Friday 23 April 2010 - St George's Day
Bottom side Harlequins stun leaders Wigan
Wigan 26-38 Harlequins
Harlequins pulled off the shock of this Super League season and perhaps of its entire history by turning the table upside down for a victory that was thoroughly deserved, although their euphoria was dampened by a sickening head injury to the young full-back Ben Jones-Bishop.
The London club came into this game rock bottom with a single win from their first 10 matches while Wigan were four points clear at the top, having lost only one out of 11. But after a first half that followed the anticipated script, as Wigan took a 24-6 lead, Harlequins won the second half 32-2, playing some sparkling rugby to score five tries, two of them from their speedy Australian stand-off Luke Dorn.
"I'm very proud," said their coach, Brian McDermott, although his major concern was the condition of Jones-Bishop. McDermott said that the 21-year-old full-back, who is with Quins on a season's loan from Leeds, was taken to hospital "with an indentation in the middle of his skull that you could put your finger in. Our thoughts are with him." Jones-Bishop was kept in hospital overnight for scans.
David Howell scored the game's opening try from Danny Orr's accurate kick to give them a 6-0 lead but a Wigan team missing six injured senior players surged back impressively.
Liam Farrell, a distant cousin of the former Great Britain captain Andy, scored two of their four tries in a fine personal performance, with others from Cameron Phelps and Joel Tomkins, the latter after a stunning pass from his younger brother Sam. However, Dorn's double cut the deficit to six points and, although Wigan nudged further ahead with a Pat Richards penalty, Quins stormed home as their Cumbrian captain Rob Purdham twisted over for one try, then made another for Chad Randall.
Wigan Warriors: Phelps; Ainscough, Bailey, Carmont, Richards; O'Loughlin (capt), S Tomkins; Fielden, Riddell, Prescott, Farrell, J Tomkins, Mossop. Interchange: McIlorum, Paleaaesina, O'Carroll, Walker. Tries: Farrell 2, Phelps, Tomkins Goals: Richards 5.
Harlequins: Jones-Bishop; Penny, Clubb, Howell, Sharp; Dorn, Randall; Ward, Orr, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Williamson, Purdham (capt), Melling. Interchange: Temata, Wilkes, Gale, Bryan.
--- We have won from the same position before. But can those whose lives are constrained by the captivity of negativity break through their self imposed barriers?
