Following Harlequins' 41-32 win over Northampton Saints in the big summer kick-off, here are five takeaways from the Premiership clash at Twickenham Stadium.
Quins take 5
Harlequins take five points with a much-needed win against leaders Northampton Saints at Twickenham, with tries from Luke Northmore (two), Stephen Lewis and Kaydan Marley and the winning goal from Will Porter. He scored two goals in seven minutes. Coming off the bench, Saints finally ran out of steam despite tries from Ollie Slightholm, James Lamb, Tom Litchfield and Courtney Laws, beating a committed effort from Saints.
That meant Quins remained fifth on goal difference as Bristol Bears defeated Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, but despite Saracens closing the gap with victory, Saints This means they still have a four-point lead as they earned a try bonus point. Friday night in Bath.
bench impact
In a match between two teams this close, both of whom are committed to the same fascinating rugby ethos, bench influence is always important in determining the outcome.
The game was in the balance after 59 minutes when Porter came on to replace Danny Care in Twickenham's favorite nine. However, in a game they could not afford to lose, Quins appeared to be losing momentum as Saints began to regain momentum, mainly through the directness and power of one of their substitutes, the outstanding eight-man Juano Augustus.
But Porter, Harlequins' hero at Bordeaux, had other ideas and it was he who pulled the hosts back into the match. The first time he had an extra player on the right scoot from close range, the second for a few seconds. Jarrod Evans then ran a powerful run up the middle and ran a nice line to Porter's inside shoulder.
Once again, this was another game that tested the depth of the 23-man squad, and on this occasion it was Harlequins who came out on top in terms of dents off the bench.
Harlequins score six tries to beat Northampton Saints in thrilling Twickenham game, giving Premiership hopes
margins and errors
The match was a bit sloppy around the breakdown area, with both teams boasting execution and accuracy both in possession and in contact work. Both pairs of forwards looked mostly tired-legged around rucks and mauls, which is unsurprising given their recent workload, but Karl Dixon blew the whistle for 12 penalties (notably The Saints' actual inaccuracies in entry and containment were compounded. I was alone for the first half.
Quins may consider the 10 points they conceded in the first half unlucky. A pass about 3 meters forward from Alex Mitchell in the build-up to Slayholm's try in the 23rd minute was as clear as a nose in Kwaga-Smith's face, and minutes later Louis Reiner's I saw myself being carded and penalized. He could have intentionally knocked on his own line, regrouped in the nick of time, and ran all the way down the pitch. Given how close the ball was to him when he made contact, there is no doubt that he had a realistic chance of getting together again, and again, it depends on the referee's interpretation of the player's intentions. It became a point of discussion that a clearer clarification of the law would resolve this issue. It will forever be a point of contention.
To make matters worse, Tyrone Green suffered the same fate in a later, more obvious incident, but again, this law's absurd mandate is to interpret intent rather than result, and any umpire should It's very nearly impossible.
In the final moments before half-time, the theme of margin resurfaced. Saints went for the full price to score under Quins' posts, but as the teams headed to the dressing room, Dixon correctly ruled that Mitchell had been knocked on at the point of scoring.
“You’re not the referee, Owen!” – Bus Whore’s rebuttal to Farrell’s complaint
Quinn learns from Toulouse
Harlequins have already faced Toulouse once this season and will face the French giants in the Investec Champions Cup in a week's time. It appears the behind-the-scenes analysts learned a lot from the Top 14 teams, and Northmore's opener was straight out of the Toulouse-Dupont playbook. Kea and Marcus Smith won the ball at good tempo on the left and attacked the outside of Saints Blitz, and with some great handling Green dropped down to the center of the pitch to support him, only for a last-gasp tackle to catch him. Ta. I took it down.
The ensuing breakdown saw Smith collect himself and deliver a hammer blow cross kick that gave Northmore a touchdown just two minutes into the game.
And when it comes to the theme of innovation, one interesting tactic the hosts used when Keir was guilty was by omitting the fly-half and allowing Smith to pretty much cover both roles from the base itself. The goal was to maintain defensive width. As a matter of fact, the fact that Quins outscored him 7-3 through his first two (out of three) yellow card periods is evidence that they have thought through the strategy, and also that both half-backs It shows Smith's brilliance that he covered the role himself.
Break-in
The Saints need just three points from their remaining two games to secure a draw at home in the play-offs, almost reaching home and excited as they chase a fitting end to a memorable season. There is a lot of support for the Saints from neutral watchers, given that this is the last season this talented team will play together, with the likes of Lowes, Lewis Ludlam and Alex Moon set to leave. , the Saints seem to be within reach of touching distance to their goal.
That's not the case with Quins. The West London club's appearance against in-form Bristol Bears is in doubt as the mid-season uncertainty adds to the pressure, with a trip to Sandy Park in Round 17 looking grim. It might become. Quinn's dreams are shattered and the winner takes it all in the finale at the Stoop.
Today's evidence suggests Quins need to improve both their precision and discipline if they are to make the play-offs, but Saturday will see them move in the right direction as they aim to secure a place in the Premiership knockout stages. It was a step towards.
read more: Leicester Tigers are stunned by Bristol Bears' astonishing 21-point turnaround as their Premiership winning streak continues