Quins gamble pays off as Smith shows class
MARCUS Smith gave Eddie Jones another loud reminder of why he deserves to be brought into the England set-up as the youngster conjured up a piece of late magic to present Quins with another crucial victory in their play-off fight.
England veterans Mike Brown and Danny Care celebrated special appearance milestones and were expected to take centre stage, but it was the Quins 21-year-old fly-half who shone brightly and demonstrated just why he is being tipped to enjoy a successful international future.
Quins rejected a penalty attempt in the dying moment which would have ensured a draw and went for the win – and their gamble paid off.
Even though Quins were down to 14 men, with centre Andre Esterhuizen sent off shortly into the second half, they decided it was win or bust.
Smith kicked to touch, took Danny Care’s pass and scythed his way over the line for the winning try.
Quins attack coach Nick Evans enthused: “I am probably more proud of his kick to touch which set up the try! He is pretty good at beating most people but that kind of pressure of getting a set piece penalty on halfway and you have to get it close to give us a chance.
“For him to back himself and really go for it is great learnings for him and I am really proud of him.
“It is an area of the game he is constantly improving on. It is tough because it is swirly in the stadium and then you have got the external pressure, the score pressure, the time pressure. He was really positive and felt he had to go for it and the outcome was brilliant.”
Quins stole the honours in a bad-tempered derby which saw constant back chat to the referee Matthew Carley and also a mass
second half jostling.
Quins carved out a 15-9 half-time lead with Brown celebrating his 350th Quins appearance with a firsthalf try and Care also impressive in his 300th game.
Irish No.10 Paddy Jackson kicked the hosts into an early 6-0 lead with two penalties as Quins sinnined at a ruck and then Joe Marler collapsed a scrum.
However, the visitors began to turn the screw with their forwards and Care eventually provided the short pass for Brown to force his way across from close range.
Quins lost influential
flanker Will Evans to what seemed a bad knee injury after he fell awkwardly. Smith increased the lead with a penalty awarded for a dangerous tackle by Blair Cowan on Esterhuizen.
Jackson reduced the lead to a point but Quins finished the half on a high with a flowing move across field from one wing to the other, and Cadan Murley dived over for a fine try.
Quins lost Esterhuizen for shoving an elbow into Curtis Rona’s face after a series of scuffles broke out, sparked originally by Matt Symons taking out Blair Cowan and then grappling
with Matt Rogerson.
Irish used their superior numbers to send wing Ben Loader flying down the right wing and over for a fine try while, after Smith regained the lead for Quins with a penalty, their other wing Ollie Hassell-Collins also dived over in the left hand corner.
However, Smith played the last-minute hero as Quins pressed forward and a team meeting rejected the penalty to go for the win. Smith kicked to touch, the lineout went perfectly and he took Care’s pass in his stride to dart over and spark mass celebrations amongst the visitors.