Saracens thrash Harlequins in front of record-breaking Wembley crowd
Last Updated: 28/03/15 6:57pm
Saracens moved second in the Aviva Premiership standings after a 42-14 hammering of Harlequins at Wembley.
Tries from Billy Vunipola and two each for Chris Wyles and Chris Ashton gave Saracens an important win over their London rivals as the race for play-off spots gains momentum.
There were 84,068 people watching on - a world record for a club rugby match - as Saracens put five tries past last year's losing semi-finalists.
Showing the clinical nature of Saracens’ win, two of their tries were scored while they had 14 men on the field, and they were chasing the game from the outset when they conceded a try within 30 seconds of the start.
Saracens fielded the ball from the kick-off but the clearance kick from Neil de Kock was charged down by Jack Clifford, who chased the ball into the in-goal area and dotted down to give Harlequins the lead after just 25 seconds. Evans missed the conversion.
Harlequins put two kicks into touch on the full and were punished on the second occasion when a well-worked move from Saracens put American Chris Wyles over the whitewash. Hodgson made no mistake with the conversion as his side took the lead.
A break from his line then a kick ahead from David Strettle was fielded by Ugo Monye shortly thereafter, but the Quins winger was isolated and conceded a penalty for holding on in front of the try line. He was also shown a yellow card by referee Wayne Barnes for the indiscretion. Hodgson stepped up and stretched the lead for his side.
It was Harlequins who scored next as they put three points on the board to eradicate the penalty from Hodgson through the boot of Evans, but they soon conceded again.
Chris Ashton was next to get his name on the scoreboard when a chip and chase went the way of the England winger to give his side a seven-point lead. Alex Goode rounded off a good half for Saracens with two kicks for goal to make it 21-8 at half-time.
Evans added a penalty for his side before Ashton tore up the right wing to extend his side's lead to 17 points after Goode's conversion, and the writing appeared to be on the wall for Conor O'Shea's men.
Evans added another before Chris Wyles put the game to rest with a try with seven minutes remaining.
Ashton was shown a yellow card in the 72nd minute, but Wyles' try, along with an effort from Billy Vunipola in the dying seconds gave Saracens a 42-14 win that puts them in second on the Premiership table with only four rounds remaining.
