Quins beat Wasps
Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:37
Making the difference: Nick Evans
Former New Zealand flyhalf Nick Evans helped Harlequins thrash the struggling defending champions Wasps 32-10 and also keep the pressure on current log leaders Bath on Sunday.
Evans was making his first start since suffering a knee ligament injury on the opening day of the season and he made up for lost time with a match-winning display on his home debut at the Twickenham Stoop.
Playing in at fullback, Evans scored a first-half try which put his side into a commanding 21-3 lead and finished the day with 19 points, kicking four penalties and a conversion, as second placed Harlequins moved within three points of Bath.
It was another horrid afternoon for the visiting Wasps, trailing 27-3 at half time, they rarely looked in the contest and will need to do some serious soul searching in order to get their season back on track.
Chris Malone started the scoring with a successful drop goal in the first minute of play but it was not long before more points followed. Tom Guest's try after five minutes then signaled the start of the Evans show, with the former Otago star scoring 17 points before the referee blew the whistle for half time.
Wasps rang the changes early in the second half and ultimately won it on the scoreboard, 7-5, but the game was over long before the final whistle.
The London Derby win now puts Quins alone in second place with 20 points, just three behind the leaders Bath. Wasps on the other hand remain in second last place and are looking a far far cry from the side who stormed to victory at Twickenham at the end of last season.
The Scorers
For Quins:
Tries: Guest, Evans, Robshaw
Con: Evans
Pens: Evans 4
Drop: Malone
For Wasps:
Tries: Simpson
Con: Walder
Pen: Staunton
Harlequins: 15 Tom Williams, 14 Seb Stegmann, 13 Tosh Masson, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Charlie Amesbury, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Andy Gomarsall, 8 Tom Guest, 7 Will Skinner (captain), 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Jim Evans, 4 Ollie Kohn, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Gary Botha, 1 Ceri Jones.
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 George Robson, 19 Neil Mcmillan, 20 Junior Polul, 21 De Wet Barry, 22 Chris Malone.
Wasps: 15 Mark Van Gisbergen, 14 Mossy Lawler, 13 Josh Lewsey, 12 Lachlan Mitchell, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Jeremy Staunton, 9 Mark Robinson, 8 Joe Worsley (captain), 7 Serge Betsen, 6 John Hart, 5 Richard Birkett, 4 George Skivington, 3 Pat Barnard, 2 Rob Webber, 1Tim Payne
Replacements: 16 Raphael Ibanez, 17 Tom French, 18 Dan Leo, 19 Hugo Ellis, 20 Joe Simpson, 21 Dave Walder, 22 Rob Hoadley
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Touch
judges: Stuart Terheege, Andy Watson
TMO: Brian Abrahams
AFP
