Early score: Tom Williams
Related links
Teams
Also see
Harlequins secured their debut Aviva Premiership crown after overcoming Leicester Tigers 30-23 in a classic match at Twickenham on Saturday.
It had looked like Quins had assured themselves of their first league title after possessing a 30-13 lead with 13 minutes to go. However, a late show from the Tigers made for an anxious conclusion.
But they managed to hold them off in the London sunshine as Richard Cockerill's gutsy men fell to back-to-back Aviva Premiership final defeats.
Despite eight points from George Ford's boot to go alongside a Steve Mafi touchdown, the league winners led 14-13 at half-time through three Nick Evans' penalties and a Tom Williams' try.
Two more three-pointers from Evans took them further clear before Chris Robshaw barged over.
Quins' New Zealand fly-half then added another from the tee which, although Leicester mounted a comeback with a converted try from Anthony Allen and a Ford penalty, secured the coveted trophy.
Despite Quins finishing top of the table, it was Leicester who were considered odds-on favourites having won their previous eleven encounters. However, the Midlands' outfit started slowly and the London-based side took the early initiative. It was similar to the way in which they opened last year's final with Sarries, allowing the opposition to dominate possession.
Credit must also go to Harlequins who seized an 8-0 advantage after 10 minutes. After Evans had kicked a penalty, Williams touched down for the first try of the match when good hands from Mike Brown sent the winger over.
The Tigers hit back through Ford before his opposite number restored their eight-point lead.
But it was Leicester who were gaining the initiative and, after their fly-half had reduced the arrears, Mafi sprinted clear from a Quins' mistake at a line-out, Ford converting.
On 39 minutes, the Twickenham Stoop side hit back. Thomas Waldrom was sin-binned for cynically slowing the ball down and Evans converted the resultant penalty opportunity.
Into the second period and successive three-pointers from Evans took Quins six ahead.
And then the killer blow. After successive drives, Robshaw's fine line saw him crash over.
Evans scored a sixth penalty, but Leicester responded with Allen's try thirteen minutes from time. The Quins' nerves became even more frazzled when Ford reduced the deficit to seven points. However, the London-based outfit deservedly held on despite a late onslaught.
The scorers:
For Harlequins:
Tries: Williams, Robshaw
Con: Evans
Pen: Evans 6
For Leicester:
Tries: Mafi, Allen
Con: Ford 2
Pen: Ford 3
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Tom Williams, 13 George Lowe, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Chris Robshaw (capt), 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 5 George Robson, 4 Olly Kohn, 3 James Johnston, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Rob Buchanan, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Will Collier, 19 Tomas Vallejos, 20 Tom Guest, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Matt Hopper.
Leicester: 15 Geordan Murphy (capt), 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Steve Mafi, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 George Skivington, 3 Dan Cole, 2 George Chuter, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Logovi'i Mulipola, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Graham Kitchener, 20 Craig Newby, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Toby Flood, 23 Scott Hamilton.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson, Paul Dix
Television match official: Geoff Warren
Comments
APV1 says...
@ rugby_rockstar - interesting point about Waldrom. I wonder whether he was worried about his international career and trying to make a point? His arrival and subsequent qualification for England was surrounded by much media frenzy and he is a great player. But Morgan's 6N campaign means that TW is down the pecking order and perhaps he doesn't like that. Trying too hard, if there can be such a thing?
Much is debated over Easter, but I do think we're better off without him. He's been brilliant and is playing some excellent rugby for Quins, but we have to look 3 years ahead and I don't see him carrying his form into the 2015 RWC.
Posted 16:10 28th May 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
I'm an England Fan firstly but I'm a big Leicester fan too, and I was yelling for the tigers throughout the final. The funny thing is though, I think England are better placed after the Quins win than if Leicester had smashed Quins. I'd still be seriously apprehensive about the up coming tour to SA. Alot of quins players will be going on tour and I feel better about england's chance after seeing them thump the leicester pack. teams don't do that unless they front up. We've discovered some real steel to hit the Springboks with. Suddenly a series whitewash is looking less likely.
From a tigers point of view I think cockeril messed up badly picking Salvi over Newbie. we saw what Newbie did to saracens but cocker's picks a glorified Bath player. What was he thinking? Less said about waldrom's brain melt the better. He knows that he basically freaked out and tried to win the match all on his own. I don't think leicester were garanteed to win even if he stayed on. We've seen Leicester look mediocre in Europe and Quins hit therm for 6 too. Sure losing Flood both for the final (and ravenhill) really spit open the cracks in the club but leicester have plenty to work on in the off - season. Looking forward to seeing Miles Benjamin and Jamie Joseff though. Thats a nice place to start.
Posted 14:06 28th May 2012
APV1 says...
