No choke as Wasps stunned
JAMES HASKELL lost the plot as Harlequins handed Wasps their first home league defeat in almost two years.
The flamboyant flanker was one of two Wasps players sin-binned in a match won for Quins by 18-year-old Marcus Smith.
Smith’s late penalty ended the Premiership’s only unbeaten record, but not before Haskell had tried to strangle England team-mate Joe Marler.
Red Rose boss Eddie Jones was in Coventry to see prop Marler do a masterful job of winding up Haskell early on.
He grabbed his opponent’s scrum cap prompting Haskell, who was being throttled, to floor him with a judo throw.
The pair were separated only for Marler to squirt water at his adversary, provoking Haskell into clasping both hands around his neck.
“He sprayed water in my face,” protested the Wasp. “And he choked me with my scrum cap. That’s not allowed!”
Thrashed on their previous three visits to the Ricoh Arena, Quins were under orders from boss John Kingston to go to “war” with their former London rivals, to “legally really go after them”.
Nobody impressed more than Smith, who kicked 14 points and controlled territory like a veteran as Quins ended the thirdlongest home winning streak in league history.
“He’s done everything right so far,” said Kingston.