Quins industrious but Leicester firm in defence

LEICESTER HARLEQUINS LEICESTER rid themselves of an eight-game losing streak in all competitions by claiming a 35-24 bonus point Gallagher Premiership victory over Harlequins at Welford Road.

It was Leicester’s fourth league win with tries from wing Jonah Holmes (two), centre Manu Tuilagi and wing Jonny May, plus 15 points from the boot of fly-half George Ford with three penalties and three conversions, earning it.

Quins relied on the boot of fly-half James Lang for most of their points as he kicked four penalties and converted a try from wing Cadan Murley. 35 24 Flanker Alex Dombrandt scored a last-second try with Quins refusing the conversion so that the game could continue. However the Londoners’ chase for a losing bonus point ended seconds later.

Harlequins were industrious but Leicester were firm in defence and scored some sublime tries to go into the interval 23-9 ahead.

When the Harlequins front row were penalised for dropping a scrum 20 metres out, England star Ford stroked over the three points.

Ford was involved again when quick ball across the back division inside the Harlequins half gave him the chance to set Holmes away on a drive that split the midfield and saw the Welsh ace dive over from 22 metres out. Ford converted.

Fly-half Lang punished Leicester twice to get his side back into the game, landing penalty shots from 35 and 25 metres.

One negative of the match was that the front rows from both sides dropped the scrums regularly and, from one of these, Ford booted a second penalty of the game.

Quins were handed a sucker punch seconds later when hooker Tatafu Polota-nau seized the ball for Leicester, dashed to the visiting 22 and fed Holmes for his second score.

Lang and Ford swapped penalties before the break but a bizarre incident gave the Tigers a third try when prop Dan Cole appeared to ‘header’ a loose ball forward to the Quins posts. The visitors hesitated, thinking it was a knock-on, but the Tigers pounced and, from a ruck, the ball found Holmes on the right to feed Tuilagi for a corner touchdown.

Quins appeared to get back into the match when full-back Mike Brown slipped a beautiful pass out of the side to Murley for a try Lang converted.

However, a Leicester try of old, with Ford feeding centre Matt Toomua near the line and he in turn putting in May gave the Tigers a rare try bonus point this season.

Dombrandt crashed over for a try but it was of no consequence as Leicester ended that run of defeats.