Northampton clambered over their east Midlands rivals Leicester, the next visitors here, to reclaim the final play-off position after coming from behind to pip Harlequins for the second time in seven weeks in another Premiership match that profited from England’s grand slam. It was high octane, adventurous and invigorating.
Quins were left cursing themselves after last month’s home defeat to Northampton, when Ben Botica failed to kick the ball dead after the countdown clock had reached zero, but here the referee Tim Wigglesworth was in their sights after a series of penalties went against them in the second half and meant they could not take advantage of the slope.
What most vexed them was Wigglesworth’s failure to detect a block by Kahn Fotuali’i in the buildup to Northampton’s fourth and decisive try – scored by Harry Mallinder six minutes from time – that allowed George Pisi to get into their 22 and then his decision not to refer the incident to the television match official after protests from the visiting players.
“It was a definite block,” said the Harlequins director of rugby, Conor O’Shea. “Why the referee did not go upstairs I do not know because he did so in the first half to check if we had knocked on. There were four or five decisions that went against us in the second half and denied us position and momentum, but I am not going to blame the referee. It was a high-quality game between two good sides and we move on.”
There was much for the watching England head coach, Eddie Jones, to note: the improved distribution of the centre Luther Burrell, the focus of Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood’s reading of the game and the pace of Jack Clifford, whose solo try in the opening minute of the second period – handing off Alex Waller before setting off on a 45-metre run that Ben Foden, who had been side-stepped by Tim Visser for Quins’ first try – had no hope of stopping on the line.
There was also an impressive first start of the season by the England Under-20 centre Joe Marchant, who recovered from being smashed to the ground by George Pisi in the opening minutes to make an impact of his own, once driving back George North five metres in a first-half that ended with Quins leading 13-12 despite choosing to play up the slope.
The lead changed hands four times as Botica kicked two penalties either side of Waller’s try, which showcased Northampton at their most clinical; running hard and fast and getting the ball away quickly from the breakdown to go again. Lawes scored after the Saints had opted to kick a penalty to touch rather than go for goal, but almost immediately Quins fashioned a try out of little when Visser saw that Kieran Brookes and Lawes were standing too far apart. He accelerated through the gap and swerved away from Foden with a devastating side-step.
Clifford’s try put Quins eight points ahead, but they conceded seven penalties in the third quarter to Northampton’s one, on attack as much as defence. Stephen Myler kicked one before Foden regained the lead for the home side after another penalty kick to touch. There was the reassuring sight for Harlequins of the Fiji prop Campese Ma’afu, someone whose scrummaging technique has earned him a few yellow cards, jogging on to replace the injured Waller for his Saints debut.
Ma’afu’s elbow hit the floor at his first scrum, which went down. The penalty went Northampton’s way, much to the disgust of Joe Marler, who made his views known to the referee. Botica had two opportunities to put Quins back in front but hit the bar with a 45-metre penalty before falling victim to the wind from as far out but in front of the posts with nine minutes to go.
Mallinder’s try, which came after Northampton had lost Lee Dickson and Burrell to head injuries, looked to have sealed victory as well as a bonus point, but Quins came back again. They were held up on the line before Botica kicked a penalty to leave them needing a converted try to win and 70 seconds to create it.
They nearly did, working space on the left but it was occupied by Luke Wallace rather than Charlie Walker and a seventh defeat in nine Premiership matches – as well as prepping O’Shea for his new job in charge of Italy – has left Harlequins looking at the top six rather than the top four, albeit still dreaming.Marler will within the next week appear before a disciplinary panel convened by World Rugby after the prop called his Wales opposite number, Samson Lee, “Gypsy boy” at Twickenham this month. A lip-reader has claimed that Marler fired a follow-up that was not picked up on the referee’s microphone that included the word caravan.
“I know Joe and he is not a racist,” said O’Shea. “A couple of things were said to him, including ‘Posh’, ‘English’ and a four-letter word, but it seems only to work one way and there are some people pontificating. He has apologised and will do so again at the hearing. He will accept the decision and move on, but should referee microphones be done away with?”
Northampton Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, Burrell (Mallinder, 68), North; Myler, Dickson (capt; Fotuali’i, 59); A Waller (Ma’afu, 59), Haywood (Marshall, 79), Brookes (Hill, 47), Craig (Matfield, 75), Lawes, Gibson (Dickinson, h-t), Wood, Harrison.
Tries A Waller, Lawes, Foden, Mallinder. Cons Myler 3. Pen Myler.
Harlequins Brown; Walker, Marchant, Roberts, Visser; Botica, Care (capt); Marler, Gray (Ward, 60), Collier (Sinckler, 63), Merrick, Horwill, Clifford, Wallace, Easter (Robshaw, 52).
Tries Visser, Clifford. Cons Botica 2. Pens Botica 3.
Referee T Wigglesworth. Attendance 15,249.
