Quins profit from inside knowledge

Harlequins are back on top of the Premiership thanks, in no small measure, to their smart new scrum half pulling the oldest trick in the book.

How Ben Willis used a little inside information to talk the surprise leaders out of a tight corner against London Irish proved every bit as critical as Paul Burke's flawless goalkicking. As con jobs go, it will take some beating.

The unsuspecting victim was the Exiles' captain, Ryan Strudwick. Having spreadeagled Quins with the break of the match, the South African lock looked around for support to arrive and finish the job off when he heard a voice call out: 'Inside, Strudders, inside...'

Assuming it could only have come from one of his own, Strudwick duly obliged and passed inside, expecting to see the recipient stroll in under the posts. Willis, running back towards his own line, popped up instead to seize the pass, pirouette on his left foot and hoof the ball into touch.

Subsequent events proved that the match had been won and lost there and then. When the Irish did find a way through four minutes later, via substitute centre Ed Thrower, all it did was reduce the deficit to 15-10 and leave them with one point when they might easily have had four.

'When I heard my nickname, I thought it was one of our team,' said Strudwick. 'It was the oldest trick in the book and I fell for it. Our inability to finish off moves is a problem and that didn't help. When I realised what had happened, I called him a cheeky so-and-so.'

Even less amusing for Irish is that Willis's cheek comes from Dublin, where he and lock Bob Casey made names for themselves with Leinster. Casey joined the Exiles last year and Willis, an Irish-qualified New Zealander, has followed his big pal into the Premiership.