Harlequins made it 11 consecutive victories this season on 11/11/11 and they just about had enough legs to see off the spirited and resourceful challenge of a side making their first appearance in the Heineken Cup. What appeared to be as routine a fixture as there can be in Europe, with the Premiership leaders facing perennial Celtic league also-rans, turned out to be the home side's closest flirtation with defeat so far.
Quins were leading by two points with six minutes to go having failed to score in the second half after going into the break 19-10 ahead. Connacht wasted an attacking scrum and found themselves scrambling in defence, succumbing to the boot of the New Zealand fly-half Nick Evans, who kicked six penalties out of seven.
Connacht scored two tries to one, the second by the former Harlequins full-back Gavin Duffy who was in tears at the end, and surprised Quins not just with their desire to attack from deep and keep the ball in hand but with the intricacy of some of their moves as well as their stamina.
There was a stage in the first half when Quins, overcoming a difficult start, looked to have subdued Connacht, whose No11, Tiernan O'Halloran, had scored the first try after the home flanker Chris Robshaw looked to have been obstructed in the build-up. Karl Dickson's try eight minutes from the break should have been the cue for more but Quins found an edge only in the closing minutes when they were struggling to hold on to their lead.
Their director of rugby, Conor O'Shea, denied that his players had been guilty of complacency but said: "It is good to see people down in the dumps after winning. I knew this would be proper rugby and we had the fortitude to come through. If some people thought this would be a comfortable victory, I was not one of them."
Quins attacked from deep in the first half and, if the tactic proved profitable with Connacht blitzing the breakdown and conceding a rash of penalties, it became hazardous when the Irish side came to terms with the interpretations of the referee and forced a series of turnovers.
Connacht dominated the game in the third quarter, taking the game to Quins and engineering a series of moves that saw Duffy score but only after Niall O'Connor had missed a 40-metre penalty and Dave McSharry had wasted an overlap. With the flanker John Muldoon standing out with his subtle ability to change direction just before contact and bring runners either side of him into the game, it was Connacht who more resembled an unbeaten side.
The greater experience of Quins ultimately saved them. Evans played the percentages well in the second half and missed one kick all night, Nick Easter made an impact when needed and Danny Care, making his second appearance of the season at scrum-half, exploited his few opportunities. Connacht, in contrast, largely had youthful experience.
"I think we opened a few people's eyes," said the Connacht coach, Eric Elwood, a playing contemporary of O'Shea's at Lansdowne. "It is frustrating to have come away with nothing after playing so well but we have to back this up, starting with Toulouse at home next weekend." Elwood told his players not to fear the Heineken Cup but to embrace it and they heard him.
Quins travel to Gloucester in the second round armed with the confidence of winners, succeeding even when not approaching their best. This was their first victory in the Heineken Cup since embroiling themselves in the "Bloodgate" affair 30 months ago.
Harlequins Brown; Stegmann, Lowe (Urdapilleta, 32), Turner-Hall, Smith; Evans, Dickson (Care, 49); Marler, Brooker (Gray, 58), Johnston, Kohn (Vallejos, 14), Robson, Fa'asavalu (Wallace, 71), Robshaw (capt), Easter.
Try Dickson Con Evans Pens Evans 6.
Connacht Duffy (capt); Tuohy, Griffin, McSharry (Fa'afili, 68), O'Halloran; Nikora (O'Connor, 48), O'Donohoe (Murphy, 54); Wilkinson, Flavin (Reynecke, 54), Ah You (Rogers, 54), Swift, McCarthy, Muldoon, Ofisa (Anderson, 27), Naoupu.
Tries O'Halloran, Duffy Cons Nikora, O'Connor Pen Nikora.
Referee J Garces (France) Attendance 11,866.
