Harlequins secured their first victory over London rivals Saracens since January 2020, showcasing a robust defensive performance and scoring tries from Fin Baxter and Lennox Anyanwu. This win marked Saracens' first defeat of the season, as they appeared off-form. The Premiership's derby weekend concluded with a thunderous victory for Harlequins. Saracens faced a challenging afternoon, compounded by the severe ankle injury sustained by Andy Onyeama-Christie. Despite having ample possession, they failed to capitalize against Harlequins' formidable defense.
The opening quarter was marred by Onyeama-Christie's gruesome ankle injury. The Scotland flanker, who had a strong start to the season after recovering from two broken arms, was tackled near the Harlequins line and collapsed. The reactions of teammates Marco Riccioni and opponent Stephan Lewies highlighted the severity of the injury. The game then entered a scrappy phase, with both sides guilty of kicking away possession or knocking on.
Harlequins' James Chisholm was sent to the sin-bin for cynically playing the ball on the floor as Saracens threatened, but the hosts held firm with 14 players, demonstrating their defensive resilience. Inside centre Anyanwu was particularly impressive, both in defense and with ball in hand. With 25 minutes played, Harlequins were awarded a penalty within Marcus Smith's range, but they opted for a lineout instead of a kick at goal. After a series of forward drives, Baxter scored the opening try.
Saracens further suffered when Juan Martín González sustained an arm injury, leading to the introduction of Hugh Tizard from the bench. Despite a lack of vocal support from the away fans, there was a mild booing from some Harlequins supporters, reflecting the rivalry between the two sides. Tizard eventually forced the ball over the line for Saracens' first points, nearly 10 minutes into the second half, with Alex Lozowski's conversion leveling the scores at 7-7.
However, Saracens soon found themselves behind again after a moment of brilliance from Smith, who set up Anyanwu for another try. A missed Lozowski penalty with 15 minutes left indicated Saracens' struggle to maintain their usual accuracy. With nine minutes remaining, Smith opted for a penalty kick, which Lozowski converted, bringing the score to 13-10. Ultimately, Saracens had to settle for a losing bonus point.
