Bath 13-26 Harlequins

Bath (7) 13
Tries: Attwood Cons: Vesty Pens: Vesty 2
Harlequins (13) 26
Tries: Robshaw, Brown Cons: Evans 2 Pens: Evans 4

Evans kicked two penalties in the first half and two in the second halfNick Evans kicked 16 points as Harlequins continued their winning start with victory at Bath.

Dave Attwood's try gave the hosts the lead for the only time in the game, while Chris Robshaw went over for Harlequins three minutes later.

Evans scored eight points with the boot as the visitors led 13-7 at half-time and added eight points after the break.

Mike Brown's try seven minutes from time made the game safe as Harlequins maintain their 100% start.

Both sides went into the game in great form, Bath had won their last three in all competitions, while Harlequins were protecting their perfect start to the Premiership season with seven wins out of seven.

The home side were given a great chance for a first-minute lead after great work from Tom Biggs forced the first penalty but Sam Vesty fired against the upright.

When you come here there is going to be a contest but the confidence is there now
Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea

Vesty missed another chance two minutes later, while at the other end New Zealand international Evans was successful from 40m to give the visitors the lead.

Bath were having most of the territory and it paid dividends when neat work from Michael Claassens sent Attwood clear under the posts for the first try of the match. Vesty added the conversation with his first successful kick of the game.

Harlequins hit back immediately, against the run of play, as Robshaw went over in the corner with Evans kicking the extras and the latter kicked a penalty four minutes later to stretch the lead to 13-7.

The Londoners began to take control the longer the half went on but were unable to turn their possession into any further points, so had to settle for a six-point half-time lead.

Evans continued his fine performance with two more successful penalties after the beak, with Vesty replying for Bath in between, as the second half began to get niggly with a number of flare-ups.

Vesty's penalty, which went in off the post with 10 minutes remaining, gave Bath hope of turning the game around but Quins made the game secure as Brown broke away on the outside to cross over close to the posts.

Bath rugby director Sir Ian McGeechan on new signing Stephen Donald:

"We are hoping he will bring good game management, a bit like Nick Evans showed today.

"He is a clever player, you don't need to overcomplicate it, you want him to bring what he naturally has and integrate it into what we have.

"He needs an understanding of what we are trying to do and of our options."

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea:

"This is our eighth straight win on the road across last season and this season so it's not bad, because we did struggle away from home.

"When you come here there is going to be a contest but the confidence is there now.

"We have stuck to our processes home and away but what happens between the white lines is all we can look after."

Bath: Abendanon; Woodburn, Hipkiss, Carraro, Biggs; Vesty, Claassens; Catt, Mears, Wilson; Hooper (capt), Attwood; Skirving, Louw, Taylor.

Replacements: Heathcote for Carraro (57), Beech for Catt (62), Batty for Mears (74), Perenise for Wilson (52), Caldwell for Attwood (52), Mercer for Skirving (62).
Not Used: Cook, Cuthbert.

Harlequins: Brown; Stegmann, Lowe, Turner-Hall, S. Smith; Evans, Dickson; Marler, Gray, Johnston; Kohn, Robson; Fa'asavalu, Robshaw (capt), Easter.

Replacements: Replacements: Care for Dickson (58), Brooker for Gray (66), Vallejos for Robson (75).
Not Used: Mayhew, Sinckler, Wallace, Clegg, Hooper.

Attendance: 12,200

Referee: D Richards (RFU).

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Bath 13-26 Harlequins

Bath (7) 13
Tries: Attwood Cons: Vesty Pens: Vesty 2
Harlequins (13) 26
Tries: Robshaw, Brown Cons: Evans 2 Pens: Evans 4

Evans kicked two penalties in the first half and two in the second halfNick Evans kicked 16 points as Harlequins continued their winning start with victory at Bath.

Dave Attwood's try gave the hosts the lead for the only time in the game, while Chris Robshaw went over for Harlequins three minutes later.

Evans scored eight points with the boot as the visitors led 13-7 at half-time and added eight points after the break.

Mike Brown's try seven minutes from time made the game safe as Harlequins maintain their 100% start.

Both sides went into the game in great form, Bath had won their last three in all competitions, while Harlequins were protecting their perfect start to the Premiership season with seven wins out of seven.

The home side were given a great chance for a first-minute lead after great work from Tom Biggs forced the first penalty but Sam Vesty fired against the upright.

When you come here there is going to be a contest but the confidence is there now
Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea

Vesty missed another chance two minutes later, while at the other end New Zealand international Evans was successful from 40m to give the visitors the lead.

Bath were having most of the territory and it paid dividends when neat work from Michael Claassens sent Attwood clear under the posts for the first try of the match. Vesty added the conversation with his first successful kick of the game.

Harlequins hit back immediately, against the run of play, as Robshaw went over in the corner with Evans kicking the extras and the latter kicked a penalty four minutes later to stretch the lead to 13-7.

The Londoners began to take control the longer the half went on but were unable to turn their possession into any further points, so had to settle for a six-point half-time lead.

Evans continued his fine performance with two more successful penalties after the beak, with Vesty replying for Bath in between, as the second half began to get niggly with a number of flare-ups.

Vesty's penalty, which went in off the post with 10 minutes remaining, gave Bath hope of turning the game around but Quins made the game secure as Brown broke away on the outside to cross over close to the posts.

