Easter hat-trick catapults Quins top
ENGLAND No 8 Nick Easter led Harlequins to the top of the Guinness Premiership with a second-half hat-trick inside the space of 12 minutes as they dismantled an unrecognisable Worcester team thrown to the lions at the Twickenham Stoop.
Warriors’ horrendous injury list and director of rugby Mike Ruddock’s desire to keep what remains of his powder dry for Saturday’s home game against Saracens meant five players started their first Premiership game last night.
They were so wet behind the ears it was a surprise not to see a snorkel emerging from the scrum, so it was to their immense credit that they held Quins for 25 minutes.
At that stage, with 20-year-old wing Charlie Fellows going over in the corner for a try converted by 21-year-old Joey Carlisle, Worcester were level at 7-7 but from there Quins surged clear to extend an unbeaten home run, which now stretches to ten games.
“There is a real ambition in the side to achieve something this year but I couldn’t give a monkey’s that we are top tonight. If we are in the top four after the next three games then I’ll be happy,” said Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards.
If Easter, who replaced Quins captain Will Skinner at half-time, was the destroyer then his England team-mate Danny Care was the fizzing catalyst until he was mothballed with the bonus point safely secured in the second half.
He had a hand in Quins’ three first-half tries, scoring one himself and helping create the others for hooker Tani Fuga and man of the match Chris Robshaw.
Although Worcester prop Shaun Ruwers muscled his way over shortly after the break, Quins added the important fourth try through Jordan Turner-Hall in the 47th minute and went on to score 10 as they eschewed every kickable penalty chance.
The Warriors were serial offenders, losing two men to the sin-bin – Chris Fortey and Graham Kitchener – and conceding 22 penalties and two free-kicks. These statistics were almost as embarrassing as the numbers on the scoreboard at the end of a rescheduled match Worcester had wanted to play during the Six Nations.
“The scoreboard will tell us it was a mismatch but I didn’t think the lads disgraced themselves. We had to hold some boys back for Saturday,” said Ruddock. “Playing three games in six days is a tough ask, particularly when we have so many injuries.”
Props Tevita Taumoepeau and Chris Horsman and back-row Matt Cox are the latest to be ruled out for the season, concerning additions given Worcester are not yet totally safe from relegation.
HARLEQUINS – Tries: Fuga, Care, Robshaw, Turner-Hall, Monye, Brown, Easter (3), Williams. Cons: Malone (2), Luveniyali (3).
WORCESTER – Tries: Fellows, Ruwers. Cons: Carlisle, Crichton.
