Exiles start season with win

London Irish 18 Harlequins 12

The new Zurich Premiership season spluttered into life at Twickenham as London Irish ground out victory over Harlequins in the opening match of today’s London double header.

This is meant to be the most eagerly awaited campaign in the history of English club rugby but somebody clearly forgot to tell that to Irish and Quins who produced a dismal curtain raiser.

Sweltering conditions played their part – it was unbearably hot and the players were justifiably given a water break midway through the second half - but the weather did not entirely excuse the lack of quality on show.

The 50,000 fans who turned up for the first match of the afternoon will have been bitterly disappointed by an encounter which bore resemblance to a January clash in driving rain.

Geoff Appleford’s 54th minute try put Irish on course for victory, with an opportunist touchdown from England winger Paul Sackey near the final whistle sealing a result Gary Gold’s men deserved.

Quins staged a revival late in the second half with substitute Jeremy Staunton slotting two penalties in quick succession but there was too much ground to make up – especially with Irish looking the more incisive in attack.

The Exiles caught the eye early on with a couple of sniping runs from Darren Edwards but the former Wales Under-21 international then squandered a fine position by choosing to go alone.

Irish controlled the opening 10 minutes and deserved to draw first blood through a Barry Everitt penalty, although he missed an easier second opportunity shortly after.

The Reading-based side continued to probe for openings as they looked to convert their superiority into points and went close to scoring in the left corner through winger Scott Staniforth.

But their ambition almost cost them in the 20th minute when a loose pass from Appleford was intercepted by Ugo Monye only for the England sevens ace to spill the ball with a guaranteed try on offer.

Sackey and Irish academy product Armitage Delon combined beautifully down the right flank during another promising attack but the latter was hauled into touch 10 yards short of the line.

Harlequins should have taken the lead in the 35th minute when Monye broke into space but despite having three unmarked players on his shoulder he hung onto the ball and was poleaxed by a high challenge from Mike Catt.

Catt – who signed from Bath over the summer – was lucky to escape a yellow card and Quins’ misery was compounded when their decision to kick for touch met with failure as Irish pinched possession at the ensuing line-out.

A magnificent try-saving tackle on Monye saw Catt make amends for his indiscretion moments earlier before Andy Dunne and Everitt swapped penalties to ensure Irish entered half-time with their three-point cushion intact.

Everitt was sinbinned in the 43rd minute for a high tackle on Dunne when his opposite number was weaving his way towards the line but Irish responded to his absence with a fine try 10 minutes later.

They battered their way at Quins’ line with a series of forward thrusts until the ball was released right to Appleford who powered on before stretching over the line and placing the ball down. Everitt was still on the sidelines so Catt converted.

Quins centre Mel Deane burst through until he was halted by Armitage but Mark Evans’ side ate away at Irish’s lead with a penalty from Staunton, who added his second with five minutes to go.

However, just as Quins were narrowing the gap, Sackey came off his wing, took possession at a ruck and sprinted home unopposed as his opponents were caught napping.

Everitt failed to add the extras but the result was already beyond doubt, although there was time for Staunton to salvage a bonus point with a penalty deep into injury time