Casson’s controversial try spoils Danaher’s big party

London Irish looked to set to celebrate Declan Danaher’s 250th game for the Exiles with a win over the reigning Premiership champions but a controversial try from Tom Casson on the siren handed Harlequins a 31-28 win over London Irish to go top of the table at the Madejski.
On the last play of the game, as Harlequins went wide and Ugo Monye was put in a bit of space, Guy Armitage put on a superb cover tackle to take him out but the England man managed to offload to Casson.
The young centre, who was playing his first game of the season, didn’t seem to have controlled the ball as he went over – he even threw the ball away raging a wasted golden opportunity – but knowing the importance of the decision, referee Tim Wigglesworth decided to ask Television Match Official Graham Hughes for a second look.
After long seconds of waiting and a number of replays, Hughes announced the decision to award the try and eventually give Quins the win.
With such threatening back line, the outcome of the game was always going to be decided with the battle up front but neither side managed to dominate to control the ball for long enough and put pressure on the opposition.
Instead, both sides conceded a vast amount of penalties at the breakdown and it was left to the kickers to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Harlequins outscored Irish three tries to one but Ian Humphreys made them pay at nearly every given opportunity with a sensational eight from ten from the tee for a personal total of 23 points.
Botica gave Harlequins an early lead with two penalties before London Irish scored the first try of the game to take the lead.
Jamie Gibson charged down a kick from Botica in the in-goal to see Guy Armitage gather the ball and score. Humphreys added the extras and Irish were leading 7-6 after 13 minutes.
But the champions answered straight back when Danny Care intercepted an attempted offload from Anthony Watson and raced from 40 metres to score under the posts.
Botica and Humphreys added further penalties to their name and the score was all square 16-16 at the break.
They both added a penalty each before Tom Williams gave Quins some room with a superb try in the corner.
Danny Care attacked the blindside of scrum to find Matt Hopper who offloaded to Botica before the fly-half sent Williams over the line.
But Humphreys cut down the lead to a single points with two further penalties to set up a thriller.
The former Ulsterman thought he sealed the win with his seven penalty of the game and seven minutes to go until Casson’s try at the death.
For London Irish
Try: Armitge
Conversion: Humphreys
Penalties: Humphreys 7
For Harlequins
Tries: Care, Williams, Casson
Conversions: Botica 2
Penalties: Botica 4
Sin bin: Brown
London Irish: Watson; Ojo, Joseph, Armitage, Tagicakibau; Humphreys, O’Leary; Lahiff, Paice, Aulika; Evans, Garvey; Danaher (capt.),Gibson, Hala’ufia.
Replacements: Lawson, Griffiths, Halavatau, Low, Treviranus, Gray, Shingler, Allinson.
Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Hopper, Casson, Monye; Botica, Care; Marler, Buchanan, Johnston; Kohn, Robson; Guest, Robshaw (capt.), Easter.
Replacements: Ward, Lambert, Collier, Matthews, Fa’asavalu, Dickson, Clegg, Stegmann.
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Star man: Ian Humphreys – London Irish
NICK VERDIER