Harlequins vs Bristol LIVE rugby: Result and reaction after visitors run riot to spoil Joe Marler’s farewell
After a busy autumn of international action, the Premiership returns with what should be an enteertaining clash
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Your support makes all the difference.Bristol Bears moved to the top of the Premiership as the visitors produced a statement performance against Harlequins to spoil Joe Marler’s farewell.
The high-flying Bears ran riot at the Twickenham stoop, showcasing all the flicks and tricks that make Pat Lam’s side the league’s great entertainers. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Gabriel Ibitoye and Viliame Mata - making a long-awaited debut after an injury-hit time since a summer switch from Edinburgh - were all to the fore in a 48-24 win.
It took the shine off a night where the hosts said adieu to one of their finest servants. Having announced his international retirement during November, prop Marler had brought forward his club curtain call. He departed just before the 50-minute mark to a standing ovation - one of precious few on a difficult night for the London club in the absence of Marcus Smith.
Re-live all of the action from the Stoop in our live blog below:
TRY! HARLEQUINS 5-0 Bristol (Alex Dombrandt, 4 minutes)
And the skipper givves Harlequins a perfect start!
Silky stuff from Jarrod Evans! A delicate dummy from the fly half takes him through a gap as Gabriel Ibitoye bites to the outside, with Alex Dombrandt providing necessary support to complete the score as Evans draws and gives as he’s clattered by the last defender. A poor conversion from Evans sails wide.
Harlequins 0-0 Bristol, 3 minutes
Strong defence initially from Bristol, Santiago Grondona making a lovely chop tackle. But here come the hosts...
Harlequins 0-0 Bristol, 2 minutes
Tyrone Green hares after a grubber and traps Gabriel Ibitoye just short of the Bristol line. Bears scrum half Kieran Marmion scrambles a kick away but Harlequins will throw a lineout inside the visitors’ 22.
Harlequins 0-0 Bristol, 1 minute
Bristol rarely kick to clear their lines and the Bears are immediately into their phase play. A thumping hit form Luke Northmore on Fitz Harding stalls their momentum, though, before an errant Viliame Mata offload gives Harlequins an attacking opportunity.
KICK OFF!
Harlequins fly half Jarrod Evans gets proceedings underway.
Harlequins vs Bristol
Joe Marler leads Harlequins out to a standing ovation, bringing his brood of four kids with him as he takes to a pitch he knows so well for the final time. His teammates follow him out, jogging past their retiring loosehead as he poses for the snappers.
Harlequins vs Bristol
The other Premiership game tonight is Newcastle against Saracens, which we’ll keep half an eye on. The DJ is pumping things up at the Stoop, though - it’s go time for Harlequins and Bristol.
Harlequins vs Bristol
It’s a chilly but dry night in Twickenham, the warming sun of the afternoon having long since disappeared. The game between these two at the end of last season, as Danny Wilson notes, was properly chaotic and open - what does tonight have in store?
Harlequins coach Danny Wilson hoping defensive improvements bring rewards
“We’ve worked hard over the beginning part of the season on our defence,” Danny Wilson said this weekend. “We looked at the Bristol game at the end of last season, we were in the lead on 58 minutes and we ended up getting beaten quite comfortably. You can’t switch off for a second against a team like Bristol. They will play quick lineouts, quick taps, play from deep. They play a lot of rugby and they do it well. So our defensive game will need to be on top of the detail to know what’s coming, we’ve trained a lot on that this week.
“Also, we’re an attacking side that scores tries ourselves and we’ve got players who can do that. We showed that in our last game against Exeter with a number of internationals missing, so I’m excited about what we can bring in attack. I think it’s going to be a really exciting occasion. Hopefully not too stressful, but I’m sure it will be exciting.
“We put a bit a little bit more time focus on our defence because we needed to do that. But you’ve still seen our identity in attack, we’ve scored plenty of tries. Our lineout attack has been good, whether it is a strike off the lineout or a maul try. When we are getting into those positions, we seem to be taking them. If we can develop the weapon where we have a set-piece attack and an unstructured attack.”
Harlequins boss pays tribute to retiring Joe Marler
“Joe’s a remarkable character on and off the pitch and hugely popular with our supporters,” Danny Wilson said this week.
“In retirement he should rightly be recognised for his outstanding achievements for both club and country.
“In the modern game, it’s rare that players stay at one club for the duration of their professional career and that can’t be overlooked.”
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