Harlequins 41-32 Northampton: Quins prevail in Premiership thriller

Attempts: Northmore scored twice, as did Lewies, Murley, and Porter. Conversions were made by Smith thrice and J Evans once. J Evans also made a successful penalty kick.

Attempts: Sleightholme, Ramm, Litchfield, Lawes Successful conversions: F Smith 3 Successful penalty kicks: F Smith 2

The Harlequins managed to score six tries and secure an exciting victory against the Northampton Saints, who were leading the Premiership, in a match that took place at Twickenham.

Luke Northmore and Will Porter each scored two goals while the squad playing on their home turf had to deal with the temporary absence of their teammates Danny Care, Louis Lynagh, and Tyrone Green due to their misconduct.

Care managed to escape being given a red card during the second half of the game while Quins secured a much-needed victory which strengthened their chances of making it to the play-offs, with just two more games remaining.

Both teams have the same number of points as Bristol, who are currently in fourth place. In the remaining games of the regular season, they will be traveling to Exeter and then playing a home match against the Bears, which could be a crucial game in determining their final position.

Harlequins took the lead only two minutes into the game thanks to Marcus Smith's accurate cross-field pass that found Northmore with plenty of space on the right wing, allowing him to score his first goal in half a year.

During the rugby match, Quins player Care was sent off to the sin-bin for seven minutes after his head collided with that of his former England team-mate Courtney Lawes. However, the Saints team did not take advantage of having an additional player on the field.

During the first half of the game, Northampton scored their first goal. Ollie Sleightholme, who is currently the leading scorer in the league, managed to catch Tom Litchfield's kick. There may have been a slight movement forward that helped in the build-up of the play.

After some time, Fin Smith was able to score a penalty and immediately add some more points to Saints' total score.

Northmore raced through and managed to score his second try right in front of the posts. Marcus Smith then converted to give Quins the lead again.

After Lynagh blocked a pass in front of his own line, he was issued a yellow card. As Quins had already lost a player, Fin Smith chose to utilize the penalty and secure a one-point advantage.

However, the people from London continued to push forward despite being behind and passed the ball towards the area where they could score points, and their leader Stephan Lewies ultimately managed to break through the group of Northampton defenders to successfully score a try.

The score by Sam Graham for Saints just before the end of the first half wasn't counted due to a debated error and this led to the hosts taking a lead of six points at halftime.

A fast exchange of the ball between Care and Smith allowed Cadan Murley to score his third try of the season for the Quins, gaining them an extra point in the early stages of the second half. James Ramm quickly responded for the Saints, notching up their sixth try of the game.

The Harlequins team had one player less on the field for the third time because Green was sent to the penalty box for intentionally knocking the ball.

Care managed to stay in the game despite coming close to being given a second yellow card. He seemed to jump over the ruck in order to grab the ball, but he didn't get penalized. As a result, he felt relieved when Porter took his place.

Less than 20 minutes remained in the game when Litchfield obtained a goal, reinstating the lead for the Saints.

As time was running out, Porter scored two goals that gave Harlequins a comfortable lead. Although Lawes scored the fourth try for Saints, giving them a losing bonus point, it was Evans who secured the victory for Harlequins with a penalty kick.

The team is currently ahead of Saracens by four points in the league standings. They still have two more league games to play against Gloucester and Bath, after they compete in the upcoming European Champions Cup semi-final against Leinster in Dublin next Saturday.

Danny Wilson, the coach of Harlequins:

We'll be stepping up to amuse and entertain, and we're well aware that bonus points are crucial in this and other competitions. Consistently bagging four tries each week is our aim, and that's precisely what we're striving to achieve.

Their genetic makeup, the essence of the club, the foundation it was constructed on; may it persist for many years to come.

"The competition is extremely intense, almost insane. Each match has a high-pressure vibe, as if you're playing in a knockout rugby tournament. To have a fighting chance, you need to strive for at least four tries and earn bonus points."

During an interview with BBC Radio Northampton, Phil Dowson, the director of rugby for the Saints, shared his thoughts.

We are extremely let down. It is unlikely to win many matches if you allow so many points.

"We were aware of the risks that Harlequins would pose, but unfortunately, we were unable to control them."

Regarding the possibility of Danny Care receiving a second yellow card: "Danny didn't end up getting penalized. The referee had many calls to make, and I cannot do anything to change their decision. Thus, we need to concentrate on our own performance and not let external factors affect us."

The opposing team received numerous yellow cards during the match, but we failed to take advantage of this opportunity, ultimately leading to our loss.

The Harlequins team has a green color scheme. The players are Lynagh, Northmore, Esterhuizen, Murley, Smith, and Care. They are supported by the team's front row, which includes Baxter, Walker, Collier, Herbst, Lewies, and Cunningham-South, as well as the talented W Evans and Dombrandt.

Substitutes: Riley, Marler, Kerrod, Hammond, Trenholm, Porter, J Evans, Beard

The players who received a sin-bin penalty during the match were Care, with 6 minutes, Lynagh, with 28 minutes, and T Green, with 54 minutes.

Northampton's starting lineup for the next game features Furbank, Ramm, Freeman, Litchfield, and Sleightholme in the backline. In the half-back positions, there's F Smith and Mitchell. The front row comprises of Iyogun, Matavesi, and Davison. At the lock positions, we have Mayanavanua and Lockett. The back row will feature Lawes, Ludlam, and Graham.

Alternatives: Smith Jr., Haffarh, Mills-Millar, Mungus, Scotty-Young, August, Jim, Dingy-Wall