Leicester Tigers delivered a dominant performance against Harlequins, securing a 40-7 victory that has left Quins’ playoff hopes in tatters. The match, played in front of nearly 26,000 fans at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, saw Leicester move above Sale into second place in the Premiership standings, with three rounds remaining. The win also brings Leicester closer to securing a playoff spot, while Harlequins face an uphill battle to stay in contention.
For Leicester, the star of the show was Adam Radwan, who scored a sensational hat-trick. Since joining Leicester mid-season from Newcastle, Radwan has been a revelation, and his performance against Harlequins brought his tally to six tries in just five Premiership appearances. His third try was particularly impressive, as he breezed past Quins’ full-back Tyrone Green, who had a difficult afternoon. Radwan almost completed his hat-trick earlier in the game, but a marginal knock-on by Joe Woodward in the buildup saw the try ruled out by the TMO.
The game also saw a series of unfortunate events for Harlequins. In the first half, Quins’ winger Cameron Anderson received a yellow card after a collision with Leicester’s Freddie Steward while attempting to challenge an up-and-under. Anderson’s day got worse early in the second half when he was knocked unconscious after another aerial contest with Steward, resulting in a red card and a stretcher exit after a lengthy period of treatment. Fortunately, Anderson was reported to be recovering, but the injury left Harlequins with a significant gap in their lineup.
To make matters worse for Quins, full-back Tyrone Green was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on in the second half, leaving them to play with just 13 players for a critical period. Leicester took full advantage, with Radwan scoring his second try during this time. The Tigers had already built up a commanding lead by then, thanks to earlier tries from Jack van Poortvliet and Ollie Hassell-Collins. Van Poortvliet, who was instrumental throughout, set up both of Hassell-Collins’ tries, including one for a bonus point just before Radwan’s hat-trick score.
Harlequins’ sole highlight of the match came in the first half, when they managed to capitalize on a gift from Leicester’s Handré Pollard. The South African fly-half inexplicably passed the ball to the opposition, and Luke Northmore gleefully ran it in from halfway for a try. However, this isolated moment of brilliance could not disguise what was otherwise a one-sided affair.
In the final stages, Leicester continued to pile on the pressure, with Hanro Liebenberg crossing the try line in the last 10 minutes to secure their sixth try of the game. By this point, Harlequins were completely outclassed, with their hopes of making the playoffs hanging by a thread.
The victory was a significant boost for Leicester, who are now firmly in the playoff race, while Harlequins are left to reflect on a dismal performance that could ultimately cost them a chance at the postseason.
