Harlequins (21) 35 |
Tries: Lynagh, Dombrandt, Murley, Marchant, Lamb-Cona Cons: Allan 5 |
Worcester (3) 29 |
Tries: Lawrence, Heinz, Chudley, Thomas Cons: Williams 3 Pens: Williams |
Premiership champions Harlequins were taken all the way by Worcester, who grabbed two late bonus points as compensation for losing at The Stoop.
Quins looked comfortable at 21-3 up at half-time with tries from Louis Lynagh, Alex Dombrandt and Cadan Murley.
Joe Marchant cancelled out a try from England centre Ollie Lawrence for Worcester who crossed again through Willi Heinz and Will Chudley.
But after Quins’ Dino Lamb-Cona scored, Warriors’ Mark Thomas got the last try.
That was worth two bonus points – one as it was Warriors’ fourth try, and a second for losing by only six points.
Tommy Allan had a great day with the boot for the hosts, landing all five conversions, including three from the touchline, while Owen Williams kicked three of Worcester’s four conversions and a penalty.
The Premiership’s first woman referee
Sara Cox became the first woman to referee a Premiership game as she took charge of the fixture.
It was a delayed debut as she had originally been chosen to referee the Worcester-Gloucester game in June, which was cancelled because of Covid.
Cox, 31, from Devon, became the world’s first professional female rugby union referee in 2016, and was the first woman to take charge of a game between two top-tier sides when Northampton beat Wasps in the Premiership Cup in 2018.
In her first league fixture in charge, she dished out one yellow card to Warriors winger Noah Heward for an aerial challenge on Tyrone Green.
Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Murley; Allan, Care; Marler, Walker, Kerrod, Symons, Lamb, Lawday, Kenningham, Dombrandt (capt).
Replacements: Riley, Baxter, Collier, Tizard, Chrisholm, Steele, Jones, Northmore.
Worcester Warriors: Shillcock; Heward, Lawrence, Venter, Humphreys; Williams, Heinz (co-capt); Waller, Baldwin, Judge, Hatherell, Clegg, Hill (co-capt), Lewis, Kvesic.
Replacements: Annett, M Thomas, Owlett, Garvey, Kitchener, Chudley, Searle, Nanai.
Sin-bin: Heward (35).
Referee: Sara Cox