Harlequins 24
Leinster 18
LEINSTER SLIPPED TO their first Champions Cup defeat of the season away to Conor O’Shea’s Harlequins, as they were outscored two tries to none.
Ian Madigan was 100% off the tee with six penalties, ensuring that Matt O’Connor’s side did at least secure a losing bonus point at the Twickenham Stoop. ‘Quins were powered by a superb showing from number eight Nick Easter, as they coped with the early loss of out-half Nick Evans to injury.
O’Shea’s men move to the summit of Pool 2 after their success on a chilly evening in London, although Leinster will back themselves to remedy that situation next weekend at the Aviva Stadium.
It was another stuttering Leinster showing, with handling errors, poor kicking and set-piece issues preventing them from stringing together a cohesive performance.
Leinster were first on the scoreboard as Madigan slotted a penalty after George Robson went off his feet 35 metres out from the ‘Quins tryline, but that early lead lasted just four minutes before Nick Evans drew the home side level, punishing a Jack McGrath infringement.
Matt O’Connor’s men lost Eoin Reddan to the concussion bin briefly, although ‘Quins suffered a greater blow as playmaker Evans was permanently replaced by Tim Swiel with just 13 minutes on the clock.
The former Natal Sharks out-half missed his first opportunity off the tee after referee Jérôme Garcès pinged Mike Ross for scooping the ball up in an offside position. Swiel did better with his second attempt, this time from straight in front of the sticks.
That penalty concession would have aggrieved O’Connor, as Jordi Murphy was penalised for gathering a Madigan spill, when the 22-metre line appeared to prove that the Leinster flanker was onside and fine to play the ball.
Leinster’s scrum struggled in the opening quarter, conceding three penalties for three different offences, but Jimmy Gopperth’s half-break and offload to Luke Fitzgerald allowed the Irish province to regain parity at 6-6.
‘Quins prop Marler lost his feet at a ruck as his side scrambled to cover that Leinster attacking thrust, with Madigan tapping over the subsequent penalty. Gopperth’s long-range effort from a penalty dropped short soon after, though the fact that the chance came from a Leinster scrum penalty was encouraging for Leo Cullen’s pack.
A clever Chris Robshaw turnover penalty allowed ‘Quins to build the platform for Swiel’s second successful penalty, as the replacement out-half struck from under the uprights after Leinster failed to roll away.
The sides went in at the interval level, however, when a dynamic Leinster maul drew Robson in from the side, providing Madigan with the circumstances from which to curl in his third penalty for a 9-9 scoreline.
Leinster moved 12-9 ahead early in the second half, following ‘Quins infringement in dragging a maul down. The Premiership side came back strongly though, as a subtle Easter pass slipped hooker Dave Ward into a hole and forced Leinster to concede a kickable penalty.
Conor O’Shea’s men opted against going for the posts, a decision that was rewarded with a try for Easter after a two-minute hammering of the Leinster tryline. The former England number eight stretched through McGrath’s tackle from close range, TMO Philippe Bonhoure confirming the grounding.
Swiel’s conversion moved ‘Quins 16-12 in front, and prompted Leinster head coach O’Connor to send Zane Kirchner on for Gordon D’Arcy, with Luke Fitzgerald moving into the outside centre berth.
With dark falling over the Stoop, that change had little effect as Aseli Tikoirotuma picked off a Rob Kearney pass intended for Kirchner to streak clear from 80 metres out. That the score came from a most promising Leinster attacking situation – Fanning initially gathering a Kearney bomb – made it all the more hurtful.
Madigan drew Leinster back to within six points with 67 minutes gone, knocking over a penalty from a central position. Two minutes later the ‘Quins’ lead was cut to three after another line-out offence from O’Shea’s side, Madigan on target again.
O’Connor’s charges enjoyed possession inside ‘Quins defensive third heading into the final 10 minutes, but a Cronin knock-on and a poor kick from replacement scrum-half Isaac Boss stunted two separate attacking passages.
The second error led to ‘Quins surging back downfield, with Danny Care eventually firing over an opportunistic drop goal as Garcès allowed a penalty advantage. Leinster couldn’t muster a late flurry of attacking progress, ‘Quins seeing out their 24-18 win to the delight of the Stoop.
Harlequins scorers:
Tries: Nick Easter, Aseli Tikoirotuma
Conversions: Tim Swiel [1 from 2]
Penalties: Nick Evans [1 from 1], Tim Swiel [2 from 3]
Drop goal: Danny Care
Leinster scorers:
Penalties: Ian Madigan [6 from 6], Jimmy Gopperth [0 from 1]
HARLEQUINS: Mike Brown; Marland Yarde, Matt Hopper (Tom Casson ’71), George Lowe, Aseli Tikoirotuma; Nick Evans (Tim Swiel ’13), Danny Care; Joe Marler (capt.) (Mark Lambert ’75), Dave Ward (Joe Gray ’67), Will Collier (Kyle Sinckler ’67); Charlie Matthews, George Robson; Luke Wallace (Jack Clifford ’62), Chris Robshaw, Nick Easter.
Replacements not used: Sam Twomey, Karl Dickson.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Darragh Fanning, Gordon D’Arcy (Zane Kirchner ’56), Ian Madigan, Luke Fitzgerald; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan (Isaac Boss ’4 – ’11, ’61); Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross (Tadhg Furlong ’76); Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy ( Kane Douglas ’61); Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy (Jack Conan ’61), Jamie Heaslip (capt.).
Replacements not used: Bryan Byrne, Michael Bent, Noel Reid.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès [FFR].
