Dean Richards could afford to be in a mellow mood after this scrappy but stirring bonus-point win over Newcastle. Having said how delighted he was to see his side finally "put a game to bed" against Worcester last Wednesday, he must have delighted in Harlequins' dominance yesterday - save for an inexplicably loose 10 minutes - which saw them tucked up with a mug of cocoa with a quarter still to play.
A hat-trick for the winger David Strettle, as quick-witted as he was -footed, helped Harlequins jump up the table. More important, having spent the season firefighting after losing five games on the bounce from the opening day, it distanced them from the increasingly complicated relegation fight. Newcastle, starved of possession and second-best at the tackle area, have been pushed back into it courtesy of Worcester's win at Franklin's Gardens and are now down to 10th.
With Brian Ashton due to put his own stamp on a new England elite squad today, Strettle did his best to catch the eye by fly-hacking through and beating Tom May in a race from 50 metres for his first try just after half-time, then weaving to the line after Steve So'oialo's quick tap penalty before sauntering over to round off the rout with two minutes to go.
"He has the potential, speed, ability and footballing nous to play for England, but it's up to him," said Richards. "He's got a great work ethic, but that exists throughout the squad."
Strettle's opening try in the second half saw Quins begin to wrest back control of the game, having trailed 15-13 at half-time. For the Falcons, first May broke two tackles to go in at the corner, then Eni Gesinde galloped 70 metres from an intercept to set up a breakaway try for Russell Winter. All of which left Richards to call for the patchiness to be eradicated with Bath due at the Stoop on Saturday, despite scoring 29 unanswered points in the second half, Mike Brown dotting down in between Strettle's efforts.
With no platform up front, there was little opportunity to impress for Newcastle's players with hopes of forming England's midfield. Tait saw little of the ball while Toby Flood, starting at inside- centre, spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin and was moved to fly-half only when the game was slipping out of reach. With only one win in 11 on the road, albeit over the champions, Sale, and more oomph needed to compete up front, the Falcons' director of rugby, John Fletcher, was realistic about the fight ahead.
"We've been dragged back into the relegation battle," he said. "One of five teams will be relegated and a good team will go down this year. Our next two games are pretty tough against Leicester home and away. We're under no illusions."
Harlequins Brown; Strettle, Deane, Abbott (Duffy, 65), Keogh; Mehrtens (Jarvis, 60), So'oialo; Croall, Fuga (Richards, 60), Ross (Nebbett, 69), Kohn, Evans (Spanghero, 44), Vos, Volley (capt; Skinner, 60), Easter (Hala'ufia, 65).
Tries Croall, Strettle 3, Brown. Cons Mehrtens 2, Jarvis 2. Pens Mehrtens 2. Drop-goal Mehrtens.
Newcastle Falcons Burke (capt; Elliott, 14); May, Tait, Flood, Rudd; Crichton (Dillon, 48), Dickson (Grindal, 72); Golding (Williams, 57), Long (Thompson, 57), Ward, Perry (Oakes, h-t), Sorenson, Gesinde (Parling, 57) Wilson, Winter.
Tries May, Winter. Con Flood. Pen Flood.
Sin-bin Flood, 19
Referee W Barnes (Surrey). Attendance 10,837
