By Alanquin
November 10 2013

Visits to the south-west distant reaches of the rugby world have rarely proved successful for Harlequins. Ever since Exeter was the only team to defeat Quins in their season while relegated, matches against the Chiefs have been a banana skin waiting to be trodden upon. Once again Harlequins duly trod on it. This week’s visit for the first match of this season’s Anglo-Welsh Cup was no different and saw the holders defeated as Chiefs won by 19 points to 5.

Two early penalties allowed Harlequins to find touch inside the Exeter twenty-two and quick accurate handling eventually put Paul Sackey in for a try in the right corner,  Botica’s conversion attempt from the touchline drifted wide. Less than five minutes had elapsed.

But Exeter began to exert control aided by a good kicking game and excellent line speed and aided y what turned into a litany of inaccuracy and unforced errors, Poor handling and poor passes, loss of possession in any number of stupid ways, all contributed to Harlequins being forced to defend deep in their own half.  Within ten minutes the lead had changed hands as Sweeney kicked two simple penalties to bring the score to 6 – 5

Only one kickable penalty came the way of Quins in the first half.  Not unreasonably they opted to go to the corner, but at the lineout the thrown in was not straight and position was lost.  Exeter were piling on the pressure and Quins were forced to defend for long passages of the game.  They did so with determination but attacks were few and the penalty count was favouring Exeter who was also beginning to dominate the set piece. The interval arrived without further score.

The second half continued with the same unforced inaccuracies and with much the same result. Two further penalties kicked by Sweeney within the first fifteen minutes increased the lead.  The match was being played mostly in the Harlequin half and, with increasing Exeter power and pressure, virtually on the Harlequin try line. Inevitably the breakthrough came and Naqelevuki crossed by the posts for the decisive try. Sweeney added the extras.

In the twenty minutes that remained Harlequins tried valiantly to respond, but almost every effort foundered upon the lack of accuracy that had characterised their play earlier in the game. There were occasional promising passages. A break by Charlie Walker along the left might have brought a try but he w as barged into touch just short of the try line by a non-tackle from the Exeter full back that went unsanctioned by the referee.  Exeter, too, might have scored again but the final pass was forward.

Harlequins defence of their Cup is not over but they will have to do better than this.