage count.
Kelly Smith was the architect of their second try of the day, teeing up Millie Wood to go over in the corner, Mary Ann-Gitting successfully adding the extras from the tee for a second time.
But before half-time, there was still time for two further scores, both coming from the visitors.
First, Shaunagh Brown crashed over the whitewash before Rachael Burford danced into the corner to create a half-time 19-14 lead for the visitors.
It took just six minutes of the second period for Quins to extend their lead, a powerful driving maul carried over by Chloe Edwards.
Back came Gloucester through Acheson, who dotted down after good work from Taz Bricknall and Connie Powell, before the pendulum swung firmly the away side’s way.
Edwards turned defence into attack and she drove over from close range.
Gloucester still refused to lie down and having, moved the ball from one side of the field to the other, the impressive Smith went over in the corner.
But that would prove little more than a consolation score, Chloe Butler darting into a gap seven minutes from time to add further gloss to the score.