Saracens v Harlequins

22/03/2014

v Harlequins

A world record crowd was treated to a try-fest at Wembley Stadium as Saracens overcame Harlequins on Saturday afternoon.

83,889 people were inside Wembley Stadium, a new world record for a club rugby union match, to witness a superb display from Owen Farrell.

The England man masterminded Quins' seventh defeat of the season behind a dominant pack, finishing with a try, three conversions and two penalties in an individual haul of 17 points.

The fly-half and man of the match, along with Vunipola, was replaced in the final quarter but by that point Saracens were already beyond reach.

Chris Ashton, George Kruis, Jacques Burger and Marcelo Bosch also ran in tries in a resounding victory that restores them to the summit of the Premiership table in the wake of Northampton's defeat at Sale.

A bright opening spell from Harlequins ended in calamity when Nick Easter shoveled on a pass that was picked off by Ashton.

There was still a chance for Ugo Monye to prevent Ashton pulling clear but he slipped off the tackle and the England wing ran threequarters of the pitch to score.

Quins were guilty of a more conspicuous defensive error in the 27th minute when Kennedy feebly rolled down the legs of Kruis and the lock cantered over unopposed.

Fine build up play preceded the score, but the 2012 Premiership champions were picked apart rather easily.

Dickson scampered through a gap around the breakdown to dart over from close range and narrow the gap only for his team to hit the self-destruct button once more on the stroke of half time.

Of all players it was Nick Evans, the composed veteran former All Black fly-half, who flung an unnecessary pass 10 metres out from his own line that was picked off by Farrell for Saracens' third try.

Determined work from wing Smith, a late replacement for Tom Williams who was injured during the warm-up, enabled Quins to cross on the blindside early in the second half.

The visitors were enjoying their brightest spell of the match, aided by Borthwick being sin-binned for a line-out infringement, but once the Saracens skipper returned they cracked once again.

Hooker Schalk Brits darted free from a line-out and was hauled down several metres short of the whitewash, but Burger was on hand to gather his pass out of the tackle and touch down.

Quins' humiliation was completed in the 80th minute when their disintegrating defence allowed Bosch to skip in under the posts.