Outstanding match, even from the comfort of my sofa! The beer flowed and voice got hoarse. Fantastic!
Congratulations Quins on a well-deserved win.
Tigers will be back - they always are.
Brown and Marler to start, over Corbs and Foden, imo. Youngs and Care will continue to fight for the 9 shirt, with Dickson snapping at their heels.
@ theshaw - I'm really looking forward to the Olympics and the Jubillee celebrations. I'll make sure I let you know where the parades are, just so you can come along and p!$$ all over them too. It was a great match and some fantastic rugby. Combined with stadium full of cheering fans and the rest of us cheering on from home. It was a great day for English rugby.
@ Lawynd - I must have (deliberately) missed that interview..! ;-)
What a fantastic conclusion to a great season of rugby. Here's hoping Bath can do a little better next season and that England have a great summer tour!
Posted 10:54 28th May 2012
Lucasrg says...
What a day!!!...I was there at the stadium....81.000 plus crowd!
I never seen London so sunny.
Well done Quins truly deserved.
Posted 13:48 27th May 2012
jontheref says...
Great game.
IMO right team won.
J_HKD
Barnes, was inconsistant, could have spoiled the party, with decisions made in the last 10, that he didn't earlier on.
Tigers fans may gripe about the yellow, and maybe they would be correct.
Once again, in blistering heat, great game.
Posted 13:17 27th May 2012
chesh10 says...
@theshaw
what game were you watching? there was a plenty of invention, from both sides, Leicester lacked a little in execution on occasion and on a couple of occasions the defending side gave away penalties when good play was coming together.
Ford looked pretty handy again (despite one poor miss at goal) and Ben Youngs finally looked to have found some form, whilst Care too was excellent.
A decent advert for English rugby all round.
Posted 11:41 27th May 2012
Manusamoa says...
Good to see Manu Samoa boys representing in the Finals!
Posted 11:31 27th May 2012
rugbyphile says...
Nick Evans--another quality Kiwi fly-half from the half dozen or so who would be first player picked for most other countries.
Posted 06:46 27th May 2012
J_HDK says...
I have not seen the game yet but I m shocked by the comments here....
Not one person has mentioned Barnes?!?!?! What's going on? ;P
Posted 00:22 27th May 2012
Lawynd says...
I've not watched the game yet, sneakily listened on 5live at a (poorly timed) family do. Sounds like Quins absolutely deserved the win, hats off to them. If the scrums were as good from the London boys as the commentators suggested then I have to say hats off to Marler, too. Great magnanimity from Cockers too by the sounds of it, which should please APV1. ;) It might sound like scrabbling for positives, but given Leicester's start to the season if you'd offered me the Anglo-Welsh and an AP final appearance I'd have snapped your arm off. Roll on the internationals now!
Posted 20:39 26th May 2012
Jediboy says...
Well done Quins. Deserved, and the right, result.
Posted 20:13 26th May 2012
NHsaints says...
Well done quinns, well deserved...I had a sneaking feeling they'd get this...can only be good for england though and I can't wait to see marler in that white 1 jersey
Posted 19:41 26th May 2012
theshaw says...
English Rugby is at an all time low!! No invention from either teams backs!! Boring game!! Well done Quinns all the same
Posted 17:55 26th May 2012
paddy91317 says...
im delighted the team that led the league most of the season got what they deserved must say i had a feeling the tigers would pip Quinns in this one, we all know how jammy they are at the end of the season..... well done quinns
Posted 17:53 26th May 2012
BigRugbyBalls says...
Congrats to Quins. See - it is possible for a club to have success without being a bunch of despicable inveterate cheats!
Posted 17:37 26th May 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Really well deserved. Leicester moments of magic were mostly individual moments. Quinns won through a great team effort. The front 3 playing the 80 in heat vs Leucester 2x front 3 was awesome. Marler should now start for England as should Brown who coped with some tough chases from the Samoans. Great for English rugby. Youngs won the contest vs Care. Easter awsome and needs to replace Waldrom in England squad. Tom Youngs should not be in England squad yet.
Posted 17:23 26th May 2012
melkdave says...
Well a good game of rugby lots of offloads and good running lines all at tempo on a hot sunny day .Congraulations to Quins for wining their 1st title and for the 2nd season in a row the league leaders at the end of the regular season are champions .Leicester played well as well but where just a bit off with their passing ect ,but are still a great side
Posted 17:17 26th May 2012
rugbynut says...
Great result Quins, best in the land by far and still more to come!
Posted 17:09 26th May 2012
vaizpatu2011 says...
What a Final!! Well played HARLEQUINS!! congratz to our boys...M.Faasavalu and J.Johnston. Sorry to Alesana, Manu and L.Mulipola of the Tigers.
Posted 17:03 26th May 2012