Harlequins
Harlequins A 62-13 Wasps A
By AlanQuin
April 5 2011
Harlequins took an unassailable position at the head of the Southern Conference of the Aviva A League despite having a game still in hand. Total demolition of Wasps A by 62 – 13 was effected by a hat-trick from Peter Browne, two superb running tries by substitute Ross Chisholm and further tries from Tom Williams, Dave Moore, and Tom Cheeseman as well as a Penalty try. Benjamin Urdapilleta, excellent in his first start at fly-half, added 17 points from seven conversions and a penalty.
An exchange of penalties in the first two minutes opened the scoring and then from the restart Quins attacked, moving the ball at speed and with width and there was Tom Williams running clear along the right touchline and round to score between the posts. Urdapilleta added the simple conversion. The score was 10 – 3 after six minutes and the next score followed in another couple of minutes as an excellent penalty kick from hand allowed Urdapilleta to gain territory almost to the Wasps twenty-two. A good catch and drive rumbled twenty metres towards the try-line before being stopped. But from the ensuing ruck Moore darted round the narrow side to score the try and Urdapilleta added the extras.
Wasps were not idle and made determined efforts to get on terms. A difficult penalty chance was missed and then a determined attack by the visitors created an overlap on their left wing and an unconverted try to reduce the lead to 17 – 8. Quins’ response was to attack again but the ball was lost in the tackle in the Wasps twenty-two. Then a penalty on Quins’ ten-metre line allowed Urdapileta to find touch well inside the Wasps’ twenty-two and although the catch and drive was halted the backs combined to put Tom Cheeseman in for a try on his debut for the Club. Urdapilleta added the conversion.
Quins resumed their attacks and once again a good catch and drive from a lineout made good distance and was then illegally pulled down earning Ruwers, a prop, a yellow card. Fpor the penalty Quins called a scrum and drove Wasps back until Peter Browne touched down for the try which Urdapilleta duly converted to give Quins, the bonus point secured, a lead of 31 – 8 at half-time.
Quins resumed the second half as they had finished the first and only ten minutes had elapsed before yet another rolling maul rumbled towards the Wasps’ line and a good offload found Peter Browne who crossed for his second try. Urdapilleta, who was kicking excellently both from the tee and from hand, added the extras. The dominance of the Quins forwards in both scrum and maul continued and inevitably a series of scrums led to a loss of patience by the referee and a Penalty try increasing the score to 45 – 8 as the game entered the last quarter.
A yellow card for James Percival reduced Quins to fourteen and allowed Wasps to take advantage and their forwards exerted enough pressure to score a second unconverted try, Burke’s conversion attempt striking the post.
Quins were not finished yet and the next few minutes saw two fine tries from Ross Chisholm, who had replaced Stegmann after about the first ten minutes of the second half, the first a beautiful arcing run past three defenders to score out wide on the right and the second from well inside his own half with nobody able to lay a hand on him as he finished in the left corner. Both conversion attempts were missed from the respective touchlines, Urdapilleta’s first failures of the night.
By now Wasps were nearly spent and with seconds remaining another Quins’ break out ended with Peter Browne’s hat-trick try and a successful conversion kick from Urdapilleta to end the match.
It was good to see the returning injured. Stegmann was given a limited run after nearly a year out. Sam Smith was busy and effective and Sam Stuart will be challenging his seniors in due course. Urdapilleta controlled the game well and his kicking game was excellent. So the A team have Bath next week at The Rec and a home semi-final against Leicester Tigers on Easter Monday. Hopefully that will be an afternoon match.
Other results in the Southern Conference last night were London Irish 10 Saracens 19; Gloucester 22 Bath 27.
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Is Urdapilleta under contract for next season? Very useful 3rd choice to have. And does anyone know whether cheeseman is just temporary cover or if he's here next season?
hopefully we can now get the job done against tigers at home.
Nunquam Dormio
Quote:Arlecchino
I am concerned that Urdapilleta was in Manchester a couple of weeks ago on his Twitter
I shouldn't worry too much. People go to Manchester all the time, and most of them come back in one piece...
Quote:Quinky KinQuote:Arlecchino
I am concerned that Urdapilleta was in Manchester a couple of weeks ago on his Twitter
I shouldn't worry too much. People go to Manchester all the time, and most of them come back in one piece...
As long as he hasn't been taking English lessons from Wayne Rooney
