Tigers cling on at the Stoop
By Jo Carter
Last Updated: 28/07/24 10:20pm
Tom Varndell's early try proved decisive as Leicester beat Harlequins 21-15.
Guinness Premiership, Twickenham Stoop, Saturday September 23,
Dean Richards welcomed his former team to the Stoop as his side looked to achieve their first win of the season, but it was not to be for the Premiership newcomers as they lost to Leicester 21-15.
Richards, who spent 23 years with the Tigers, has now seen his side slump to four defeats from their opening four games.
With an equally uninspiring start to the season, with just seven points from the opening three games, the visitors were looking to put a defeat to Bath and a home draw to Gloucester behind them.
Leicester wasted little time in taking the lead as last season's top try scorer Tom Varndell went over for his first of the season in the opening minute.
The home side were left with an uphill struggle, as Varndell exposed weaknesses in their backs, but there was a glimmer of hope when the conversion was missed by former Harlequins fly-half Paul Burke.
The opening exchanges were a one-sided affair with Quins unable to gain possession and after ten minutes Harry Ellis released Varndell once more, but he was isolated and, although they were awarded a penalty, Burke missed the kick.
A good spell of possession by the home side resulted in a penalty, and nerves were calmed as they finally got points on the board with an easy kick by Adrian Jarvis.
A lead came as a result of a beautifully weighted kick by Jarvis to the right wing. Ugo Monye took the catch and the resulting penalty was converted to put the home side 6-5 up after 25 minutes.
Hal Luscombe broke the Tigers line and released Steve So'oialo for a try, but as he juggled the ball he knocked it forward onto Burke.
As the first half came to a close, it was Quins who had the majority of the possession and Jarvis' missed drop goal three minutes from the whistle proved a poor judgement as Monye and Gavin Duffy were screaming for the ball wide right with just Varndell covering.
Quins were rewarded for their efforts in the final act of the first half, though, as Leicester's poor discipline gifted Jarvis an opportunity to make it three from three and send his side in 9-5 up at the break.
Richards' side came out of the dressing room with the same confidence that they left the field, but Leicester had the better start and in the vein that the first half began, Quins were once more unable to gain possession.
As a result, a lengthy period of pressure saw Leicester awarded a penalty, and Paul Burke drew back Quin's advantage to just one, although he missed another attempt from a tight angle after hands in the ruck.
Richards had more reason to be concerned when flanker Will Skinner was dispatched to the sin bin for a late tackle on Burke.
The personnel advantage told immediately, as replacement Scott Bemand went over just wide of the posts, and Burke added another nail to the coffin with an easy conversion to give the Tigers 15-9 advantage.
Following brief pressure by Quins, Jarvis' penalty heartbreakingly bounced the wrong side of the posts, but moments later another kick saw the ball bounce favourably to bring them within three points of Leicester once more.
Harlequins were in danger of losing touch, however, and the Tigers edged away once more with another penalty just under the posts to take the score to 18-12.
Jarvis kept the Stoop faithful's hopes alive with another penalty kick to bring Quins once more within three points of the Tigers, but Burke put the boot in on his former emlployers to make the final score 21-15.
A bonus point does mean Quins leapfrog Worcester to occupy 11th position, while the Tigers climb to fifth.
