Premiership: Harlequins score nine tries in 59-24 win over Gloucester

Harlequins are aiming to become the Premiership champions for the first time since 2011-12

Harlequins scored nine tries to thrash Gloucester 59-24 at Twickenham Stoop.

Tries from Luke Northmore, Mike Brown, Cadan Murley and Danny Care secured the bonus point and gave Quins a 24-0 lead.

However, Gloucester levelled the game after two Charlie Chapman tries and one from Freddie Clarke, but Quins pulled clear again with Care scoring his second try and Tyrone Green his first.

Matt Banahan was sent off for the visitors and Alex Dombrandt (two) and Northmore added further Quins scores.

Gloucester tried to claim a bonus point late on, but were denied a fourth try by the home defence.

Quins are third in the Premiership, seven points behind leaders Bristol, who play at Northampton on Sunday, while Gloucester stay 11th after bottom-of-the-table Worcester were beaten 47-22 by Bath.

Banahan had been sent off for direct head contact when making a tackle, a challenge that saw him need some medical treatment on the pitch, and 14-man Gloucester conceded three tries late on as Quins registered their biggest win of the season.

The hosts, beaten 21-20 by reigning champions Exeter Chiefs a week ago, looked to have wrapped up the game up after 26 minutes after Northmore dived over in the corner, a fine run from Andre Esterhuizen led to Brown extending their lead, Murley ran in unchallenged for the third and Care finished off a fine passing move.

However, the visitors, fielding 12 changes from the side that lost 20-14 at home to Leicester on 13 March, did manage to get on the scoresheet in the first half thanks to Chapman's try under the posts.

Quins led 24-7 at half-time, but started to make costly mistakes early in the second period.

A George Barton penalty cut their advantage and Quins thought they had scored again, following Marcus Smith's kick through, but it was ruled out because Green was offside.

Clarke reached over to pull Gloucester close and a misplaced Quins pass enabled Chapman to run through for his second try and make it 24-24.

But the impressive Northmore settled Quins' nerves as he set up Care to restore the home side's lead and Green's try, which saw him in run in from the flank after a lovely one-handed pass from Esterhuizen, gave Gloucester a mammoth task.

It got even tougher for them when Banahan was dismissed after he was judged to have led with his head while tackling Green. Worryingly, Banahan remained on the ground for a few minutes, but was then able to get to his feet and walked off the field after being sent off.

With 14 men, Gloucester's defence fell apart as they conceded three tries in the last 10 minutes, two to Quins captain Dombrandt and another for Northmore.

Quins 'got sloppy' - reaction

Harlequins attack and backs coach Nick Evans: "We almost started too well, going 24-0 up after 20 minutes or so, then we got sloppy.

"We stopped working at the non-glamourous stuff, which was disappointing for us a group, and we let them back into the game in a period after half-time - and we just can't have that.

"That's going to cost us games, them scoring off the back of three penalties in a row and then an intercept.

"What was very pleasing was the way we wrestled it back and then really dominated the last third of the game, against a tiring defence.

"It's the way we want to play, the way we feel we can beat teams through our attack, which gives our defence energy.

"Overall, we would say that we were a bit sloppy, but also that we created lots of opportunities and ended up with nine tries."

Gloucester head coach George Skivington: "I wouldn't debate that it's a red card or anything, under the laws, but we do seem to be falling on the wrong side of decisions lately.

"I'm not going to argue either way, I just think that if we stop every incident in a rugby game, there would be no one left on the pitch.

"If I thought there was an issue with our character then I would scream and shout a little bit, but actually I thought the boys worked unbelievably hard.

"Those young lads that came on, the energy they brought, it wasn't necessarily accurate, but it was energetic.

"They played rugby together as kids and they're growing nicely.

"That's their exposure, that's their learning, so there's no point in getting too down or screaming and shouting about it.

"I would have liked to have nicked the bonus point, but it wasn't to be."

Harlequins: Brown; Green, Northmore, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Els, Gray, Kerrod, Symons, Lamb, Chisholm, Evans, Dombrandt (capt)

Replacements: Baldwin, Marler, Louw, Young, Lawday, Landajo, Herron Tapuai

Gloucester: Sharples; Seabrook, Trinder, Banahan, Morris; Barton, Chapman; Rapava-Ruskin, Hunt, Balmain, Garvey (capt), Atkins, Clarke, Clement, B Morgan

Replacements: Gleave, Seville, Ford-Robinson, Thomas, Howard, Jones, Marsh, A Morgan

Sent off: Banahan (69)

Referee: Ian Tempest

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