Loughborough Lightning gained their first win under head coach Nathan Smith in what was also the side’s first win at the Twickenham Stoop in any competition.
Tries from Megan Davey, Katie Trevarthen and Bo Westcombe-Evans helped Lightning move into a 19-14 half-time lead with Shaunagh Brown and Lucy Heyret crossing for the hosts.
Davey and Brown both grabbed their second tries in the second half before Bryony Cleall’s effort got Quins within two points. But Georgina Tasker scored the bonus-point sealing fourth score before Westcombe-Evans’ second opened a 14-point lead.
England international Brown secured her hat-trick late-on but it was too late to inflict any late heartbreak for the girls in African Violet shirts.
FIRST HALF:
It was a Lightning counter-attack that led to the first breakthrough. A clearance kick from Quins found the hands of Lia Green who combined with Tasker and Westcombe-Evans to put Hardy through down the wing before she offloaded to Davey for the score.
Harlequins hit back shortly after. A linebreak followed by a penalty against Ellen Scantlebury five metres out saw her go to the sinbin before Brown dived over from the resulting tap penalty.
Lightning were straight back on the ascendency with some continued territorial dominance. Strong work from the forwards saw Harlequins’ Cleall go to the sinbin for continued penalties in their defensive zone.
Katie Trevarthen made the numerical advantage immediately pay as she dove over on her first start of the season. This was quickly backed up with more pressure from Lightning. A loose ball was eventually cleaned up and Westcombe-Evans was put away to score a second try in quick succession.
After a lengthy stoppage for an injury, Harlequins were the aggressors and eventually the pressure told with Heryet getting a try just before half time that left it tight at the break, with Lightning going in five points ahead.
SECOND HALF:
In what appears to be a theme, Nathan Smith’s and Alex White’s words at half-time had a significant impact as once again Lightning started the second half firing.
A great break from deep from Tasker took Lightning deep into the Quins territory before she was once again pivotal to offloading to Davey, who weaved her way in for her second of the day just two minutes into the second-half.
Quins were able to turn the tide of the game and through some dominant carries from their forwards they went into the ascendency for a sustained period.
This dominance was rewarded with a second try for Brown before Cleall went over to bring Harlequins to within two points of Lightning with 25 minutes to go.
The pressure continued and Harlequins were consistently getting over the gainline. However, an intercept from Carmela Morrall was quickly offloaded to Tasker who streaked away to dot down and restore some calm for Lightning and extend their lead.
This Tasker try was quickly followed up with a second for Westcombe-Evans who was able to superbly dot down in the corner following some fantastic footwork and great speed to give her the half yard she needed. This appeared to be the nail in the coffin with Lightning going into a 14-point lead.
With merely minutes to go Brown completed her hat-trick following her dominant ball carrying display. However, it was not enough and Lightning held on to take a five-point win on the road.
It was a win full of firsts, Lightning’s first of the season, their first under the new-look coaching setup and their first ever at the Stoop.
LINE-UPS:
HARLEQUINS: 15 Torley, 14 Shillaker, 13 Layzell, 12 Tuima, 11 Wilcock, 10 Scott, 9 Aucken; 1 Spurrier, 2 Owen, 3 Cleall, 4 Thorpe, 5 Benjamin, 6 Whyte, 7 Robinson, 8 Brown.
Replacements: 16 Dobson, 17 Cooper, 18 Duffy, 19 Heryet, 20 Shirley, 21 Clavering, 22 Cromack, 23 Comerford.
LIGHTNING: 15 Tasker (vc), 14 Scantlebury, 13 Hardy, 12 Morrall, 11 Westcombe-Evans, 10 Green, 9 Davey; 1 Trevarthen, 2 Waudby, 3 Curphey, 4 Boyd, 5 Ives Campion, 6 Roberts, 7 S Williams ©, 8 Meuller.
Replacements: 16 Baverstock, 17 A Williams, 18 Panayiotou, 19 Westley, 20 Shrestha, 21 J Weaver, 22 Baker, 23 Kacirkova.
