Exeter top-four hopes hit by superb Quins comeback
TL;DR
Exeter's chances of finishing in the top four were dealt a blow after a strong comeback by Harlequins, who won 41-24. Harlequins scored six tries, while Exeter managed four.
Key points
- Harlequins scored 41 points against Exeter's 24
- Harlequins scored six tries in the match
- Exeter's top-four hopes were impacted by this loss
The Prem
Harlequins (14) 41
Tries: Kenningham, Northmore, Murley, Porter, Evans, Wenger Cons: Smith 3 Pens: Smith
Exeter (24) 24
Tries: Ridl, Varney, Norey, Ikitau Cons: Slade 2
Harlequins put a dent in Exeter Chiefs' play-off hopes with a blistering 41-24 come-from-behind Prem victory to boost their own aspirations of Champions Cup rugby next season.
Leading 24-14 at half-time, fourth-placed Chiefs had looked set to further cement their hopes of competing for a spot in the Prem final.
But after a second-half blitz from a youthful Quins side, which scored 27 unanswered points, the visitors were left nervously contemplating two difficult games against Leicester and Saracens in order to book their post-season place.
Twickenham's Allianz Stadium proved a very different place in a first half that Chiefs dominated, notching four tries and a bonus point, than the second period when they could not live with Quins' energy.
Worryingly for Exeter, who made a raft of changes in an effort to regather momentum and control, they gained neither with their hosts running in four second-half tries as the Chiefs finished a man light after a late yellow card.
Nothing in the opening period had suggested the ultimate outcome as Exeter eased to a 12-0 lead in the first 10 minutes, Campbell Ridl and Stephen Varney capitalising on great build-up play from Harvey Skinner and Paul Brown-Bampoe respectively.
The latter bulldozed his way down the right wing leaving Quins, plural, trampled underfoot while Skinner's kicking was incisive and accurate.
A Jack Kenningham try, which Marcus Smith converted, pulled it back to 12-7 but when hooker Max Norey got on the end of a well-worked lineout routine on 26 minutes and Len Ikitau ran a hard-angled burst six minutes later, it looked as though the Chiefs were building a rout.
That proved to be well wide of the mark.
Luke Northmore kept playing when Exeter did not after a possible knock-on to run in a try for Quins four minutes before the break. And after half-time there was only one team in it.
Cadan Murley moved on to the heels of Mike Brown in second place as Quins' leading top-flight try scorer, finishing after a great break from Cameron Anderson.
Another bruising run from Jamie Benson set up Will Porter and, after a penalty was awarded for Chiefs not releasing, Smith took three to put the hosts ahead for the first time in the match on 68 minutes.
Alex Dombrandt and Chandler Cunningham-South then teed up Will Evans to go over on a free right wing after tying up the Exeter defence with some powerful close -range darts.
And with Exeter accepting their fate and visibly wilting after Bachuki Tchumbadze received a 10-minute marching order, Boris Wenger intercepted to stomp to a last-minute try and put gloss on a superb second-half display.
Harlequins: Benson, Anderson, Northmore, Bradley, Murley, Smith, Friday; Hobson, Riley, Delgado, Carr, Williams, Cunningham-South, Kenningham, Dombrandt (c).
Replacements: Musk, Wenger, Streeter, Green, Driscoll, Evans, Porter, Isgro.
Exeter: Woodburn, Brown-Bampoe, Slade, Ikitau, Ridl, Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Iosefa-Scott, Jenkins (c), Zambonin, Hooper, Tshiunza, Vintcent.
Replacements: Dweba, Burger, Tchumbadze, Tuima, Worley-Brady, Cairns, Haydon-Wood, Feyi-Waboso.
Referee: Matthew Carley
Q&A
What was the final score of the Exeter vs Harlequins match?
Harlequins defeated Exeter with a final score of 41-24.
Who scored the tries for Harlequins against Exeter?
Harlequins' tries were scored by Kenningham, Northmore, Murley, Porter, Evans, and Wenger.
How many tries did Exeter score in their match against Harlequins?
Exeter scored four tries in their match against Harlequins.
