Quins thrash Gloucester

Harlequins did their fading hopes of reaching the Aviva Premiership play-offs the power of good on Saturday when they thrashed in-form Gloucester 53-15 at the Twickenham Stoop.

The home side have been in poor form of late but they responded with an emphatic performance that brought a hat-trick for Ugo Monye, two tries for George Lowe and a fine kicking display from Rory Clegg.

Joe Gray and George Robson also crossed having both returned to the Quins line-up, with Gloucester seemingly suffering a hangover following last weekend's LV= Cup success.

The Cherry and Whites came into the match boasting an 11-match unbeaten record and it remains to be seen whether the loss damages their hopes of catching Leicester and Saracens.

Both sides were much-changed, with Harlequins able to welcome back Nick Easter and Danny Care from England duty as well as Gray and Robson.

Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath, meanwhile, decided to field players returning from both injury and international duty in an overhaul of the side that beat Newcastle last Sunday.

Pressure

After a tentative start, Quins started to apply pressure as both Care and Gray went close in the opening 10 minutes.

Clegg put them ahead with a 20-yard penalty as Harlequins started to both dominate the contact areas and look to make powerful plays through the middle.

Their first try soon came, with Gray driving towards the line in the 25th minute after some clever play and steady pressure.

Clegg kicked the extras, although Gloucester had their first points on the board three minutes later when Nicky Robinson kicked a penalty.

There was no respite for the visitors, though, as Harlequins returned to the attack. Their intent yielded its reward, in the shape of two tries in two minutes on the stroke of half time.

Robson crossed in the corner before Monye found himself in acres space to run the ball into the corner, with Clegg converting both.

Harlequins left the field to a standing ovation from the home fans in the sell-out crowd and they had more to cheer after the interval.

Gloucester failed to make any substitutions yet they had to withstand as much pressure as they had before half time.

Quins spent the opening seven minutes camped inside Gloucester's 22 but in the absence of a fourth try, they had to make do with another Clegg penalty.

Gap

The try came soon enough, though, and it was Monye who crossed again in the 50th minute after exposing a gap and sprinting clear.

Clegg converted, as he did 10 minutes later after Lowe went over.

Gloucester coach Redpath did eventually make changes and it was one of their number, Henry Trinder, who ran through to score in the 71st minute.

Robinson converted but normal service resumed just as soon as Lowe ran in a converted try, with Monye's hat-trick coming in the dying moments.

Tim Molenaar added another consolation try for Gloucester at the death but Robinson's skewed conversion attempt summed up their afternoon.