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Harlequins will be looking to build on their victory over Toulouse in France when they host Gloucester at the Twickenham Stoop in their penultimate game of the Pool stages. - 12/01/2012 17:12
Harlequins will be looking to build on their victory over Toulouse in France when they host Gloucester at the Twickenham Stoop in their penultimate game of the Pool stages.
The English Premiership outfit are one-point behind Pool 6 leaders Toulouse and need to ensure they emerge with a home win to keep their chances of a Heineken Cup quarter-final place alive.
Both sides are still very much in contention for a place in the knockout stages of the tournament and four-times champions, Toulouse, are still in the sights of both English clubs.
Gloucester, who are only three points behind ‘Quins in the Pool table, will harbour ambitions of their own to challenge for a place in the last eight of European rugby’s premier competition.
The Cherry and Whites managed a narrow and hard fought 23-19 victory over Connachtin the last game of the Pool and will be happy to come away with the same from the English capital.
Mike Brown celebrated his England call-up by saving Harlequins Heineken Cup ambitions with a sucker try six minutes from time. - 14/01/2012 22:42
Mike Brown celebrated his England call-up by saving Harlequins Heineken Cup ambitions with a sucker try six minutes from time.
Faithfully chasing a Danny Care grub kick through to the Gloucester line he made the most of Charlie Sharples misfortune as the ball bounced on its end, eluded the visiting wing, bounced off Brown’s knee and gave him the simplest task of falling on the ball over the line to seal victory.
That was the fifth change of lead in a battle-royal between the two English rivals and keeps Quins in touch with Toulouse at the top of Pool 6. They will still have to win in Connacht, and hope Gloucester can do them a favour by beating the French Top 14 leaders to win the Pool, but the Heineken Cup teaches you than nothing is certain and anything is possible.
Nick Evans, who had earlier missed with three kicks, nailed the wide angled conversion to make it 20-14 and even though Gloucester threw everything into a pulsating final few minutes they couldn’t bridge the gap.
Gloucester drew first blood when outside half Freddie Burns landed the first of his three penalties and even though they conceded a try to centre Matt Hopper after 10 minutes they were back ahead just before the break thanks to a slashing try by James Simpson-Daniel – his 21st in the Heineken Cup.
Evans and Burns swapped penalties early in the second half and gritty Gloucester led for 20 minutes before Sharples’ fatal mistake. Brown was crowned the hero and Gloucester were left dreaming of what might have been.
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