A ‘bad day at the office’ was how London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones described it and it was hard to disagree with that appraisal, as the Exiles were given a masterclass by the reigning Aviva Premiership champions.

After events just the other side of the A316, it was unlikely Conor O’Shea’s charges would be caught cold for a second week running. Instead the Exiles reaped the backlash of Wasps’ audacity and found themselves 14-0 down before they’d hardly laid a hand on the ball.

Quins were precise, accurate and dynamic in everything they did. It was a harsh lesson for the Championship winners, if any were needed, in the levels they aspire to achieve.

Arguably Welsh can console themselves with the fact that they’ve now played the best the Premiership can offer. It doesn’t exactly get easier from here on in, but for a team hastily put together over the last five weeks it was another valuable 80 minutes under its belt.

Nick Evans’ chip unlocked the Welsh defence in the fourth minute for the first of the home side’s six try haul. Centre George Lowe was on the same wavelength to collect and the excellent Ugo Monye muscled up to the Welsh line.

With the Welsh defence stretched, George Robson breezed through a gap to touch down. Evans added the extras, as he would on four more times through the course of the evening before departing to an appreciative round of applause.

The home support only had four minutes to wait before celebrating their side’s second try. Monye’s power saw him punch a whole up the middle and the winger was then in acres of space to collect Evans’ huge miss pass to cross unopposed, with Welsh short of numbers out wide.

It had been a whirlwind start by the champions. Evans was dictating, while Monye and full back Mike Brown looked dangerous every time they touched the ball. The only highlight for Welsh in those early exchanges was the sight of Monye coming in off his wing, only to be met by Hudson Tonga’uiha and duly picked up and driven back ten metres.

That seemed to give Welsh a lift and it was no surprise that their only points of the night arrived soon after. Tom Arscott sliced through the Quins defence and a penalty gave Gordon Ross the chance to get Welsh on the board.

The home side would reply with their third try. Monye pounced when Welsh failed to deal with an up and under and Quins drove up to the Exiles’ line. When the ball came back, Monye ghosted in for his second.

Significantly, Welsh were holding their own in the scrum and competing well at the breakdown. Twice, as the first half came to a close, they turned the ball over, although on neither occasion were they able to take full advantage.

The early second half sinbinning of Paulica Ion handed Quins the initiative, with the Welsh prop seeing yellow for impeding Karl Dickson as the scrum half took a quick tap penalty.

Sensing Welsh might be there for the taking, Quins opted for the scrum, but the Exiles held firm. Indeed, they would keep the home side scoreless until the closing moments of Ion’s sinbinning, when Brown sidestepped his way up to the line and Robson forced his way over for his second of the night.

The Exiles kept pressing and Tonga’uiha momentarily threatened when he broke the Quins line, only for the home side’s cover defence to quickly consumed the Welsh centre.

Brown was again the architect of his side’s fifth try. The full back chipping ahead for
Lowe to gather and score.

Welsh went in search of consolation and Ed Jackson produced one strong carry, but it was the home side that closed out the scoring. Arscott saw yellow for challenging Monye in the air and replacement Ben Botica went over to round things off.

After facing Leicester and Harlequins in the space of five days, the Exiles will welcome the nine day turnaround before they welcome Exeter Chiefs to the Kassam Stadium on September 16.

Harlequins:
Tries: Robson (2), Monye (2), Lowe, Botica; Cons: Evans (5).

London Welsh:
Pens: Ross.

Half-time: 21-3
Referee: Luke Pearce
Referee Assistants: JP Doyle & Kevin Stewart

Full-time: Harlequins 40-3 London Welsh

82min: TRY Harlequins 40-3 London Welsh (Botica)

81min: Yellow card London Welsh (Arscott)

Arscott is yellow carded, Evans puts the penalty in the corner and Quins rumble over

79min: Strong carry by Jackson but there's a knock on as the pass arrives low to Ross

77min: The Welsh forwards have it inside the Quins 22 but it's lost forward. But it's a Quins lineout in their own 22 after a quick Welsh lineout and Scott finds touch

75min: Good spell of possession for Welsh ends with a penalty...Ross to touch

73min: Both sides ringing the changes...bit of a lull in the game 

67min: CON Harlequins 35-3 London Welsh (Evans)

66min: TRY Harlequins 33-3 London Welsh (Lowe)

Brown breaks and chips ahead and Lowe wins the race to collect and touch down

62min: Buchanan bursts clear and Quins could be in again, but Welsh get the penalty at the breakdown this time  

60min: Great break by Tonga'uiha but the tackle comes in and Brown turns the ball over. Quins get a penalty that Evans puts into touch

56min: CON Harlequins 28-3 London Welsh (Evans)

55min: TRY Harlequins 26-3 London Welsh (Robson)

They have now. Brown weaves up to the line and Welsh somehow keep him out. Great feet from the full back! Robson though goes over from close range

54min: Penalty to Quins...Evans to touch...Welsh yet to concede with 14-men! 

