Harlequins ripped up the Premiership form book to stun Northampton and secure
a Tetley's Bitter Cup semi-final clash against Leicester.
Quins, bottom but one in the league, clinched a famous victory as they sunk
Saints through lock Steve White-Cooper's 70th minute try.
Rival goal-kickers Niall Woods and Paul Grayson each landed two penalties, yet
it took White-Cooper's touchdown to break the deadlock.
Northampton now have only the Premiership to concentrate on, losing their way
against a committed, courageous Quins outfit.
Head coach Zinzan Brooke, currently in New Zealand for a Maori of the Decade
awards ceremony, missed Quins' success, but will return to find a buoyant camp
next Tuesday.
Jason Leonard, England's record cap holder, marked his 200th Quins appearance
by flattening Test team-mate Ben Cohen with a crunching tackle inside four
minutes, and that set the tone for an aggressive Quins display as they released
big-ball carrying locks Garrick Morgan and White-Cooper into space.
Grayson booted Northampton in front with an 11th minute penalty, but Woods
quickly cancelled out the former England man's strike and Saints defensive
resources were again stretched.
Matt Dawson made a huge hit on Woods in midfield, lock Tim Rodber also
completed his share of tackles yet Quins consistently failed to finish off
impressive approach work by their forwards, who regularly crossed the gameline.
Woods missed an easy penalty nine minutes before the break, and when Quins had
flanker Rory Jenkins sin-binned for a technical infringement, Grayson punished
his indiscretion through another angled goal.
Saints could not make further inroads despite their one man advantage with
Dawson sniping away to try and get behind a well-organised Quins defence.
Northampton, on a roll after reeling off five successive league and cup wins
since making an early European exit, started the second period in fiery
fashion.
But Quins withstood the onslaught and regained a territorial foothold from
which Woods prospered when he slotted his second penalty.
The Irish international's teasing touch-finder - possession came Quins way
courtesy of Grayson sending the re-start straight out - meant Northampton
required all defensive hands on deck.
Impressive England star Will Greenwood, a try-scoring hero across the road at
Twickenham against South Africa last Saturday, proved Quins' most potent
attacking force.
Ever-targeting the outside gap, Greenwood was a handful for Saints' midfield
as he tried to unlock an imposing defensive unit.
Referee Steve Lander missed Northampton's substitute Jon Phillips' stamp on
home hooker Tani Fuga, but the Samoan, an admiral deputy for injured talisman
Keith Wood, continued after treatment.
Northampton, beaten cup finalists last term, missed injured centre Alan
Bateman's creativity and Quins could sense a famous victory.
Several Premiership places and 15 points below Saints, they tore a page out of
the form-book 10 minutes from time.
Again camped in Northampton's 22, Quins finally broke through, shipping
possession wide before White-Cooper ploughed over.
Morgan's over-head pass during the build-up was easily forward, but Lander
failed to spot it and Quins were ahead for the first time.
Northampton frustration boiled over on 75 minutes, a brawl breaking out
between both sets of forwards. Lander though, contented himself by issuing a
general warning.
Quins fly-half Craig Chalmers limped off shortly afterwards, and summer
signing Eric Peters was then handed his first-team debut, taking over from
number eight Joe Powell.
Peters, who joined Quins from Bath, had been sidelined for 20 months after
shattering his kneecap during a league game against Leicester.
Northampton threw everything into attack in a frantic attempt to wipe out
their five point deficit, sacrificing two kickable penalties for a position
inside Quins' 22.
Heroic defending kept them out, coupled with full-back Jamie Williams' lengthy
defensive clearance, and Lander's final whistle sparked long-overdue scenes of
jubilation at The Stoop.
Teams:
Harlequins: J. Williams, O'Neill, Greenwood,
Greenstock, Woods,Chalmers, M. Powell, Leonard, Fuga, Starr, Morgan,
White-Cooper, Jenkins, Wilson, J. Powell.
Replacements: Burrows for O'Neill (63), Dawson for Starr (67).
Not Used: Richards, Jennings, Dawling, Jones, Peters.
Tries: White-Cooper.
Pens: Woods 2.
Northampton: Grayson, Shaw, Martin, Allen, Cohen, Hepher,
Dawson, Pagel, Brotherstone, Stewart, Newman, Rodber, Blowers,Pountney, Lam.
Not Used: Thompson, Todd, Phillips, Seely, Malone, Tucker, Hyndman.
Pens: Grayson 2.
Att: 4,406
Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).
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