Eben Etzebeth scored an audacious try that almost threatened a comeback but in the end the Harlequins’ high tempo attacking game was too good for the Cell C Sharks as they ran out 39-29 victors in their final Heineken Champions Cup pool match at The Stoop on Saturday.
It wasn’t a completely bleak afternoon for the Sharks as Aphelele Fassi scored a good try that came from an attack sparked by a quick Grant Williams tap minutes from the end to secure the Durbanites a four try bonus point. That point that might become crucial to deciding who plays where in the round of 16.
The Sharks of course secured their advance to that stage of competition last week, but what they failed to do in this game was take the next step of making sure that they will be playing at home in both the round of 16 game and in the quarterfinal should they get there.
They would have done that had they finished second in Pool A, which was where they were at the start of the weekend.
But their failure to win means they will have to wait until the final game of the weekend featuring Edinburgh against Saracens, for third-placed Saracens can still overtake them into second place. And even the currently fourth-placed Exeter Chiefs can pip them if it goes right for them in their final game.
SHARKS SEEMED CAUGHT OUT BY QUINS TEMPO
There seems to be a bit of a trend developing of South African teams being surprised by quick tempo starts from overseas teams in the northern hemisphere, almost as if the teams from the southern hemisphere don’t think it is possible to run the ball in the northern winter.
It happened to the Stormers, admittedly on a synthetic pitch, against Glasgow recently, and it appeared to happen in this game too.
Well if the Sharks did think that, they were emphatically proved wrong by a Harlequins on what looked a lovely clear winter’s afternoon in London.
The hosts used superior ruck speed and the marvellous hands and playmaking abilities of their England flyhalf Marcus Smith to lay the platform for a result that avenges the Quins’ first round defeat to the Sharks in Durban in December.
The Sharks started as if they had a train to catch, with Lukhanyo Am the link as they attacked almost from the off near the halfway line and then the try scorer as he received the ball back after it had been kicked ahead out wide by fullback Aphelele Fassi and gathered by wing Thaakir Abrahams.
The No 11 had Am unmarked on his inside and the Springbok World Cup winner dotted down with less than two minutes gone on the clock.
What ?? a ?? start ??@SharksRugby produce a beautiful flowing move to score the opening try inside two minutes at Twickenham Stoop ??#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/6mBf8ozWY2
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
But if that suggested it was going to the Sharks’ day in their quest for the win that would have enabled them to finish in the top two in Pool A, it was to prove a mirage.
One of the big let-downs for the Sharks on the day was their discipline, and Quins set up an attack from the kick-off after the try by taking a quick tap from an offside penalty.
The forwards carried it on and the backs, with Smith the fulcrum of their attacking effort, broke the Sharks’ line too easily before scrumhalf Danny Care, playing his 350th game for Harlequins, found space near the Sharks line to go over for the try.
We couldn't have scripted it better ourselves ??
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
On his 350th @Harlequins appearance, @dannycare does what he does best, spotting a gap and nipping through it to score ??#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/5pNWP9c2Qm
Smith’s conversion put Harlequins into a lead they were never to relinquish. The simple fact of the matter for the Sharks was that their discipline was off, and they also failed to slow down the Harlequins ruck ball.
The hosts were getting the ball back from the recycles twice as quickly as the Sharks in the first half, and it compromised a Sharks defensive system that was way too passive.
All those factors were complicit in the next Harlequins try, which was again started off a penalty from the kick-off, and which was rounded off by No 8 Alex Dombrandt.
Smith again featured strongly, while fullback Nick David, who was to score a later try, was also prominent in bamboozling the Sharks defenders early doors.
Smith’s conversion of Dombrandt’s try saw the hosts into a 14-5 lead after just 10 minutes of play, and although Curwin Bosch drew the Sharks back by three points with a penalty, it was Quins who next crossed the tryline when Smith again capitalised on very poor Sharks defending to send wing Caden Murley in at the corner.
Smith’s conversion made it 21-8 and suddenly in a game where the Sharks had been up early it looked like they were already out of it after 18 minutes as they struggled to contain the speed and precision of the Quins’ attacking game.
AUDACIOUS TRY FROM BOK LOCK
However, just when it looked like it might become a one-sided game, the Sharks struck back twice in spectacular fashion.
The first break back try was set up by a great run up the right flank from deep in his own half to send scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse in at the corner flag. Bosch’s excellent conversion from the touchline made it a six point game.
?? @SharksRugby only score worldies!
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
The strength of Marnus Potgieter, the pace and finish from Jaden Hendrikse ?????
This is some game!#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/57eiG97oA8
That was enough to prompt Harlequins to go for posts from a penalty for the first time in the 30th minute. Previously they had either tapped or kicked for position. It was a sign of respect for the Sharks that they felt they needed to get some daylight back on the scoreboard.
They duly did that when Smith raised the flags but then came the moment that many will long be talking about. You could describe Etzebeth’s try as a bizarre score, or you could call it audacious.
It was in fact both - bizarre for it is hard to remember one like that being scored before, at least not by a big lock, and audacious just because he decided to do it.
For once Harlequins elected not to move the ball quickly off the recycle, and after taking the ball from the loose scrum, Care placed it on the ground.
Some of the commentators felt Etzebeth was in an offside position and that he wasn’t entitled to play it, but the referee was perfectly correct to rule that he was, and the big lock picked up the ball and ran half the field through open space to score beneath the posts.
???? @EbenEtzebeth does not fear caterpillars!
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
He's disrupted a few in the first half, and now gets his hands on the ball and races to the line.
Incredible poaching from the Springbok ??#HeinekenChampionsCup | @SharksRugby pic.twitter.com/ljhuqpOvT8
The Quins players remonstrated with the referee and the Stoop fans booed the decision but it stood and with Bosch’s conversion it was just a two point game at the break (Harlequins led 24-22).
OLD TEAMMATE LEWIES DRIVES OPPOSITION RESPONSE
That score should have rejuvenated the Sharks but instead it was Harlequins who again started quickly, and it was none other than former Sharks player Stefan Lewies who drove over in the left corner in the 42nd minute.
Later, after doing good work on attack, Abrahams kicked when he should have held onto the ball and it resulted in a try to David at the other end of the field. Smith then added a penalty to make it 39-22.
??-to-?? stuff!
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
Don't take your eyes off this match for a second ??
Nick David gathers a ball, plays a wonderful kick through the middle, collects it himself and runs it in ??#HeinekenChampionsCup | @Harlequins pic.twitter.com/EXpCyXJe8F
The TMO denied Potgieter a try that had already been awarded with six minutes to go, but by the time Fassi went in for his score, and the Sharks’ fourth try, the bonus point was all that they were playing for.
It's a crucial bonus point try for @SharksRugby as @aphelele_fassi battles his way to the corner ??
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
How important could that be for the #HeinekenChampionsCup Round of 16? ?? pic.twitter.com/rxKwGRbsPk
Now the Sharks start their wait to see if they will be home in round 16.
Scores
Harlequins 39 - Tries: Danny Care, Alex Dombrandt, Caden Curley, Stefan Lewies and Nick David; Conversions: Marcus Smith 4; Penalties: Marcus Smith 2.
Cell C Sharks 29 - Tries: Lukhanyo Am, Jaden Hendrikse, Eben Etzebeth and Aphelele Fassi; Conversions: Curwin Bosch 3; Penalty: Curwin Bosch.