Gallagher Prevalence
Deal (9) 12
Pens:
Passage 4
Harlequins (8) 11
Tries:
Walker Pens:
Halfpenny 2
Deal Sharks edged Harlequins 12-11 in an attritional challenge at the Salford Community Stadium to open their Prevalence campaign with a triumph.
Jack Walker crossed for Quins and Leigh Halfpenny opened a punishment on his Prevalence make a big appearance, but three George Portage kicks gave Deal a thin 9-8 lead at the break.
Quins were denied a moment attempt by the tv coordinate official (TMO), but chances remained uncommon with taking care of blunders and ill-discipline costing both sides in precarious, damp conditions.
Halfpenny, playing his first-ever Prevalence coordinate, kicked Quins in front from long run, but Ford’s fourth punishment with six minutes cleared out sneaked the win.
Final season’s play-off semi-finalists have presently won their opening Prevalence installation in five progressive seasons and misplaced fair one domestic alliance coordinate since October 2022, but Harlequins came inside minutes of finishing those glad runs.
An evening for the perfectionists
Fast-starting Quins were before long into the hosts’ 22 but spurned a great scoring chance by knocking-on near to the line – the primary of a few expensive taking care of blunders in great positions.
Deal were given an early frighten when Tom Curry was made a difference off the field seven minutes into his to begin with domestic amusement in nearly a year taking after harm, but the Britain flanker before long returned to play the rest of the half.
The Quins pack misplaced fair six of their possess scrums final season, but Deal weight constrained them to capitulate a 17th-minute punishment against the head and Passage booted the has in front.
The Britain fly-half expanded the lead from the tee, but Harlequins kept on cause issues and deservedly claimed the primary attempt, five minutes some time recently the break, when Walker was driven over.
Halfpenny’s to begin with commitment was to send the transformation well off target, but the previous Grains full-back before long made revises by kicking Quins in front after Bevan Rodd went off his feet at a ruck.
However Quins hacked up a punishment straight from the restart and Ford’s third punishment, right on half-time, sneaked them back in front.
Harlequins thought they had a moment attempt when another driving batter slammed over the line, but a long audit by the TMO ruled it had been held up.
The guests brought on Marcus Smith within the 49th diminutive, but it was his equal for the Britain number-10 part, Portage, who nearly made the following huge affect when his crossfield kick fair sidestepped Tom Roebuck’s plunge.
Jean-Luc du Preez’s uncommon line break finished in another turnover as the Sharks battled to turn great positions into focuses.
Quins presented Danny Care on the hour for his 283rd Prevalence appearance, but it was the advances who proceeded to hold influence.
Halfpenny looked to have won it with nine minutes cleared out when he landed the primary focuses of the half with a brilliant punishment into the wind from midway.
But, after lost a drop objective, Portage kept his nerve minutes afterward to nail his fourth punishment and take off the guests with fair a losing reward point.
Deal:
Carpenter; Roebuck, Nayacalevu, R du Preez, O’Flaherty; Passage, Warr; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Van Rhyn, Andrews, T Curry, B Curry, JL du Preez.
Substitutions:
Caine, Onasanya, Harper, Beaumont, Bamber, Dugdale, Thomas, Addison.
Harlequins:
Halfpenny; David, Northmore, Anyanwu, Whiskers; J Evans, Watchman; Baxter, Walker, Lamositele, Herbst, Lewies, Kenningham, Evans, Dombrandt.
Substitutions:
Jibulu, Els, Kerrod, Launchbury, Sheep, Care, Smith, Cleaves.
Official:
A. Leal.
