By Alanquin
January 26 2014

 A freak rain and hail storm, that blew advertising hoardings across the pitch and threatened further havoc from a scaffolding erected at the side of the control tower in the south-west corner of the ground, caused the abandonment of the LV= Cup match against Leicester Tigers after seventy minutes.  At the final whistle Harlequins led 20 – 6.  It is anticipated that the result will stand, as is usual for matches stopped after the sixtieth minute.

The match had started brightly in good weather although there was a capricious wind. The Tigers had set out at pace and found a good touch in Quins’ twenty-two and then had an attacking scrum when Joe Gray’s first throw was not straight. Despite Quins clear dominance at the scrum, Tigers were able to create great pressure close to the try-line and, when Quins offended at a breakdown, Lamb took the simple three points from the penalty.

The evidence of difficult wind conditions came from the short restart attempted by Botica when the gusting wind almost blew the ball back over his head. Once again Quins turned over possession at the scrum. But with supreme indifference to the weather and the wet and slippery pitch, Quins play their running, off-loading game. Then a cross field run by Botica and a beautifully timed pass put Sackey through a gap in the Leicester defence and the winger easily rounded the last defender to score. Botica’s conversion attempt hit the post and rebounded.

Quins were now playing with ball in hand and growing confidence and keeping Tigers caged in their own twenty-two. A penalty allowed Botica to kick beautifully into the corner and provided a five metre attacking lineout. The catch and drive that followed duly rumbled over for the second try scored by Fa’asavalu. Botica’s kick curled away late and past the left post. Quins now led 10 – 3 after eighteen minutes.

That Harlequins were winning the match could be seen more clearly as time went on.   They dominated in the scrum. They stole Tigers’ ball in the lineout where Kennedy reigned supreme. They regularly turned over ball at the breakdown or ripped it away in the tackle.

Lamb took the opportunity of another three points but Botica, too, kicked a penalty to restore the gap and at the interval Quins led 13 – 6.

Harlequins started the second half as they finished the first. Leicester was kept in their own half of the pitch. Quins’ lineout produced a rolling maul that made good ground. The first ten minutes produced three penalties for Quins to use to establish position and, when Leicester did have the ball, three turnovers mostly from choke tackles. But the killer blow to Tigers’ hopes came in the thirteenth minute when a long floated pass from Lamb was intercepted by Tom Guest who ran sixty metres to score under the posts. Botica converted to give Quins a 20 – 6 lead. Then the rain came!