A full-stretch line-out steal from Adam Coleman protected a 10-7 advantage for Irish but Harlequins hit back immediately after the towering lock limped off the pitch. Jack Walker surged around a breakdown to take a pass from Care, who had sucked in fringe defenders, and flicked to Luke Northmore. The centre scored under the posts. Harlequins almost surrendered their lead straightaway when Allan misjudged a kick. Care needed to scramble to dislodge the ball from Tom Parton. In the chaotic aftermath, Allan went down clutching a shoulder. Will Edwards replaced him.
Marler spearheaded a shove that brought a scrum penalty before the break and Harlequins seemed to carry that momentum into the second half.
Esterhuizen’s chip caused Rowe to give up a five-metre scrum. Consecutive penalties resulted as the Irish set-piece creaked. They would not crumble. When Harlequins spread the ball wide, Rona completed his second turnover.
The next time Irish had their hands on the ball, Nick Phipps and Matt Rogerson combined to release Parton down a narrow blindside. Rona looped a fine pass to Simmons and the lock loped over to land a pivotal sucker-punch.
The composure of Irish in possession, passing crisply and showing confidence in their structure with Jackson and Rona running the show, was impressive. On the back of another close-range line-out, replacement scrum-half Ben White wriggled over. Beard almost sparked a quick riposte by escaping two tackles. Jack Kenningham could not gather Care’s pass, but Harlequins would respond soon enough. Esterhuizen made ground from a line-out and his team zig-zagged. Care fed Tom Lawday, who put Beard clear.
Irish had chances to pull away again. Hassell-Collins scythed through, only to disregard support runners to his right. As rain swept around the field, Huw Jones and Cadan Murley ran Harlequins out of their own half and threatened to rescue a result. Irish recovered. Hassell-Collins tackled Murley and Rona – who else? – collared Green two phases later before ending the contest the way it had started, by burrowing in to win a breakdown penalty.
“Before the game I was sure the team that got a lot of rhythm, was going to get a long way towards winning,” said Tabai Matson, Harlequins’ senior coach. “We definitely didn’t get much rhythm.”
Irish did, and shimmied up the Premiership table. They will be eyeing the play-off places with Newcastle at home next. Whether or not they get there, it will not be dull to watch.
Match details
Scoring sequence (London Irish first): 3-0 Jackson penalty, 3-5 Beard try, 3-7 Allan conversion, 8-7 Creevy try, 10-7 Jackson conversion, 10-12 Nothmore try, 10-14 Allan conversion, 15-14 Simmons try, 20-14 White try, 22-14 Jackson conversion, 22-19 Beard try
Harlequins: T Green; O Beard, L Northmore (H Jones, 55), A Esterhuizen, C Murley; T Allan (W Edwards, 38), D Care; J Marler, J Walker, W Collier (S Kerrod, 54), D Lamb (H Tizard, 58), S Lewies, J Chisholm, J Kenningham, T Lawday (V Taulani, 67).
Replacements not used: J Musk, S Garcia Botta, L Gjaltema.
London Irish: T Parton; K Rowe, C Rona, B van Rensburg, O Hassell-Collins; P Jackson, N Phipps (B White, 55); W Goodrick-Clarke (A Dell, 68), A Creevy (M Willemse, 64), O Hoskins (C Parker, 68), A Coleman (S Mafi, 36), R Simmonds, M Rogerson, T Pearson, O Cracknell (A Tuisue, 55).
Replacements not used: R Jennings, M Williams.
Referee: Mr C Ridley (RFU).
Attendance: 14,816.
