It was a match Harlequins could not afford to lose and, thanks in no small part to a shocking missed penalty from Gloucester’s Billy Twelvetrees late on, they crept to a welcome victory. Alex Dombrandt must also take plenty of credit – he excelled on his return from injury and scored what ultimately proved the decisive try – but it probably should have been in vain given Gloucester’s golden opportunity with less than 10 minutes remaining.
Harlequins were leading 20-19 when Twelvetrees pushed his kick wide from just outside Quins’ 22. He had only just come on and the wind was a mitigating factor, with Lewis Ludlow required to hold the ball in position, as was the howling Harlequins crowd, but he can expect some extra kicking practice in the coming days.
One also had to wonder why Danny Cipriani, who had been on kicking duties until then, did not assume responsibility and, while the visitors scored three tries – two through Ollie Thorley – to their hosts’ two, they were ultimately made to pay for their errors, slipping to a fifth consecutive defeat. “It was gusty out there, there is always a bit of pressure when the crowd get on your back as well,” said Gloucester’s captain Ben Morgan. “He’ll be disappointed with it but you can’t put that as the reason why we lost.”
Dombrandt excelled on his return from injury, barging his way over from close range and enhancing his burgeoning reputation to help clinch a second Premiership win of the season for Paul Gustard’s side. He was involved in Eddie Jones’s preliminary training squad but the World Cup ultimately came too early for the 22-year-old No 8. It would be no surprise to see him involved in some capacity during the Six Nations, however, and he deserved the match-winning intervention for his all-round performance.
“It was a very significant win,” said Gustard. “Alex is a champion, isn’t he? He has a great feel for the game, he picks up lines really well and wants the ball. He is a big player for us and he gives us line breaks. He is 18 months into his professional career and we don’t want to overcoach him.”
It was a contest light on quality – both sides have been scratching around for form of late – but there was endeavour among the two sets of a forwards and a commitment to keep the ball in hand. Harlequins were dealt a blow when Kyle Sinckler, due to make his first appearance since the World Cup final, was ruled out before kick-off with a minor calf injury but they started the brighter. The lock Stephan Lewies and Dombrandt caught the eye with some direct carrying and Smith opening the scoring with a straightforward penalty.
Gloucester’s forwards turned the screw thereafter, showing an ability to offload as well as carry hard and straight that put Harlequins on the back foot. One of those carries, from their World Cup winning lock Franco Mostert, led to Thorley’s first try, the wing spotting a gap through the middle and darting straight through it.
Harlequins responded when Ross Chisholm burst between Thorley and Jamal Ford-Robinson but Gloucester were undeterred and won a penalty deep in Harlequins territory soon after. Cipriani, who has not enjoyed the best of starts to the season, kicked to the corner and, after the forwards bashed away, the No 10 prised the opening with a swift pass to Thorley.
It meant that Smith’s penalty early in the second half edged Harlequins back ahead at 13-12 but two Gloucester penalties, both kicked to the corner by Cipriani, allowed the visitors to retake the lead with Morgan barging his way over from close range. Cipriani’s conversion put Gloucester six points to the good but Harlequins responded through Dombrandt after a clever inside pass from Smith. Twelvetrees had the chance to swing the match back in Gloucester’s favour, only to fluff his lines, before a last-gasp Smith penalty rounded things off to pull Harlequins clear of the danger end of the table.
