Scintillating double centurion Marcus Smith stars as Harlequins beat Saracens in their first league win.
Harlequins felled listless London rivals Saracens to win their first Prem Rugby match of the season 33-15.
Marcus Smith starred for the home side on his 200th cap, a remarkable achievement at only 28, guiding his side to victory through both dynamic attacks and last-gasp defensive efforts.
A buffeted and blown Saracens were impotent and ill-disciplined throughout much of the first half, allowing star man Smith to dot down the opening try for Harlequins in the 3rd minute, with Seb Driscoll doubling the pain in the 15th.
They continued to be at sixes and sevens, even losing their 8, for much of the opening half as Ben Earl was yellow-carded following a mauled penalty try in the 24th minute.
Harlequins furthered their advantage with a try from captain Cadan Murley in the left corner after a high tackle by the yellow-carded Fergus Burke in the opposite corner.
Their only saving grace was two unconverted tries from Rotimi Segun in the left corner in the 19th minute and a maul try from Theo Dan in the 41st.
The second half continued in the same vein, with Saracens conceding field position in the opening exchanges due to indiscipline and a lack of clinical edge.
This culminated in a fantastic score from Will Porter in the 55th minute, who gathered a loose Saracens ball with his knee before skipping around a couple of white shirts to add to his side’s advantage.
After Porter's score, Saracens asserted dominance briefly, leading to a tight corner finish from Nick Tompkins in the 61st minute.
It was too little, too late for the North London side as the local rivals traded blows without affecting the match's outcome.
Harlequins vs Saracens scorers
Harlequins: Tries: (Smith 3’, Driscoll 15’, Penalty Try 24, Murley 36’, Porter 55’) Conversions: (Smith 3’, 15’, 56’)
Saracens: Tries: (Segun 19’, Dan 41’, Tompkins 62’)
Player of the Match
Marcus Smith — Harlequins
Super double centurion Smith was at his all-court best today in the London derby. Beyond scoring his team’s first try, the Quarters fly-half dictated the match's flow in attack superbly.
However, his best moment came in defence today as he stopped a certain Max Malins try by pickpocketing the Saracens fullback in the act of scoring.
His return in the last month has lifted Quins' form, and they'll hope to use this win as a springboard for the rest of the season.
Biggest Underperformer
Maro Itoje — Saracens
The England captain’s impotence mirrored his pack's performance today. Drops and early set-piece issues held back his side in the derby, as they rarely created a platform for his team to score points.
Player to Watch
Will Porter — Harlequins
An underrated name in the Harlequins squad, Porter is the perfect partner for the effervescent Smith.
His steady kicking helped Harlequins exploit the opposition’s indiscipline while controlling field position throughout.
He has also added to an exceptional highlight reel from this season, scoring another solo try in the corner at the Stoop.
Harlequins player ratings:
15. George Furbank: 7
14. Rodrigo Isgró: 5 (Subbed: 67’, 75’)
13. Luke Northmore: 7
12. Bryn Bradley: 7
11. Cadan Murley: 7.5
10. Marcus Smith: 8
9. Will Porter: 8 (Subbed: 70’)
1. Fin Baxter: 6 (Subbed: 40’)
2. Sam Riley: 6(Subbed: 58’)
3. Ollie Streeter: 6 (Subbed: 46’)
4. James Dun: 6 (Subbed: 55’)
5. Kieran Treadwell: 6 (Subbed: 53’)
6. Jack Kenningham: 6
7. Seb Driscoll: 7 (Subbed: 56’)
8. Lucas Schmid: 6
Replacements
16. Jimmy Staples: 6 (Subbed on: 58’)
17. Will Hobson: 6 (Subbed on: 40’)
18. Pedro Delgado: 6 (Subbed on: 46’)
19. Elliot Williams: 6 (Subbed on: 56’)
20. Harry Browne: 6 (Subbed on: 53’)
21. Will Evans: 6 (Subbed on: 56’)
22. Lucas Friday: 6(Subbed on: 70’)
23. Nick David: 5 (Subbed on: 67’)
Saracens player ratings:
15. Max Malins: 5
14. Jack Bracken: 5.5
13. Lucio Cinti: 5
12. Nick Tompkins: 6.5
11. Rotimi Segun: 6
10. Fergus Burke: 3.5 (Subbed and Yellow Card: 35’)
9. Tomos Williams: 5 (Subbed: 61’)
1. Rhys Carré: 5 (Subbed: 48’)
2. Theo Dan: 5.5 (Subbed: 48’)
3. Marcus Street: 5 (Subbed: 48’)
4. Maro Itoje: 4.5
5. George Martin: 4 (Subbed: 48’)
6. Nathan Mitchelow: 6 (Subbed: 69’)
7. Andy Onyeama-Christie: 5 (Subbed: 49’)
8. Ben Earl: (Yellow Card: 24’)
Replacements
16. Jamie George: 5(Subbed on: 48’)
17. Alex O’Driscoll: 5(Subbed on: 48’)
18. Alec Cleary: 5(Subbed on: 48’)
19. Hugh Tizard: 5 (Subbed on: 49’)
20. Nick Isiekwe: 5(Subbed on: 69’)
21. Juan Martin Gonzalez: 6 (Subbed on: 49’)
22. Tom James: 5(Subbed on: 61’)
23. Angus Hall: 5 (Subbed on: 40’)
