Stimpson consigns history to the bin

Harlequins 12 Leicester 19

The most outlandish sequence in English rugby had to end sometime. For the last two seasons Harlequins have knocked Leicester out of the Powergen Cup, which is a bit like Anna Kournikova beating one of the Williams sisters. Yesterday the natural order was restored when the Tigers took this quarter-final in straight sets.

Leicester, who won by two tries and three penalties to four penalties, are on course for a cup double having already qualified for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, which for the last two seasons has been kept under lock and key at Welford Road. As Mark Evans, the Quins chief executive, acknowledged: "Despite having something of an indifferent campaign in the Zurich Premiership this season, Leicester are a formidable outfit and remain the side against which all others are measured. Their ominous form in Europe has shown they are far from being sated when it comes to winning trophies'' and that was before the match.

Leicester won a lot more comfortably than the score might suggest. They were cruising when Martin Johnson charged down a kick from Ben Gollings, took advantage of a timely bounce, off-loaded to Martin Corry and the No 8 slipped an inside pass to Jamie Hamilton.

With the Quins defence ruptured, the scrum-half sprinted over from about 30 yards to touch down at the posts. However, before Tim Stimpson could convert, the attention of the referee Chris White was drawn to the touch judge Roy Maybank who had his flag raised on the halfway line. Maybank had spotted an off-the-ball offence by the Leicester prop Franck Tournaire, who was involved in a protracted set-to with Tani Fuga.

Ignoring the animated protests of Johnson, the referee disallowed the try and awarded Quins a penalty. From the resultant line-out, Leicester fell off-side, Paul Burke kicked the penalty and the home side went in at half time the beneficiaries of a 10-point swing, trailing 9-13 instead of 6-20. Could they take advantage? Not a bit of it.

Leicester had already scored a very good try in the 14th minute. Stimpson found touch inside the Quins 22 with a 60-yard punt from a penalty and the consequence was vintage Leicester. Johnson took the line-out and after a series of punishing drives, Hamilton broke on the blindside before sending Stimpson over in the right-hand corner.

That put the Tigers 8-3 in front, a lead they were never to lose and it was a seminal moment. Quins had nearly got over at the start when a slick break by Will Greenwood had Nathan Williams and Dan Luger scenting a try, but the Tigers defence held out.

In the sixth minute Lewis Moody was shown a yellow card for attempting to channel the ball from a ruck and from the penalty Burke kicked Quins ahead.

However, a high tackle by Fuga on Sam Vesty enabled Stimpson to level and a few minutes later came the fullback's try. Thus, when reduced to 14 men, Leicester had scored eight points without reply. A statement of intent if ever there was one.

To make matters worse Quins then strung together 10 phases of play and even with a numerical superiority failed to gain a yard. In the process their enforcer in the back row, Ace Tiatia was hurt and although Burke made it 6-8 it was the closest they got. When Tiatia was sent to the sin-bin, Stimpson uncharacteristically missed a straightforward penalty but with Ace still in the hole Leicester did not waste their advantage.

Geordan Murphy put in a dazzling little run down the right flank and although he was caught just short of the line after beating three defenders, he found Moody on his shoulder and the flanker crashed over.

The result of the Hamilton try that wasn't was that the tie, which would have been killed stone dead, at least kept the capacity crowd enthralled in the second half. Leicester, who lost their last two cup matches here by 22-18 and 22-20, found themselves involved in another tense encounter, at least in terms of the scoreline. The fact is, apart from the opening minutes Quins never looked like scoring a try.

Part of the problem was the link between the pack and the backs. The scrum-half Scott Bemand was far too hesitant in his delivery and good ball was often wasted.

Bemand, of course, was operating under great pressure. Another factor in Quins's inability to beat the gain line or secure swift possession is Leicester's age-old habit of killing the ball. They do it professionally, effectively and often illegally but have perfected it to such a fine art that they usually get away with it.

Last season the Tigers had been too complacent, leaving some of their biggest guns on the bench. Yesterday they did not repeat the mistake, although the sight of Neil Back running on midway through the second half did not improve Quins's chances of escaping from the suffocation.

The status quo was maintained when Stimpson and Burke exchanged penalties, but this time there was to be no last-minute winner from the Quins. Instead, reduced to desperate defence in front of their own posts, they were penalised, ironically, for killing the ball and Stimpson slotted over his third penalty. Game, set and match.

Leicester's victory by seven points was a neat margin, a reminder of the seven they lost in the first half. Vesty showed some promising touches and can expect a decent run at No 10 for Leicester who will not see the return of Austin Healey for eight weeks. Healey, who has an Achilles injury, will miss the semi-final at the start of March.

Harlequins: N Williams; D Luger, W Greenwood, V Satala, B Gollings; P Burke, S Bemand; J Leonard, T Fuga, J Dawson, B Davison (J Evans, 60), A Codling, A Tiatia, T Diprose, A Vos (capt).

Leicester: T Stimpson; G Murphy, O Smith (S Booth, 69), R Kafer, L Lloyd; S Vesty, J Hamilton; G Rowntree (P Freshwater, 56-74), D West, F Tournaire (D Garforth, 56), M Johnson (capt), B Kay, L Moody, M Corry, J Kronfeld (N Back, 63).

Referee: C White (Cheltenham)