Marchant recovered the restart and almost tied things up again. Gloucester survived, though, and were back in the Harlequins’ 22 to begin the second quarter. Joe Marler, an early replacement for Kerrod, chopped down Ackermann and then helped muscle a scrum penalty. Moments later, his jackal frustrated Gloucester. Huw Jones, re-joining Glasgow Warriors at the end of this season, is in fine form and found space with a deft chip.
On the second phase, he latched on to an inside pass from Hastings and carved through Harlequins. Harris was on hand and held off two covering defenders. By this stage, Gloucester’s momentum looked irresistible. On the back of a box-kick from Charlie Chapman, Val Rapava-Ruskin made ground and Clarke pierced the line. Hastings extended the lead to 24-7 with a neat drop-goal. Despite their penchant for turning the tables, Harlequins needed inspiration. Their scrum was dominant, and earned an opportunity, but a trademark inside pass from Smith to Dombrandt was spilled. Gloucester headed into the changing rooms with a 17-point cushion that their greater urgency and accuracy deserved. While they did demonstrate urgency to start the second period, Harlequins’ own accuracy remained sketchy.
Adam Hastings converted. Harlequins’ response reflected the game’s harum-scarum nature. Marchant was tripped by a Louis Rees-Zammit tap-tackle and Chris Harris pilfered possession. However, Ruan Ackermann’s offload was intercepted by Danny Care. After a Simon Kerrod charge, Alex Dombrandt cut a characteristic angle. Harlequins were not level for long. Santiago Carreras slipped through around the fringes and linked up with Clarke, who showed superb pace to outstrip Louis Lynagh. The lock’s Superman dive delighted the travelling Gloucester fans.
A botched wrap-around move allowed Thorley to bolt out of the Gloucester 22. Marchant’s cover tackle was brilliant and, although the outside centre then chucked a pass into touch after Care had scurried up the middle, the pair combined more successfully to rejuvenate Harlequins. Care’s grubber from a five-metre scrum sat up and Marchant finished. Smith added the extras and the deficit was 10. Gloucester, who lost Morgan and Harris to injury, appeared to steady themselves until they presented an opening.
“Against France, who went on to win the Six Nations, I thought he was the best player on the field, ” said Matson of Marchant. “For us, he is so reliable – one of our best. ”Gloucester had forged a 24-7 advantage, with Ollie Thorley and Freddie Clarke excellent, before fading in warm sunshine. A “proud” George Skivington stressed that his team “will go hard whatever happens” when they host Saracens in two weeks.
Gloucester were proving tough to crack, though. Georgia international Giorgi Kveseladze, at inside centre instead of Mark Atkinson, was impressive. Carreras was the next to register a breakdown steal. That set up a promising platform and a slick try resulted. Lewis Ludlow was the key man. Gloucester’s skipper, who captained England on this ground last July, took the line-out and then arced into midfield.
Turnovers littered a manic start. Cadan Murley, himself unfortunate not to receive an England call-up, forced a breakdown penalty directly from kick-off. Marcus Smith nudged to the corner but Gloucester held firm. Thorley lifted the volume with a 40-metre surge and Gloucester notched the first points. They arrived from a familiar source. Clarke rose at the tail of a close-range line-out and Ben Morgan benefitted from a rumbling maul.
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