52min: Ross to Parker with an inside pass, but it's forward

51min: Welsh get the penalty at the scrum....Ross to touch inside Quins half

49min: Another quick tap by Dickson, but this time it's lost forward. Welsh scrum

48min: Penalty to Quins at scrum...they run it

45min: The 14-men hold out under huge pressure and a Quins knock on out wide allows Welsh to clear up to half way

43min: Yellow card London Welsh (Ion)

Yellow card for Ion as Dickson tries to take a quick tap penalty

8:44pm: Nick Evans gets the second half started

Half-time: Harlequins 21-3 London Welsh

43min: Welsh penalty...they run it....they can't turn it into anything though

42min: But the lineout is stolen by Quins and they now have a penalty and Evans can clear their lines to touch.....which he duly does

41min: Strong carries by Ion and Parker and Welsh get a penalty on Quins 22, as the home don't roll away...Ross to the corner

40min: More turnover ball to Welsh and that's a great offload by Browne to Briggs, but it's lost forward. Promising though from Welsh, and a second turnover at the breakdown in quick succession

35min: Turnover ball to Welsh at a ruck and Corker finds MacKenzie, but Quins get a penalty at the breakdown. Evans to touch inside Welsh half

31min: Moyne is looking really dangerous this evening every time he gets his hands on the ball...this time Welsh manage to bundle him into touch and force a knock on

27min: CON Harlequins 21-3 London Welsh (Evans)

26min: TRY Harlequins 19-3 London Welsh (Monye)

A high ball is dropped by Ajuwa and Monye is on to it. Quins drive up to within five metres. They have numbers out right and Monye ghosts over for his second

20min: PEN Harlequins 14-3 London Welsh (Ross)

Arscott slices through Quins and that eventually leads to a kickable penalty for Ross

18min: Welsh can't get their driving maul going from the lineout and Quins get the scrum

17min: What a tackle by Tonga'uiha on Monye....drives the winger back and Welsh get the penalty. Ross to touch

15min: Great take by Brown under Ross' up and under. Another penalty to Quins at the ruck....Evans to touch inside Welsh 22

14min: Penalty to Quins on half way....Welsh not rolling away in the tackle. Evans to corner, but he's overcooked it and it's a scrum to Welsh back on half way

11min: Nice kick by Ross takes play into Quins 22 and gives Welsh a breather...it's been a fast start by the champions!

9min: CON Harlequins 14-0 London Welsh (Evans)

8min: TRY Harlequins 12-0 London Welsh (Monye)

Monye makes the initial break and shows great strength. Evans' huge miss pass then sends Monye over

5min: CON Harlequins 7-0 London Welsh (Evans)

4min: TRY Harlequins 5-0 London Welsh (Robson)

Evans' chip over the top is collected by Lowe. Monye takes it on. The forwards take over and Robson finds a gap in the Welsh defence.

2min: Frantic start....lineout to Quins on far side just outside their 22, and it's now a penalty. Not sure what that was for.....Evans takes play into Welsh half

1min: Big hit by Keats on Brown as the full back took a quick mark from his 22

7:45pm: Gordon Ross gets this keenly awaited contest underway

7:44pm: Chris Robshaw leads out the Aviva Premiership champions for their first competitive outing at the Stoop since they were cronwd champions back in May

7.44pm: Jonathan Mills leads out London Welsh....can the Exiles get their first points of the season?

7:40pm: It's a beautiful evening here in Twickenham....the floodlights are on and it's a perfect conditions for running rugby

7:35pm: Team news

Lyn Jones has made five changes, including one positional, to the London Welsh starting line for Friday night’s clash with Aviva Premiership champions Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop (kick-of 7:45pm).

Matt Corker comes in for Russian international Kirill Kulemin in the second row for what will be appearance number 155 for the Exiles, and reforms his partnership with captain Jonathan Mills from the Championship final.

There’s wholesale changes in the back row with Mike Denbee named at openside in place of Lee Beach and Ed Jackson selected at number eight – the position from which he contributed 11 tries to Welsh’s Championship winning season.

