With theirforwards playing a quick driving game and generating quick ball, the Old Habsfly half, who marshalled his team well throughout the match, pulled the stringsmixing a kicking and running game that kept Harlequins on the back foot. Withthe wind making it difficult for Harlequins to get out of their half, most ofthe pressure was exerted by Haberdashers. After an early penalty got the scoreboard ticking for Old Habs, a diagonal cross field kick from their flyhalf gota good bounce and a touch of a Harlequins player for an Old Habs line out 5metres from the Harlequins try line. A catch and drive from the line out sawthe first try of the match for Old Haberdashers.

Harlequinstried to exert some pressure of their own and control the ball by keeping it inhand. Drives off the scrum by number 8 Wilhelm Wessels and from ruck and maulsituations, with notable gains made by Ben Van Rensburg along with quick tappenalties, enabled Harlequins to have pockets of play. However, Haberdashersused the conditions well, and along with some strong direct running and neatoff loads began to make some incisive line breaks and dominate territorially.Despite some desperate cover defending by Harlequins the inevitable second trycame and before the half was over , Old Habs, with a third try,  had an 18-0 lead.

With the windacting as an extra man, Harlequins regrouped with the obvious second half planof utilising this to play the game in the Habs half. However, in the face of astrong opposition defence, Harlequins failed to control the ball long enough tobuild up any sustained passages of play and wrestle territorial advantage awayfrom Habs. As a result, a second half kicking came ensued with no real fluencyto the Harlequins game. Despite the fractured nature of the game, Harlequinsdid manage to get points on the board, where, after a lineout and some goodforward surges, Harlequins were on the front foot and driving towards Old Habstry line. After repeated infringements at the break down a quick tap penaltywas brought to an even quicker halt as a Habs player cynically intervened. Ayellow card was issued, and from the ensuing tap penalty and forward charge, upstepped, Charlie “Brucie” Allen to make a surging dart for the try line and driveover for a converted try 18-7.

It was good toget some points on the board but the final result had Haberdashers’ as thedeserved winners. A good effort from many of the guys playing back to backgames but a cup run will have to wait for another year.

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