Nick Evans maintains Harlequins' winning habit at Biarritz's expense

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/18/biarritz-harlequins-match-report

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Harlequins completed a clean sweep in Pool Three with a hard-earned victory at rain-soaked Biarritz. The reigning Premiership champions ended the French side's four-year unbeaten home run in the competition to wrap up a dominant display in the pool stages.

Tom Guest scored the game's only try while the tactical boot and goal-kicking of Nick Evans, who scored 11 points, proved decisive. Harlequins are guaranteed a home tie in the quarter-finals and only Toulon and Clermont-Auvergne can deny them top seeding for the knockout stage. Defeat ended Biarritz's slim hopes of progressing, though the 2006 and 2010 finalists could still qualify for a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Harlequins have previously found tries easier to come by in Europe, though the head coach, Conor O'Shea, declared himself satisfied with his team's professional display, despite another yellow card for the England the prop Joe Marler.

O'Shea said: "It was a mature performance and we are delighted with the attitude of the players. There was a lot of experience out there of playing together and in tough conditions but it was one of those nights when you had to roll the sleeves up and show as a group what it means to play for each other. We had to grind it out."

Biarritz had lost only one of their past 35 European games at Parc des Sports Aguiléra and none since 2008 but Quins rarely looked like losing this tie. The visitors were under pressure early on and conceded the opening points of the game but responded to lead 10-3 at half-time in heavy and wet conditions in south-west France.

Ollie Kohn produced a crucial turnover as the Biarritz pack rumbled towards the line as early as the fifth minute and Dimitri Yachvili fired wide before kicking Biarritz ahead on 12 minutes. But Quins and Evans swiftly adapted to the rain and mud to turn the tables on their hosts.

Evans' cross-field kick to Ugo Monye almost opened space for Mike Brown – making his 200th club appearance – but he was denied by the Wales wing Aled Brew. Takudzwa Ngwenya then spilled Evans' hoisted kick and Danny Care punted Quins upfield. Iain Balshaw scurried across to snuff out the danger but from the resulting lineout, Guest came down with the ball and slipped through his opposite number's hands to charge over from 10 metres. Evans converted for a seven-point lead after half an hour that Biarritz struggled to challenge.

Both sides finished the half with 14 men when Marler, for the second game in a row, and Wenceslas Lauret were sent to the sin-bin for trading blows. Quins appeared comfortable but indiscipline undermined their efforts and allowed Biarritz to remainwithin touching distance.

Brown was penalised after he was collared deep inside his own half early in the second period to hand Yachvili his second penalty. James Johnston then conceded for an infringement at a scrum, despite Harlequins' obvious advantage, and Yachvili narrowed his side's deficit to a single point on 54 minutes.

Marler then made amends for his earlier transgression by winning a penalty for his great work at the breakdown after Lauret was tackled and Evans saw his speculative effort from half-way bounce over off the crossbar.

Harlequins wasted an attacking lineout with an obstruction but escaped further punishment moments later when Yachvili pushed his effort wide. Evans had no problems with a third penalty from distance while Harlequins' advantage at the scrum then helped count down the final minutes to a well-deserved win.