Marcus Watson stole the headlines with a late try that saw Newcastle Falcons beat Harlequins, with several potential British & Irish Lions in action in a pulsating clash at Kingston Park.
The Olympic silver medallist came off the bench to score what proved to be a match-winning try as Dean Richards’ men secured their fifth win of the season – already matching last term’s total.
Winger Watson collected a sublime grubber-kick from Sonatane Takulua three minutes from time to score in the corner and seal a 38-32 win.
Juan Pablo Socino had already grabbed two of Newcastle’s six tries, with Englishmen Michael Young and Mark Wilson also crossing the whitewash, as well as Evan Olmstead.
There was still time after Watson’s effort for Scotland winger Tim Visser to return the favour with a last-gasp try, and ensure Quins – who had two-time Lions tourist Jamie Roberts in the ranks as well as the impressive Jack Clifford at No.8 – would return home with both try and losing bonus points.
— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) December 4, 2016
Scrum-half Karl Dickson had also bagged a double for the Londoners, after Rob Buchanan had scored Quins’ first try of the afternoon.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Irish centre Brendan Macken scored an early interception try in Wasps’ 26-12 victory at Worcester Warriors.
Macken was at his electrifying best to break the line at the right time, and intercept from Jamie Shillcock to run under the posts with less than a minute played.
English scrum-half Dan Robson also went over for Wasps, and the win moved the Coventry outfit within one point of leaders Saracens at the Aviva Premiership’s summit.
Shillcock answered with four penalties for Worcester, but Rob Miller matched that tally and also nailed both conversions after Danny Cipriani was ruled out of the clash in the warm-up – the only disappointment from an otherwise pleasing afternoon for Dai Young.
FULLTIME: Wasps 26-12 Worcester. Wasps tries at the start of both halves prove the difference as Wasps get a valuable win at Sixways #COYW pic.twitter.com/ZYCu6l4K4E
— Wasps (@WaspsRugby) December 4, 2016
