Quins make it six out of six

Quins make it six out of six

19 Jan 2013

Harlequins have gone unbeaten in the European Cup pool stage with a 19-6 win over Biarritz 9-16 at Parc des Sports Aguilera.

Biarritz 9 (3) Harlequins 16 (10)

Former All Black Nick Evans put in a perfect kicking performance in treacherous, driving rain to complete Quins’ sixth win in six games, and their tally of 28 points could still make them the top seeds in the knockout phase.

Biarritz are left without a hope of squeezing into the last eight as a best runner-up.

Both sides ended the first half with 14 men after Biarritz lock Wenceslas Lauret and Quins prop Joe Marler were sin-binned for coming to blows as their packs struggled to keep their feet on the slippery surface.

Yachvili put the French side back into contention with two early second-half penalties before Evans kicked a 45m penalty via the aid of the crossbar for a 13-9 lead just before the hour mark.

In a fairly brutal arm wrestle in tough conditions, Evans slotted another penalty seven minutes from time to seal a well-earned Harlequins win.

Biarritz – Penalties: Dimitri Yachvili (3)
Harlequins -  Try: Tom Guest. Conversion: Nick Evans. Penalties: Evans (3)

Connacht 25 (12) Zebre 20 (6)

In Galway, Connacht finished their European campaign on a high. Zebre gave as good as they got and overturned a 13-point deficit to lead 20-19 with 12 minutes remaining but Connacht kept their composure to stop the debutants from registering a maiden triumph.

Zebre took the lead after 68 minutes via an Australian Daniel Halangahu penalty, but their one-point advantage was shortlived as a 40m effort from Scot Dan Parks pushed Connacht back in front three minutes later.

A second drop goal from Parks sealed the win, meaning Connacht finished just three points shy of second-placed Biarritz in Pool 3.

Connacht - Try: Penalty try. Conversion: Dan Parks. Penalties: Parks (4). Drop goals: Parks (2)
Zebre – Try: Ruggero Trevisan. Penalties: Daniel Halangahu (5)

European Cup fixtures this weekend:

Saturday
15:35 Castres vs Ulster, Stade Pierre Antoine
15:35 Glasgow vs Northampton, Scotstoun Stadium
17:40 Cardiff Blues vs Sale, Cardiff Arms Park
17:40 Montpellier vs Toulon
20:00 Exeter vs Leinster, Sandy Park
20:00 Scarlets vs Clermont Auvergne, Parc y Scarlets

Sunday
14:45 Munster vs Racing Metro 92, Thomond Park
14:45 Saracens vs Edinburgh, Vicarage Road
17:00 Benetton Treviso vs Ospreys, Stadio Comunale di Monigo
17:00 Leicester vs Toulouse, Welford Road

Click here for the latest European Cup logs


38 Comments

  • 1.grant10: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:30 am

    Go Saracens…….

  • 2.keo: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:38 am

    welcome aboard Tankie … For those who don’t know it Front Row Grunt and myself will be on the same team as we develop Keo into a KeoNetwork that hosts other bloggers, a far more interactive digital medium during this season’s Super Rugby and podcasts with great rugby banter.

  • 3.carol: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:39 am

    @grant10-1:

    Morning Grant, I saw the Saracens play at Oxford and yes John ‘Skipper’ Smit was playing!!

    He is still well upholstered!! ;-)

  • 4.grant10: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:42 am

    @carol-3: LOL….Old Plod milking the gravy train as long as his legs can carry him…..Toulon next to carry el capitano for 2014…..

  • 5.ufo: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:44 am

    interesting move keo…

    all success to you and tank…!

  • 6.carol: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:46 am

    @keo-2:

    ‘Interactive Digital Medium’…… Good Heavens !!

    Wish I knew what that meant :-)

  • 7.carol: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:47 am

    @grant10-4:

    Not sure they will have a shirt big enough for him!!

  • 8.carol: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 10:51 am

    @ufo-5:

    Morning UFO,

    I assume you are digitaly interactive?

  • 9.Tankman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 11:32 am

    @keo-2: Shot Keo … Good to be in the mix … Should be an exciting voyage … Thought I would start with something tame … Looking forward to Toulon today (way ahead of Lions I am afraid) and Leicester tomorrow – my oath, that scrum has been good!

  • 10.Tankman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 11:33 am

    @ufo-5: Shot

  • 11.Tankman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 11:34 am

    @carol-7: Local sail builders have my deets on record … All I do is send them the logo :)

  • 12.carol: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 11:45 am

    @Tankman-11:

    Tank, welcome to Keo.

    Your will have some fun here! :-)

  • 13.CharlesM: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 11:53 am

    @Tankman-11: lol but haven’t you been on a diet recently Tank ?

  • 14.Tankman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:15 pm

    @carol-12: As Keo says … The pub is now open!!! Looking forward to it …

  • 15.Tankman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:16 pm

    @CharlesM-13: Yes indeed!! Dry January, diet, and plenty gym time. Down 5 kg’s … But I need more than a diet to save me :)

  • 16.CharlesM: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:18 pm

    @Tankman-15: Good luck with that ! I managed to be dry from Monday to Thursday the past week – got to start slowly!!

