Another trademark Harlequins comeback should not avert serious questions as to whether they ought to have been able to complete it. All credit to them for doing so through the replacement hooker, George Head, long after the clock had turned red but London Irish can feel aggrieved that they were not awarded a penalty a couple of minutes earlier that would have ended the match in their favour.
The London Irish director of rugby, Declan Kidney, bit his tongue afterwards but the frustration that the referee, Craig Maxwell-Keys, did not penalise Charlie Matthews for taking Benhard Janse van Rensburg out in the air was palpable among the Exiles. As it was, Harlequins proceeded to win a penalty from a scrum and Tommy Allan kicked to the corner. From there Matthews claimed the lineout and Head turned a three-point defeat into yet another dramatic victory for Harlequins.
