Harlequins 53-17 Newcastle: Quins hammer Falcons

 Match Stats

Harlequins tries: Buchanan (15), Brown (23), Marchant (40), Yarde (42), Luamanu (49), Care (55), Swiel (78)
Conversions: Evans (15,23,40,42,49,55)
Penalties: Evans (13,34)

Newcastle tries: Takulua (3), Wilson (67)
Conversions: Takulua (3), Delany (67)
Penalties: Takulua (31)

Match Report

Harlequins clicked through the gears at The Stoop to comprehensively beat Newcastle Falcons 53-17 and keep alive their hopes of a top-four finish in the Aviva Premiership.

It was the visitors who drew first blood through Sonatane Takulua's converted try, but the hosts roared into life through Rob Buchanan, the returning Mike Brown, and Joe Marchant to lead 27-10 at the break.

And the writing was on the wall for Newcastle when Quins sealed the bonus point just two minutes into the second period - Marland Yarde taking advantage of Brown's searing break - before Mat Luamanu, Danny Care and Tim Swiel put the gloss on a resounding victory for the Londoners.

Fly-half Nick Evans was replaced on the hour mark having landed all eight of his kicks from the tee, while Mark Wilson's second-half try was scant consolation for Falcons.

Newcastle had started brightly and grabbed the first score when Takulua darted onto an offload to touch down under the posts in the fourth minute, for a try which he then converted.

Harlequins responded quickly through an offside penalty kicked by Evans, and when a break down the Quins left almost saw the returning Chris Robshaw over in the corner, Buchanan was given a clear run-in under the posts two phases later.

The home side were soon on the scoreboard again, with Tim Visser finding space on the left and passing back inside for Brown to cross the whitewash after 22 minutes.

A series of penalties saw Newcastle enter the Harlequins half and eventually Takulua's kick made it 17-10, but the 10-point cushion was restored when Juan Pablo Socino saw yellow for a high shot on Evans, who then converted the resulting penalty.

And when Marchant picked a loose pass and charged 50 metres for an interception try with the last play of the half, Quins had a commanding lead.

The home side raced out of the blocks after the restart, Brown making a break and then offloading to wing Yarde who went in under the posts.

Harlequins were looking to keep the tempo high and when Care - returning from Six Nations duty - was taken out early, Newcastle replacement Evan Olmstead was shown yellow.

Unable to get out of their 22, the pressure remained on the Falcons, and they conceded fifth and sixth scores when Luamanu crossed from a driving maul and Care snuck over from close range.

Dean Richards rang the changes and Newcastle began to dominate possession, getting a try through Wilson after a series of close-range rucks.

But Quins went past the 50-point mark with five minutes remaining when Swiel added their seventh after good work from Marchant.

Match Reaction

Harlequins Director of Rugby John Kingston: "For me the biggest thing today was about reintegrating the group back together from the injuries and the internationals.

"Mike Brown rightly gets the attention with the man of the match but there were several other players who could've taken that mantle - and it's a brave man who discounts Chris Robshaw from the Lions I would suggest.

"His ability to come back today after four months out and put in a performance like that over 80 minutes is a reflection of the guy.

"Chris gets better the longer he plays; he just keeps going and going, you would never know that he's been out."

Newcastle's director of rugby Dean Richards: "With the England boys coming back, they had a point to prove after the Ireland game - had they won it might've been different but they had a point to prove," he said.

"The team they left behind had been faring very well and doing really well so it probably was the wrong time to catch Harlequins.

"But having said that we still gifted them so many points on the day and that's probably the most frustrating thing.

"Chris Robshaw's an outstanding player and he's got huge leadership potential. He's equally as good as anyone the Lions will come up against in New Zealand - I would have him in my team every day."