Daniel Browne moves from number eight to blindside flanker in place of Ed Williamson.

The only change in the backs is at scrum half, where Welsh give a first start to Tyson Keats, who joins the Exiles from Italian side Aironi Rugby.

For Harlequins, Ugo Monye returns from injury to start on the wing, enabling George Lowe to return to his more familiar outside centre position where he partners Jordan Turner-Hall.

Karl Dickson, who made a great impact from the bench against London Wasps, starts at scrum-half, with last week’s man of the match, Nick Evans at out half.

There is one change among the forwards from last Saturday, Tom Guest starts in the back-row with Maurie Fa’asavalu and captain, Chris Robshaw.

Ben Botica, who has yet to make his senior debut, is named among the replacements after kicking 17 points in Monday night’s Aviva ‘A’ League game against Saracens Storm.

HARLEQUINS: 15.Mike Brown, 14. Tom Williams, 13. George Lowe, 12. Jordan Turner-Hall, 11. Ugo Monye, 10. Nick Evans, 9. Karl Dickson, 1. Joe Marler, 2. Joe Gray, 3. James Johnston, 4. Olly Kohn, 5. George Robson, 6. Maurie Fa’asavalu, 7. Chris Rovshaw ©, 8. Tom Guest.
 
Replacements: 16. Rob Buchanan, 17. Darryl Marfo, 18.Kyle Sinckler, 19. Charlie Matthews, 20. Nick Easter, 21. Danny Care, 22. Ben Botica, 23. Matt Hopper.

LONDON WELSH: 15. Tom Arscott, 14. Phil MacKenzie, 13. Sonny Parker, 12. Hudson Tonga’uiha,11. Joe Ajuwa, 10. Gordon Ross, 9. Tyson Keats, 1. Franck Montanella, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion, 4. Jonathan Mills ©, 5. Matt Corker,
6. Daniel Browne, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Ed Jackson.

Replacements: 16. Greg Bateman, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Martin Purdy, 20. Alfie To’oala, 21. Nick Runciman, 22. Seb Jewell, 23. Nick Scott.

Match officials
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: JP Doyle & Kevin Stewart

7:30pm: It's the Aviva Premiership champions against the Championship winners! Just five days after going head-to-head with nine-time Premiership champs Leicester Tigers, London Welsh head to the home of the reigning Aviva Premiership champions, Harlequins, with Conor O'Shea's side fresh from their comeback heroics against Wasps at Twickenham. As starts go, it doesn't get much tougher than this, but that's what the Premiership is all about!

Tonight’s meeting will be the first between the two clubs since Harlequins’ 2005/06 National League One promotion winning season. Harlequins winning both games, which were both played at the Stoop, 43-23 and 28-17. Welsh have to go back to September 1984 for the last time they beat Quins, a 25-21 victory at the Stoop.

Harlequins v London Welsh
Aviva Premiership
Friday 7th September, 2012
Live updates from the Twickenham Stoop

Harlequins: Mike Brown, Tom Williams, George Lowe, Jordan Turner-Hall, Ugo Monye, Nick Evans, Karl Dickson, Joe Marler, Joe Gray, James Johnston, Olly Kohn, George Robson, Maurie Fa’asavalu, Chris Robshaw ©, Tom Guest.
 
Replacements: Charlie Matthews for Kohn (50mins), Rob Buchanan for Gray (58mins), Danny Care for Dickson (58mins), Nick Easter for Guest (60mins), Ben Botica for Evans (67mins), Darryl Marfo for Marler (68mins), Kyle Sinckler for Johnston (68mins), Matt Hopper for Turner-Hall (76mins).

London Welsh: Tom Arscott, Phil MacKenzie, Sonny Parker, Hudson Tonga’uiha, Joe Ajuwa, Gordon Ross, Tyson Keats, Franck Montanella, Neil Briggs, Paulica Ion, Jonathan Mills ©, Matt Corker, Daniel Browne, Mike Denbee, Ed Jackson.

Replacements: Tom Bristow for Montanella (57mins), Alfie To’oala for Browne (57mins), Nick Runciman for Keats (61mins), Seb Jewell for Tonga’uiha (65mins), Kirill Kulemin for Mills (65mins), Arthur Joly for Ion (76mins), Nick Scott for MacKenzie (76mins), Greg Bateman for Briggs (76mins).

Yellow cards: Paulica Ion (43min), Tom Arscott (80+1).