Bath rugby director Sir Ian McGeechan on new signing Stephen Donald:

"We are hoping he will bring good game management, a bit like Nick Evans showed today.

"He is a clever player, you don't need to overcomplicate it, you want him to bring what he naturally has and integrate it into what we have.

"He needs an understanding of what we are trying to do and of our options."

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea:

"This is our eighth straight win on the road across last season and this season so it's not bad, because we did struggle away from home.

"When you come here there is going to be a contest but the confidence is there now.

"We have stuck to our processes home and away but what happens between the white lines is all we can look after."

Bath: Abendanon; Woodburn, Hipkiss, Carraro, Biggs; Vesty, Claassens; Catt, Mears, Wilson; Hooper (capt), Attwood; Skirving, Louw, Taylor.

Replacements: Heathcote for Carraro (57), Beech for Catt (62), Batty for Mears (74), Perenise for Wilson (52), Caldwell for Attwood (52), Mercer for Skirving (62).
Not Used: Cook, Cuthbert.

Harlequins: Brown; Stegmann, Lowe, Turner-Hall, S. Smith; Evans, Dickson; Marler, Gray, Johnston; Kohn, Robson; Fa'asavalu, Robshaw (capt), Easter.

Replacements: Replacements: Care for Dickson (58), Brooker for Gray (66), Vallejos for Robson (75).
Not Used: Mayhew, Sinckler, Wallace, Clegg, Hooper.

Attendance: 12,200

Referee: D Richards (RFU).

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England 20-36 Australia

By Arindam Rej
BBC Sport Tries: Hall (2), Reed, HeighingtonGoals: Sinfield (2)Tries: Lewis, Williams, Inglis, Gallen, Boyd, LawrenceGoals: Thurston (6)Hall finishes scintillating England move (UK users only)

Australia ran in six tries to spoil England's long-awaited return to Wembley Stadium in the Four Nations.

Ryan Hall's brilliant finish gave England an early lead but Australia hit back with converted tries from Luke Lewis and Tony Williams.

Hall struck again just before the break, cutting the deficit to 12-8.

Greg Inglis and Paul Gallen scored for the Kangaroos and despite Jack Reed and Chris Heighington's tries, Darius Boyd and Chris Lawrence sealed an away win.

Australia's victory secures their place in the final, where they will meet England or New Zealand - who face each other in their final group game on Saturday and are currently only separated by points scored.

The game was the national side's first at Wembley since 1997 and England put on an admirable show, despite the unflattering score, in front of the 42,344 crowd.

The Kangaroos triumphed after losing Billy Slater, named international player of the year earlier in the week, when he suffered a fractured collarbone after 10 minutes.

Referee Henry Perenara was in the spotlight, controversially ruling out a claim for a try by Tom Briscoe for double movement early in the second half with Australia leading 18-8. It came just after he spared Williams a card following a high shot on Ben Westwood.

Early on Australia were saved by some high-quality defence as England made a positive start to the clash.

Continue reading the main story Brian Noble,
BBC rugby league pundit and former Great Britain coach

It was a great game of rugby league. There was excitement, drama and refereeing decisions. It will be even better next week [when England face New Zealand]

Steve McNamara's men deservedly broke through with an outstanding 12th-minute try as Kevin Sinfield's long pass out to the right wing was finished brilliantly by Hall, the Leeds winger swerving well at speed to stay in touch and ground the ball.

The tourists suffered a further blow when Slater, who was evaded for the try, was forced off with his shoulder injury.

Australia quickly recovered when Boyd spun out a pass that sparked a slick move, ending with makeshift winger Lewis touching down and Johnathan Thurston then kicked the conversion.

England kept dominating but a dangerous kick from Rangi Chase backfired as he gifted Australia possession - and the Kangaroos took advantage as Darren Lockyer's inside pass allowed Williams to push aside Heighington and stride over, and Thurston added the extras to make it 12-4.

Continue reading the main story

We saw England's players over-running on a couple of instances. I don't know if it's exuberance. There were some stupid plays that need to be cut out. I'm still not sure about the half-back combination today. They created things but execution was poor

BBC rugby league pundit and former GB star Jonathan Davies

The impressive Sam Tomkins then carved through and produced a classy offload to Reed to create the chance that hauled England back into contention, Hall finishing excellently again by collecting Reed's pass and holding off Boyd.

But Australia made a perfect start to the second half as Thurston dummied then threw out a clever pass for Inglis to jog over in the left corner for a try that was confirmed after the video referee decided there was no obstruction in the build-up - and Thurston kept up his perfect kicking record, making it three successful conversions in a row.

A frustrating spell for the home side followed as a number of close calls went against them, including the decisions on Williams and Briscoe.

England's woes were compounded as Cooper Cronk's magnificently disguised soft pass supplied Gallen who scored, and Thurston again converted. It gave the Australians a comfortable 24-8 lead in the 53rd minute.

Reed revived England's hopes again on the hour after he beat Boyd to Sinfield's high kick before going over for a try, this time converted by the Leeds captain.

But the game looked over for England when Boyd burrowed his way over in the 73rd minute, and although a neat passing move ended in a Heighington try, converted by Sinfield, Australia completed the scoring with Lawrence spinning and crashing over before Thurston kept up his 100% kicking ratio.

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