Harlequins: (7) 19 |
Tries: David, Walker, Inexperienced Cons: J Evans 2 |
Leicester: (10) 20 |
Tries: Wiese, Brown Pens: Pollard 2 Cons: Pollard 2 |
Mike Brown scored a decisive strive as Leicester beat his previous facet Harlequins to cease them going prime of the desk.
Tigers’ Handre Pollard kicked a penalty and transformed a Jasper Wiese strive earlier than Quins hit again by way of Nick David to path by three factors on the break.
A Jack Walker rating edged Quins forward earlier than Brown crossed beneath the posts.
One other Pollard penalty proved key, as Jarrod Evans didn’t convert a last-gasp Tyrone Inexperienced strive that will have received it for the hosts.
The dramatic ending lifts Tigers into the Premiership’s prime six for the primary time this season, giving their semi-final aspirations an enormous enhance earlier than a two-month break in league motion to accommodate the Six Nations.
With either side making quite a few adjustments due to the unavailability of worldwide gamers, there have been a lot of debuts and firsts throughout the park at Twickenham Stoop.
Joe Launchbury led Quins as captain for the primary time, whereas fourth-choice tight-head Dan Richardson began within the league for the primary time for Tigers.
After a stuttered and at occasions low-quality begin in London, two-time World Cup-winning South Africa fly-half Pollard put Tigers forward with a Sixteenth-minute penalty.
A wonderful break from Ollie Hassell-Collins from the midway line was instrumental in turning that right into a 10-point lead quickly after.
Whereas the preliminary raid on the road ended with a strive being chalked off for a ahead move, a penalty benefit saved Leicester on the assault with a line-out.
And Wiese took full benefit of with a robust end within the nook as he peeled off the maul.
Quins, nonetheless, hit again with their first and solely critical assault of the primary 40 minutes, as David completed a breakaway that was began by Evans in his personal half.
Andre Esterhuizen scythed by way of Tigers’ defence and appeared to place the hosts forward early within the second-half, just for his effort to be disallowed for offside.
It was an early trace of the strain Quins would pile on Tigers, who ultimately buckled on their line as Walker crashed over from a maul.
Their benefit was short-lived, as former Quins favorite Brown – who received a Premiership title and European Problem Cup throughout his 16 years with them – completed one other explosive transfer instigated by Hassell-Collins.
Pollard slotted his fourth kick of the night time to offer Dan McKellar’s Tigers a six-point lead late on, however when Inexperienced managed to cross to euphoric scenes with simply seconds remaining it appeared Evans would seal victory with the boot.
However he made a multitude of a seemingly easy conversion, leaving all at Twickenham Stoop shocked as second-placed Quins didn’t make it 5 straight wins in all competitions.
Harlequins: Inexperienced; David, Joseph, Esterhuizen, Lynagh; Evans, Inexperienced; Baxter, Walker, Collier; Launchbury (capt), Herbst, Hammond, Evans, Chisholm.
Replacements: Riley, Garcia Botta, Lewis, Clark, White, Gjaltema, Edwards, Murley.
Leicester Tigers: Shillcock; Brown, Kelly, Kata, Hassell-Collins; Pollard, Whiteley; Cronin, Montoya (capt), Richardson; Wells, Hatherell, Liebenberg, Cracknell, Wiese.
Replacements: Theobold-Thomas, Whitcombe, Hoyt, Carter, Rogerson, Carnduff, Youngs, Scott.
Referee: Tom Foley.