Harlequins 14 Worcester Warriors 11 (From Worcester News)

Harlequins 14 Worcester Warriors 11

7:10pm Sunday 7th March 2010 in

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STAND-in stand-off Rory Clegg booted Worcester Warriors to a Guinness Premiership defeat against Harlequins at The Stoop.

The England under 20 fly-half only played in the match after New Zealander Nick Evans failed a late fitness test, but he stroked home a long-range 69th-minute penalty to seal a narrow victory.

Tries from former England full-back Mike Brown and England Saxon Miles Benjamin left the game tied at 5-5 at the interval and, although Warriors twice led through Matt Jones penalties, three successful Clegg kicks secured the verdict for the hosts.

Worcester were penalised for not driving straight and scrum-half Karl Dickson took a quick tap and burst up to the visitors’ 22.

The ball was recycled to Clegg, who chipped wide to David Strettle where the former England wing got the better of Benjamin, before his forwards drove the ball on and muscled Brown over for the opening try.

Worcester worked a slick move between Jones and Sam Tuitupou, who broke the line and made the home 22, before finding Chris Pennell. Scrum-half Jonny Arr was quick to the breakdown and fired the ball to Jones, whose long pass found Tuitupou.

The former All Black picked out full-back Chris Latham, who sent Benjamin sliding over in the corner to level the scores.

George Lowe set up a foot race with Dale Rasmussen after Quins stripped Kai Horstmann of possession. The Warriors centre was treading water against, but the Quins man was adjudged to have knocked-on over the line.

The lively Dickson then burst round the blindside of a ruck, only to be thwarted by Latham’s last-ditch tackle. However, he kept the ball alive and centre Jordan Turner-Hall stepped his man and threatened to score.

The Quins forwards battered away at the Worcester line, before Clegg looked to go himself, but referee Martin Fox hit the youngster for holding on and Warriors were able to clear their lines.

Former Worcester lock James Percival got involved in a spat with Greg Rawlinson, resulting in a penalty to the visitors. However, Jones sliced his attempt wide left.

Adam Black and Aleki Lutui came on for Matt Mullan and Chris Fortey early in the second-half and soon combined with Taumoepeau to help wheel an attacking Quins scrum and forced a penalty.

A Jones chip kick was then gathered by Tuitupou, who surged into the Quins 22 with support from the Warriors pack. With numbers out to the left, home tighthead John Andress was penalised for preventing Arr getting the ball away and Jones slotted the simple kick.

Clegg soon levelled matters, though, after a Craig Gillies high tackle.

As Worcester looked to attack more, centre Tuitupou took the ball into contact and Fuga was guilty of not relasing his man. Jones stepped up and cooly drilled the ball through the uprights.

However, as they so often do, Worcester gave the three points back with a scrum infringement in front of the posts, which Clegg took full advantage of.

Then, with 11 minutes left, Tom Wood’s high tackle saw Clegg drill what would be the match-winning penalty through the posts from the half-way line.

Although Worcester won a penalty, they opted to go for the corner rather than try a match-levelling shot at goal.

The decision back-fired, though, as Quins were able to disrupt the scrum and snuff out the scoring opportunity before forcing a turn-over and closing out the victory.