Harlequins marched their way into the quarter finals of the European Shield by
trouncing visiting Ebbw Vale 45-22 at The Stoop.
The Quins, clearly still buoyant from their last home win against Leicester
which booked them a place in the Tetley's Bitter Cup, ran in a total of six
converted tries and one penalty to outdo their pool rivals in style.
The west London club will, however, have to wait until tomorrow evening when
the remaining European Shield's pool games have been decided to determine
whether they have done enough to ensure a home draw in the knock-out stages of
the competition.
Flanker Pat Sanderson, returning to action for the first time in three months
because of an ankle injury, sparked Quins' try frenzy after an earlier Ben
Gollings penalty.
Quins were clearly making the most of the sin-binning of Ebbw Vale's fly-half
Shaun Conner when the giant forward emerged from a ruck on Ebbw Vale's goalline
to reach and score.
Gollings added the conversion before pacey winger Nick Greenstock made the
score 17-0 with a converted try after 17 minutes.
Outside centre Nick Burrows, doing more than an adequate job in replacing
resting England international Will Greenwood, then scored either side of the
break and, with Gollings being as consistent at ever with the boot, Quins were
31-0 up.
After 51 minutes Sanderson then went on to score his second try of the
afternoon and Quins' fifth before Ebbw Vale, who prop up the bottom of the Pool
Five table, put their first points on the board with a try by flanker Tyron
Morris.
Paul Matthews, Andrew Wagstaff and Jonathan Walker then mounted a comeback
with tries to make the Welsh side's scoreline more respectable.
But it was too little too late as Harlequins, who have now won three
consecutive games, who responded with a converted try from Greenstock.
Teams:
Harlequins: O'Neill, Jennings, Burrows, Greenstock,
Gollings, M. Powell, Friday, Starr, Wood, Dawson, Morgan, White-Cooper,
Sanderson, Wilson, Winters.
Not Used: Burke, O'Leary, Greenwood, Mathieson, Fuga, Codling, Jones.
Tries: Sanderson 2, Greenstock 2, Burrows 2.
Cons: Gollings 5, Burke.
Pens: Gollings.
Ebbw Vale: Matthews, John, Shorney, Hawker, Wagstaff, Connor,
Smith, Thomas, B. Morris, Penisini, Billen, D. Jones, Budgett,T. Morris, Green.
Not Used: M. Jones, A. Phillips, Peacock, Edwards, Betts, Strange, J. Williams.
Sin Bin: Connor (15).
Tries: T. Morris, Matthews, Wagstaff, Hawker.
Cons: Connor.
Att: 3,300
Ref: F Maciello (France).
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