Marcus Smith landed a match-winning penalty with the sport’s ultimate kick as Harlequins claimed an exhilarating 36-33 Heineken Champions Cup victory over Cardiff
The England fly-half had pounced 4 minutes from time by scoring a strive that he transformed, after which confirmed his staff’s place within the competitors’s spherical of 16 by a nerveless last-gasp strike.
The Gallagher Premiership champions appeared as if they’d pay a hefty value for captain Alex Dombrandt’s second-half yellow card.
Cardiff turned the sport – performed behind closed doorways on the Arms Park – on its head whereas England worldwide Dombrandt was off, scoring three quickfire tries.
However Quins dug deep as Smith added to earlier tries from Louis Lynagh, Tyrone Inexperienced, Luke Northmore and Danny Care whereas Smith kicked 4 conversions and a penalty for a 16-point haul.
Wing Owen Lane led the best way for Cardiff, touching down twice as Wales head coach Wayne Pivac appeared on, with forwards James Ratti, Dillon Lewis and Corey Domachowski additionally scoring and fly-half Jarrod Evans including 4 conversions.
Cardiff, hit by participant unavailability for his or her opening two European video games earlier than Christmas, had been beneath fast stress as Smith twice made sharp half-breaks, and it was no shock when he created a gap strive after simply six minutes.
Cardiff had been stretched defensively, and Smith’s pinpoint kick was caught by Lynagh, who completed impressively earlier than Smith transformed to open up a seven-point lead.
However Quins had been then rocked by an equalising Cardiff rating simply 5 minutes later as Lane powered his manner over for a strive that owed every thing to his power and elusiveness.
Evans’ conversion put Cardiff on degree phrases, they usually struck once more on the finish of a full of life opening quarter after centre Rey Lee-Lo surged clear in midfield, Adams took the transfer on, then Ratti touched down from shut vary.
A second profitable Evans conversion meant Quins’ promising opening had evaporated, and Cardiff continued to play spectacular front-foot rugby, led by Lee-Lo.
Quins, although, exerted sustained stress by their forwards approaching half-time, they usually pounced after Cardiff prop Dimitri Arhip was sin-binned following repeated staff infringements.
Cardiff had defended strongly, however they had been undone when Inexperienced stepped inside a last-ditch sort out for his staff’s second strive, and though Smith drifted the conversion try extensive, Quins had been firmly again in rivalry at 14-12 adrift.
Smith and firm thought that they had struck once more inside a minute of the restart, after a advantageous kick into area by the fly-half was gathered at tempo by centre Joe Marchant, earlier than Care dived over between the posts.
Cardiff suffered a heartbreaking late defeat (David Davies/PA)
(PA Wire)
However the rating was dominated out for Care being offside, and whereas it was an enormous let-off for Cardiff, they had been quickly undone by extra advantageous work by Smith, who arrange an assault that ended with Dombrandt delivering a scoring go to Northmore.
Cardiff had been rocked again on their heels, but they delivered a powerful response after Dombrandt was yellow-carded for a technical offence on Quins’ line, with Lewis scoring a 3rd try to Evans’ conversion nudging his staff again in entrance.
Quins had been all of a sudden all over, and two extra tries adopted in fast succession as Lane completed fantastically on the nook flag, then Domachowski scored after an exhilarating long-distance staff transfer.
Evans transformed the fourth Cardiff strive, leaving Quins 12 factors behind getting into the ultimate quarter.
They needed to rating subsequent to realistically revive victory hopes, and it was Care who delivered, sniping his manner by Cardiff’s defence, and one other Smith conversion halved the deficit.
Hooker Kirby Myhill grew to become the second Cardiff participant to gather a yellow card because the clock ticked down, and Quins had been camped contained in the opposition 22 earlier than Smith confirmed his class by a strive, conversion and penalty to finish a surprising late fightback.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
