16 April 24, 2022The Sunday Times
Rugby Union Gallagher Premiership
STUART
BARNES
series of attacks and then the beasts
drove from close range, leading to a
try from Wiese.
Was it all going to plan? Not really.
George Ford missed horribly with the
conversion, the home fans revived,
and a team with so much heart and
soul, not to mention Danny Care in
charge, came back strongly.
A few penalties were exchanged,
and even though Leicester took a
three-point lead after James Chisholm
had infringed almost as soon as he
arrived on the field, Harlequins were
able to regather the ball, Care and the
splendid Louis Lynagh took it on
and the massive Esterhuizen scoredlowers is the most intense and reward-
ing he has experienced in his career.
They could easily have won, they did
not deserve to, but they will be back.
The game probably turned in the
second period when they were trail-
ing 15-12 after an explosive Harlequins
opening half. They decided to bring
on a forbidding quartet of massive for-
wards — Ellis Genge, Dan Cole, Harry
Wells and Jasper Wiese. The intention
was clear. To use these beasts, four
donkeys of the apocalypse, to blast
Harlequins away.
It appeared to work. They took the
lead for the first time in the game in
the third quarter with a ferociousT
he Premiership has become
ridiculously good. The great
matches that used to come
along at about two per sea-
son are now festooned each
weekend, here we had
another classic of energy
and power and skill.
Sadly, some of us who harbour a
secret longing for the mud-spattered
days when a 9-3 penalties-only affair
was a fiesta, have to admit that, like
steam trains, we are not going to see
their like again.
And another conclusion — after two
successive weeks watching Harle-
quins in action, the song The Mighty
Quinn is now in great danger of repeti-
tive strain, and in danger of joining
Sweet Caroline and the Fields of
Athenry as dirges liable to drive fans
away from the sport.
But the right of Harlequins to cele-
brate this statement victory is beyond
any doubt. The previous week they
lost in Europe to Montpellier when
they really should have won and when
Leicester Tigers took the lead in the
second half it looked as if the night-
mare was happening again. But they
came thundering back with an epic
try by André Esterhuizen, playing
strictly to the beasting code of anyQuins make
statement of
play-off intent
self-respecting South African centre.
And in the end, there was some
daylight.
This victory was highly significant
at the top of the table. The teams fin-
ishing first and second will be at home
in the semi-finals and the four points
that Harlequins gained yesterday put
them level on points with Saracens in
second place — albeit with a substan-
tially inferior points difference.
Saracens play their game in hand
today against Exeter Chiefs, who are
also thirsting for the top four and so
with three games left for Harlequins,
it seems as though their season as
reigning champions could go out with
a double bang rather than a whimper.
The atmosphere at The Stoop these
days is satisfyingly akin to a bear pit.
These are now some of the most rau-
cous supporters in any sport.
They were urged on as ever by Mic
Mike — my mate Michael is their man
on the microphone. Yesterday was
one of his finest days. His amplifica-
tion equipment was allegedly rejected
by Led Zeppelin because it was just
too loud. But as Mike acclaimed each
try yesterday, the excitement was
infectious. It is a great time to be a
follower of the grand old club.
It would be far too easy to conclude
that Leicester’s long period at the top
of the division means they are now tir-
ing, and fading. They left out some
key men and are still well ahead.
Charmingly, Steve Borthwick, their
director of rugby, declared that the
bond between the team and the fol-Stephen JonesPremiership
leaders
Leicester are
unable to stop
Esterhuizen
from sealing
victory for
Harlequins with
a try in the
corner in the
75th minuteP W D L F A BPts
Leicester 21 17 0 4 623 411 1381
Saracens 20 14 1 5 644 379 1472
Harlequins 21 14 0 7550 451 1672
Northampton 21 12 0 9 629 540 1563
Exeter 21 12 0 9 482 418 1462
Gloucester 21 11 1 9 543 490 1662
London Irish 22 9 4 9 594 597 1458
Wasps 21 11 0 10 555 522 1357
Sale 21 9 3 9 466 442 1256
Bristol 21 7 0 14 488 587 1442
Newcastle 21 6 1 14 378 533 6 32
Worcester 22 5 1 16 392 749 8 30
Bath 21 4 1 16 407 632 9 29GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP
HARLEQUINS 26
LEICESTER TIGERS 20
Today was supposed to be the
Premiership season finale. Saracens
back in the big time, Exeter Chiefs out
for revenge against the team who
have beaten them on the three
occasions that they have met in the
final at Twickenham. Until
Harlequins’ late run along the rails
last season, Exeter and Saracens had
won the previous six league titles
between them.
Saracens have fulfilled their
designated role. Mark McCall’s team
are targeting a home semi-final and a
victorious return to Twickenham
after their brief Championship exile.
The iron in the soul didn’t rust
during their second-tier sojourn last
season. It’s Exeter, though, who are
on the edge. They look to be in a
scrap for the fourth play-off position.
Last Saturday, Rob Baxter’s team
lost their most important match of
the season, going down in the round
of 16 to Munster and out of the
Champions Cup. Last season, they
made it to the quarter-finals, where
they were dumped out in Devon by
Leinster. They are in retreat fromtheir European high tide at Ashton
Gate, where they beat Racing 92 in
the final in 2020.
Today’s game away to Saracens
may just be even more important
than the Munster match. Gloucester
and Northampton Saints are also in
contention for the last play-off place.
Gloucester, like Exeter, have
three games left and two of
those are at home, with
the final one being the
visit of Saracens. If
Exeter’s arch-rivals have
wrapped up their home
semi-final by the time
they arrive at Kingsholm,
then you can expect them
to field a shadow side.
Anything but a win today and
Exeter look highly unlikely to make
the play-offs, let alone the final for an
astonishing and magnificent seventh
straight year.
Whisper it quietly around Sandy
Park but Exeter are showing signs of
a slide. Yes, they made the 2021 final
and produced some scintillating
rugby in defeat, but the consistentquality of their play had fallen
considerably from the Double-
winning glories of the 2019-20
season.
That was no great surprise to me.
Winning trophies is easier than
retaining them. It is mentally hard to
keep on keeping on. The Devon club
showed the understandable
signs of a hangover. But this
season has been a shock.
They have struggled for
form from the outset.
There have been
excuses, but Baxter has
never dealt in excuses.
Exeter’s strong Lions
contingent took their time
to hit their stride on their
return from South Africa.
Fair enough, but Baxter, inset,
doesn’t accept excuses.
The club, the team, the squad, he
always stated, were bigger than the
individuals and it was the
overwhelming strength of squad,
spirit and the Exeter system that
mattered the most.
We have waited and waited forExeter are
on slide –
Slade must
get them on
front foot to
save season
Exeter to unleash their game, which
helped them to finish first or second
every season since the 2015-16
campaign. The wait has — so far —
been in vain.
It’s not that the Chiefs have gone
backwards, so much as sideways.
In recent months, they have
played some pretty rugby without
the punch and penetration. Against
Bath this month they seemed to be
coming to the boil. The faded giants
started well and built up a big lead,
but Exeter delivered a devastating
second half of rugby, with their
forwards finding the pick-and-drive
game that has eluded them for much
of the season, and the backs gliding
on to quicker phase ball than they
received in the campaign’s first half.
But Bath are now a team used to
beatings. What has followed since
suggests the scintillating second half
at Sandy Park was a false dawn.
In the Munster match in Devon,
Exeter were determined to get Henry
Slade, today’s massive gamble at fly
half, into space that coaches and
players refer to as “the edge”; the