Champions Harlequins edge Northampton at Twickenham

Tries: Dombrandt 3, Murley 2, Lynagh Cons: Edwards 3, Esterhuizen Pens: Edwards

Tries: Augustus 2, Waller Cons: Biggar 3 Pens: Biggar 2

Defending champions Harlequins ended a great year victoriously as they climbed to third in the Premiership by narrowly edging past Northampton at Twickenham.

Saints led 21-7 at Twickenham in a fiery encounter. Two early tries for Juarno Augustus and one for Alex Waller, all improved by Dan Biggar.

But Alex Dombrandt added a second to his own early try, matched by two from left winger Cadan Murley.

Louis Lynagh raced clear for a fifth try before Dombrandt crossed again.

Quins had wrapped up their bonus point before the break, but spare a mention for a luckless Saints who could not corss the line again to give a deserved bonus point of their own.

In fact, their only second-half points were a Biggar penalty, to add to the one late in the first half that edged the visitors ahead going into the interval.

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 27: A general view of the stadium as the LED screen displays number of tickets issued during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Harlequins and Northampton Saints at Twickenham Stadium on December 27, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

And they were even denied a losing bonus point when England number eight Dombrandt crashed over in the last play of the game, to which Andre Esterhuizen added the conversion.

Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Murley; Edwards, Care; Marler, Walker, Collier, Symons, Lewies (capt), Lawday, Kenningham, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Mush, Botta, Herrod, Tizard, Taulani, Gjaltema, Northmore, Jones.

Sin-bin: Care (74)

Northampton: Furbank; Sleightholme, Proctor, Dingwall, Skosan; Biggar, Mitchell Waller, Matavesi, Painter, Ribbans, Ratuniyarawa, Lawes, Ludlam (capt), Augustus.

Replacements: Fish, Auterac, Hill, Coles, Wood, James, Hutchinson, Tuala.

Sin-bin: Hutchinson (74).

Referee: Wayne Barnes.