What is it about Harlequins and Leicester Tigers? Perhaps it is the spirit of Christmas conviviality but thrice now have these two sides taken to Twickenham turf for the annual “Big Game” winter warmer and, on each occasion, nothing has split them.
It is an improbable run that continued here with a 34-34 thriller befitting one of the best days in the English rugby calendar. It remains a great feat that the Allianz Stadium is consistently full for a helping of Twixmas fare that always seems to go down a treat after the days of overindulgence. The draw here joined the 30-30 result of 2019 and 26-all affair that began this fine festive tradition back in 2008.
There are plenty of figures at other Premiership clubs that have looked on with envy at how Harlequins have turned this outing into a hot ticket. This was another near 82,000 sell-out for one of the best days in the English rugby calendar, interest not dipping even 16 editions in.
It appeared that the swollen home crowd would be sent home happy with Harlequins’ season revived and Marcus Smith continuing his sparkling form on a patch that increasingly looks like home, but Leicester found an unlikely Christmas hero. Tries have not come often for Dan Cole in his long and illustrious but at a time of need, the veteran tighthead answered the call, old king Cole tumbling over in the final minute to allow Handre Pollard the chance to square affairs from the tee.
“I think the rugby did the occasion justice,” Danny Wilson, a frustrated Harlequins coach, said. “Huge credit for selling out this place [Twickenham] for a club game. It’s unbelievable, huge for the Premiership and huge for Harlequins, and the rugby on show did that justice.”
After a weekend that had seen the first three Premiership games decided by an average of more than 50 points, the league was rather in need of this sort thriller to properly stir the punters from their post-Christmas slumber. Fortunately, Harlequins’ annual trip across the A316 has become as reliable as Wallace and Gromit for festive entertainment.
The hosts opening score could have been an Aardman production, intricate and highly charming as it was. Pollard had put Leicester in front from the tee when loose kick upfield granted Marcus Smith a glimmer of space. The fly half set to work, meticulous footwork bamboozling the Leicester chasers. Around Julian Montoya he danced before finding Jack Walker on the inside for a lovely try.
It was the sort of creation that shows just what a threat Smith is with even a hint of broken field ball. With George Furbank seemingly likely to miss at least the start of the Six Nations after fracturing his arm, a watching Steve Borthwick will surely be considering the prospect of using Smith as an auxiliary creator at full-back with both George Ford and Fin Smith options at fly half. There is an argument that any shift of position risks dimming England’s sparkling autumn star but there is plenty for Borthwick to mull before he names his squad on 14 January, with Freddie Steward enjoying probably his best attacking season yet in Leicester colours.
Leicester had already re-taken the lead through Ollie Hassell-Collins when Steward showed off the dynamism he has added to his game. A ball bouncing his way on the edge of his own 22, Steward shaped to kick before deftly evading Jack Kenningham and surging into space. His inside ball to Cameron Henderson kept the movement flowing before Pollard delivered his second try-scoring pass with Solomone Kata sliding over untouched.
The party was beginning to liven as the evening deepened, with Tigers seemingly closing on a third try as they prodded to the right corner. Seconds later, though, they were back under their own posts as Quins went the length. With the lineout transfer disrupted, Kenningham produced a searing break from deep as the flanker showed impressive speed to thunder away and then a cool head to give it to a quicker man in Cadan Murley.
Leicester had largely controlled proceedings yet soon found themselves stung again. Kata had already been in the disciplinary dock once this season and his high shot on Oscar Beard looked uglier than his sending off against Exeter, so it was with some surprise that the yellow card emerged from Matthew Carley’s pocket. It mattered not for Harlequins as they made the centre pay instantly, Luke Northmore crashing over with Smith’s conversion ensuring a slender half-time lead.
Kata’s return from the sin bin came just moments before a penalty extended that advantage to four points but Tigers, restored to full complement, bit back through Steward. Another strike of Smith’s boot levelled the scores, setting up the doozy of a final quarter that a compelling contest deserved.
With the influential Smith getting his paws on the ball with regularity., Harlequins found what looked like the match-winner. If there was a suspicion of the forward about the try-scoring pass, the officials were happy as Cadan Murley slid in. But then Cole squirmed to the line for his second try in three weeks and Pollard’s conversion went in off the post to snatch a share of the points.
“He’s Leicester through and through,” Leicester boss Michael Cheika said of the England veteran. “He could easily say I’ve done my bit, but he’s still investing so much in the team. I’m really appreciative of the effort he’s made. He never lies, so I was pretty sure he got the ball down and it was a great kick from Handre to finish it off.”
Earlier, Harlequins had climbed to the top of the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) as they overcame a sparky Leicester.
The struggling Tigers always appeared likely to be up against it as they took on a home side that have found real cohesion under Ross Chisholm after a tough couple of years under Amy Turner, though began brightly, scoring the game’s first try early on.
But Quins soon took control, with the ever-threatening Ellie Kildunne and the rest of a dynamic backline to the fore as young Spanish centre Claudia Pena continued to impress in a sterling debut season in English rugby.
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