Harlequins beat Stade Francais with a most dramatic finale
A few weeks back we watched in amazement as Harlequins produced a most impressive 29 phases before flyhalf Nick Evans slotted a winning dropgoal to secure back to back wins over Stade Francais.
The weather was awful, resulting in a pitch inspection an hour and a half before kickoff. The rain continued throughout the match, resulting in old fashioned rugby being played, with plenty of kicking the referees whistle dominating much of the proceedings.
It was a nervy final ten minutes as the sides were two points apart with the result of the match having an impact on qualification for the knock-out stages.
Stade Francais sliced a kick which setup a lineout for Quins which led to them securing possession, and hanging onto it for a miraculous 29 phases before Evans struck the deciding drop goal.
It was a moment of brilliance from not only Evans, but it the whole team as it seemed virtually everyone touched the ball. The wingers made runs, and the forwards worked hard.
Evans set himself twice for the shot at goal, but the kiwi, and the rest of the side, had the patience to keep going. When the time was right, the kick went over, and it was sweet victory for Harlequins, who had now beaten Stade twice in two weeks.
Time: 06:03
The weather was awful, resulting in a pitch inspection an hour and a half before kickoff. The rain continued throughout the match, resulting in old fashioned rugby being played, with plenty of kicking the referees whistle dominating much of the proceedings.
It was a nervy final ten minutes as the sides were two points apart with the result of the match having an impact on qualification for the knock-out stages.
Stade Francais sliced a kick which setup a lineout for Quins which led to them securing possession, and hanging onto it for a miraculous 29 phases before Evans struck the deciding drop goal.
It was a moment of brilliance from not only Evans, but it the whole team as it seemed virtually everyone touched the ball. The wingers made runs, and the forwards worked hard.
Evans set himself twice for the shot at goal, but the kiwi, and the rest of the side, had the patience to keep going. When the time was right, the kick went over, and it was sweet victory for Harlequins, who had now beaten Stade twice in two weeks.
Time: 06:03
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29 Comments:
Brilliant.
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 3:50 pm
It's over at 81:08. Hands off by Quins winger. Incredible referee error.
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 4:17 pm
Amazing. Just amazing. 29 phases...you don't see that often in a match at that standard. Just as dramatic and significant as Jonny Wilkinson's kick in 2003.
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 4:31 pm
best ending to a match i have seen since 2003. Epic, Evans has watermelons between his legs. He did it again against leicester this weekend.
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 8:02 pm
this is rugby...
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 9:28 pm
Brilliant stuff.
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 11:35 pm
Juan Leguizamon plays a great match!
See him very sad later of your defeat!
Come on Stade Français!
By Anonymous, at December 28, 2008 11:36 pm
looked like 29 painful phases!!!
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 12:17 am
looked like 29 painful phases!!!
(sorry missed the nickname!)
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 12:17 am
i dont mean to ruin the moment but harlequins should have scored ealier: 2 on 1 ugo monye seemed to panic and didnt pass the ball and after that it was around 8 on 2 and it was almost as if the fowards didnt trust their own backs!
i have seen something similar like this when the ospreys put around 40 phases together and it wasnt made up of foward drives but passing attacking rugby where every player trusted his team mates and it was great to see.
the ospreys scored the try and the conversion, to beat sale by 1 point.
go to youtube and type in 'most dramatic try ever' to see it.
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 1:09 am
Terrific stuff! The long bit-by-bit struggle in the forwards resonated with the great game's most basic origins .. Evans's line-breaks were electrifying .. then the droppy just creeps over .. nice. Excellent commentary too.
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 3:22 am
What fantastic "old-fashioned" rugby.
Pieter Burger
New Zealand
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 8:59 am
During Evans second run, the backs were too scared to pass the ball, could have resulted in the try
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 9:07 am
Great Rugby
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 9:29 am
Just wow... Im flabbergasted.
That was one hell of an intense match, probably one of the best we'll see this season.
By Sea-Bass, at December 29, 2008 12:51 pm
no wonder they had 50 000 sell out for their next home game!
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 12:56 pm
gutted for stade but congrats to harlequins
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 4:56 pm
gutted for stade but congrats to harlequins
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 4:56 pm
Regarding the Ospreys comment by someone earlier: the ospreys one was an amazing try but conditions do play a part and the quins-stade match was pretty much 80 mins of heavy rain, so obviously at 80+mins its not the time to chuck it around where a knock on could easily happen, keep it safe in the forwards. which is what they did and they won. pretty silly to criticise them really
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 5:46 pm
man i hate stade francais - its everything rugby rugby should not be. thank god quins beat them!
By Anonymous, at December 29, 2008 7:38 pm
simply brilliant!!
evans, those 2 breaks first and then the drop!! Amazing!!
By Anonymous, at December 30, 2008 1:00 pm
dodo u obviously havnt a clue.
By Anonymous, at December 30, 2008 4:51 pm
YAWN that was boring
By Anonymous, at December 30, 2008 7:51 pm
GREAT vid of the packs working. Don't see enough of that stuff too often on this site-- and that's comin from a winger! Thanks RD!
By Anonymous, at December 31, 2008 3:09 am
i think the archive you wirte is very good, but i think it will be better if you can say more..hehe,love your blog,,,
By Anonymous, at January 03, 2009 11:41 pm
sooooooo ........... slow ............. was their anything left out there ??? yeah amazing rugby - the highlight and match winner and half of you are hailing as good an effort as 2003 - is a kiwi - ha ha ha ha ha ha
By Anonymous, at January 04, 2009 1:28 am
man harlequins r lucky 2 have nick evans. he made the right decision to leave nz ta go play over there .. all the best 4 him ..
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