Online Reporter
EDWARD Sigauke said he was ‘SUPER HAPPY’ after scoring two tries on his debut for Harlequins in a pre-season rugby match 33-19 on Saturday
Replacement Sigauke marked his first touch of the match with a try in the 62nd minute, converted by Connor Slevin to nudge Quins back in front at 26-19.
Sigauke struck a second time in the 77th minute, breaking clear down the short side after a defensive lapse, with Slevin’s conversion putting the game out of reach at 33-19.
It was an impressive outing from a young Edinburgh team as they went toe-to-toe with a fully stacked Harlequins outfit who added gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages.
Freddy Douglas was, at times, unplayable at the breakdown as he won three turnover penalties in the opening half.
Capital youngsters Hector Patterson, Geordie Gwynn, Tom Currie and Ollie Blyth-Lafferty all caught the eye, while academy centre Henry Kesterton earned his first senior minutes after Mosese Tuipulotu was forced off early on having failed his HIA.
The mood turned serious inside the opening minute when Harlequins’ George Furbank was knocked unconscious in a collision, with medics on the pitch treating him before he was able to walk off to applause from The Stoop
Edinburgh looked sharp in the early stages, particularly when working the ball down the short side. Darcy Graham found space in behind on Edinburgh’s first meaningful attack, but his chip ahead just drifted over the dead-ball line.
With Douglas a constant nuisance at the breakdown, Edinburgh were able to gain good field position through the boot of James Grayson. Strong lineout work and patience from the pack paid off in the 10th minute when a driving maul was finished off by hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty. Grayson’s conversion made it 7-0.
Quins hit back immediately, tidy handling releasing winger Tyrone Green to race in from 10 metres out and level the scores at 7-7.
The hosts struck again in the 31st minute, Green finishing off another slick Harlequins break for his second of the night, though Smith’s conversion attempt drifted wide.
Edinburgh’s night took another hit in the 39th minute when Callum Hunter-Hill was sin-binned for killing the ball with Quins camped on the try-line, and the hosts made the extra man count almost instantly: Marcus Smith finished it off himself and added the extras to send Harlequins in 19-7 to the good at the break. – Sports Reporter/Harlequins
