Harlequins 28-53 Bristol Bears – Bristol made a quick run after Quins’ second half collapse

By George Davis

Harlequins collapsed late in the second half to lose 28-53 to Bristol Bears at The Stoop. Both teams failed to qualify for the play-offs, with Sale securing a stunning away win at Saracens to keep them both in the bottom of the top four.

Despite the play-off drama, there was plenty of emotion coursing through the players’ veins before kick-off, with Saturday’s game a final appearance for many in the Premiership.

Will Collier, Louis Lynagh and Andre Esterhuizen all ran out in the famous quarters (though they didn’t know it at the time) and Callum Sheedy, Kyle Sinckler and Magnus Bradbury also pulled on the Bears jersey for the last time. .

Encouraged to put on a show for the away side, Bristol scored with just a minute on the clock. Pat Lam’s side did well to touch wide channels of a line and found Gabriel Ibitoye in a space a little too big for Quin’s liking. The former Harlequin went through several tackles before finding James Williams a phase later to dive in the corner.

And a game between two of the Premiership’s great entertainers was soon to rise to its height. Chandler Cunningham-South crossed after a nice piece of finesse from Alex Dombrandt after a storming run by Andre Esterhuizen freed the back-rower to score.

The back-and-forth nature of the first half would then follow as neither team was able to gain a solid grasp of the game.

Ellis Genge clearly didn’t think much of Will Collier’s dummy in 2021 and decided to make one himself. The England international sent several Quins defenders to the shop after some nice interplay around the drop brought them into range.

Genge later thought after a wonderful break in the middle of the park near the prop, but Thacker was adjudged not to have cleared the ball before turning and Harlequins were spared reds.

Danny Wilson’s side then showed a patience about them that we hadn’t really seen from them before, with Alex Dombrandt going over after some repeated pressure near the edge of the West Country.

Former Quin Ibitoye was back to haunt the hosts once more, a Cunningham-South loose ball falling into the hands of the speedster who made no mistake finishing under the sticks.

A backline reshuffle for Bristol was then in order, with last month’s player Benhard Janse van Rhensburg ruled out injured and Callum Sheedy also substituted through injury. Genge followed suit after a strong start to the game.

Harlequins fell asleep again soon after the break, Joe Batley lashing over from inside his own half before Quins conceded at the break. The resulting penalty was kicked in the corner and Harry Thacker put Bristol ahead by 12 from the lead and gave them a bonus try point.

The reshuffle behind Pat Lam soon took notice for the wrong reasons, however, as a misplaced pass from makeshift scrum-half Max Malins fell to ground, Luke Northmore then struck to put Quins back in it.

What looked like an all-important bonus point was soon to come for the west Londoners, Dombrandt chipping away at a line of Bristolians before finding Oscar Beard to make it five. Cunningham-South then powered his way from close range to cap off an afternoon of try-scoring and man-busting to cement his England credentials.

A James Williams penalty put the visitors back ahead by a point and then they turned the heat back on. Max Lahiff headed in from close range to put the Bears up by eight.

Williams then added another penalty before the style took hold, Malins breaking from his own 22 to go most of the field and find Noah Heward on his shoulder to run in and finish off a score wonderful.

It wasn’t done yet as Gabriel Oghre benefited from the back of the rolling maul from close range to put Bristol past their half-century.

A late flurry of attacks from Harlequins would end their season with a loss.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Quins fans this season after an impressive showing in Europe, but they’ve been left with too much to do and you felt with the players leaving, their best chance was this year.

It’s a shame that neither of these teams could make the playoffs, but what a show they’ve given us all season.

HARLECHINS: 28

Tries: 4 Chandler Cunningham-South (8′,51), Alex Dombrandt (21′), Luke Northmore (46′)

Conversions: 4 Marcus Smith (9′,22′,47,52′)

Penalties: 0

Yellow cards: 0

Red cards: 0

15.Tyrone Green, 14.Louis Lynagh (59′), 13.Luke Northmore, 12. Andre Esterhuizen (48′), 11.Oscar Beard, 10.Marcus Smith, 9.Danny Care (50′), 1.Finlandez Baxter (59′), 2.Jack Walker (72′), 3.Will Collier (50′), 4.Irne Herbst (68′), 5. Stephan Lewies, 6. Chandler Cunningham-South, (60′) 7 .Will Evans, 8.Alex Dombrandt.

16.Sam Riley (72′), 17.Simon Kerrod (59′), 18.Dillon Lewis (50′), 19.George Hammond (68′), 20.James Chisholm (60′), 21.Will Porter ( 50′), 22. Jarrod Evans (59′), 23. Will Joseph (48′)

BRISTOL BEARS 53

Tries: 7 James Williams (1′), Ellis Genge (14′) Gabriel Ibitoye (24′) Harry Thacker (42′), Max Lahiff (64′), Noah Heward (70′), Gabriel Oghre (75′)

Conversions: 5 Callum Sheedy (2′,14′,25′) James Williams (64′,72′)

Penalties: 2 James Williams (57′, 68′)

Yellow cards: 0

Red cards: 0

15. Max Malins, 14. Noah Heward, 13. Benhard Yanse van Rensburg (3′), 12. James Williams, 11. Gabriel Ibitoye, 10. Callum Sheedy (36′), 9. Harry Randall (74′), 1 .Ellis Genge (36′) 2.Harry Thacker (56′), 3.Kyle Sinckler (56′) 4.James Dun (72′), 5.Joe Batley, 6.Steven Luatua, 7.Fitz Harding (C) , 8. Magnus Bradbury (72).

16.Gabriel Oghre (56′), 17.Jake Woolmore (36′), 18.Max Lahiff (56′), 19.Josh Caulfield (72′), 20.Benjamin Grondona (72′) 21.Kieran Marmion (74 ′) ′) 22. Virimi Vakatawa (3′) 23. Siva Naulago (36′)