Having won their only other title in 2012 Quins went into this final as the underdogs, but they emerged from it as the big dogs after a season in which they plumbed the depths before hitting the heights – losing not only 49-7 to Racing 92 in the European Cup, but, after only two wins out of their first eight matches of the season, parting ways with head coach, Paul Gustard.
However, with senior players like Joe Marler and Danny Care shouldering responsibility, the club started to use the silky skills of fly-half Marcus Smith to reignite their season. It was a sparkling display by Smith here which kept the fuse burning throughout a thriller in which they finally torched the hopes of an Exeter side, which also left everything out on the Twickenham turf in one of the greatest finals.
Trailing 26-14 after Andre Esterhuizen’s try early in second-half Exeter struck back when Sam Simmonds extended his Premiership try-scoring record with an unstoppable pick-and-drive burst, and with brother Joe converting it was 26-21.
Joe Simmonds then made it a Devon double-whammy by combining with Luke Cowan-Dickie before putting Ollie Devoto over, and then converted to give the Chiefs the lead at 28-26.
When Smith’s main rival for England honours this summer then added a penalty to stretch the Exeter lead to 31-26 with 15 minutes remaining, Quins chances of another great escape against one of the best defensive sides in the league looked tenuous.
Think again. Smith stepped up to steal the show setting up young Louis Lynagh for a try double between the 71st and 76th minutes with a brilliant display of play-making. For the first he pulled off a goose-step which put the Chiefs defence on-hold for Lynagh to step out of Tom O’Flaherty’s tackle to score.
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