  • 17.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:32 pm

    @Tankman-14:

    You’ve probably heard the breaking news. That the Sharks already have this S15 wrapped up. After narrowly missing out in 2012. And after narrowly missing out in the CC last year as well.

    The Stormers haven’t got a snowballs chance in a heatwave of making it this year.

    Those are the sort of odds I enjoy.

    So, just careful with who you mix with in this neck of the woods.

  • 18.Liewe Luiperd: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:36 pm

    @I am a stormer-17: how’s that chip on your shoulder?

    Tank – hope you have a hide as thick as a hippo’s. “Journos” don’t stick around to comment much on their articles here on Keo for a reason. Good luck.

  • 19.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:38 pm

    @Liewe Luiperd-18:

    My god Wooden Spoon it’s really you.

    How are those multi-nics going, sonny?

  • 20.Liewe Luiperd: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:42 pm

    @I am a stormer-19: wnbb said the same thing about wooden spoon. You are wrong, as usual. And you think you are so smart. Who next Storrrrrrmer?

  • 21.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 12:57 pm

    @Liewe Luiperd-20: This is trademark Wooden Spoon stuff. You can’t make this up. Welcome back. :D

    25798.Liewe Luiperd said:
    19 Jan 2013, 00:39 am
    SA conference standings 2013:

    1. Sharks
    2. Cheetahs
    3. Bulls
    4. Kings
    5. Stormers

    Relegation/Promo results:

    Stormers vs Lions

    Lions win

  • 22.ufo: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 13:09 pm

    good afternoon carol …

    apologies… made that post and went offline immediately..,

    yeah… im entirely intetactive & multimedia…!! :wink:
    :lol:

    enjoy and take care…

  • 23.ufo: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 13:10 pm

    yeah tank… welcome to the jungle…

    or at least this cyber-corner of it..,!!

  • 24.Liewe Luiperd: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 13:28 pm

    @I am a stormer-21: you must be hectic into conspiracy theories and stuff hey?

  • 25.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 13:57 pm

    @I am a stormer-21: :D

  • 26.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 15:43 pm

    @grant10-4: you just upset one of the best clubs in europe (if not the globe) are about to sign captain fantastic, he may even replace JVN as skipper…

  • 27.Tankman: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 16:00 pm

    @Liewe Luiperd-18: As thick as they come. Very happy to engage as long as a modicum of respect is retained … I spent 5 years at News24 after all!!

  • 28.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 16:17 pm

    There are two or three turdholes on keo that are simply not worth responding to: skopskiet (goes under several aka’s), Dawn and the sharks rugby pedigree is canned dogfood…something like that…these three are as insane as the day they were first admitted. You will literally feel your IQ dropping as you read their drivel.

  • 29.Liewe Luiperd: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 16:24 pm

    @Predawn-28: I would add Capo to that list.

    What do they all have in common?

    Storrrrrmer fans.

    Explains it all.

  • 30.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 16:43 pm

    Predawn,the great apartheid riot squad commander,back in the frame of things!Welcome back,buddy. :D

  • 31.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 16:46 pm

    Howzit boet! Back to the grindstone…otherwise known as keo. One wonders how our newest keo analyst will respond to the yapping hyenas in the asylum..

  • 32.Guns: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 18:25 pm

    Montpellier digging their claws into Toulon.. where is Bakkies and Russow..?

  • 33.bokke baiter: Reply to this comment
    19 Jan 2013, 22:38 pm

    I know this isn’t a rugby comment,but I just wanted to hear Safwits thoughts on the state of their sporting teams.
    I haven’t payed any attention to Cricket for years ,in fact I can’t really remember the last game I watched,I’ve always thought it a little boring ,but anyway I flicked the TV over today and what was on ,a one day match between SA and NZ.
    Anyway I thought I’d have a little watch and to cut a long story short ,we absolutely destroyed you.
    What’s happened to Safwit sport,I remember when you guys were quite good at team games ,It must be a miserable being a Safwit

  • 34.nama1: Reply to this comment
    20 Jan 2013, 03:06 am

    @Tankman-27:
    Welcome Tank.

    Can you remind us of the time you played for WP? When was that and how many games did you play?

    Was it when Gary pagel was suspended after he stomped JP Tordo (French captain) or what period was it?

  • 35.nama1: Reply to this comment
    20 Jan 2013, 03:13 am

    @bokke baiter-33:
    Good show by the NZ cricket team.

    Congrats.

  • 36.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    20 Jan 2013, 03:29 am

    @bokke baiter-33 The pill is bitter but you got about six months to shallow it, should not be too hard for a shallower like yourself.

  • 37.jet jungle: Reply to this comment
    20 Jan 2013, 03:36 am

    As much as I hate it i got a feeling it is going to be the Stormers year.

  • 38.Brads: Reply to this comment
    20 Jan 2013, 08:13 am

    @bokke baiter-33:
    Lame

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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