Points flow as Saints see off Quins to go top of Premiership Rugby Cup pool

There were a whopping 61 points scored during the first half as Saints turned on the style, scoring six tries as they motored to a 42-19 lead at the break.

It was a much more serene second half, but there never looked to be a way back for Quins as Saints played the majority of the match in opposition territory.

The bonus-point success moved Saints to the top of Pool C, ahead of London Irish, who have a game in hand.

Saints had lost in dramatic fashion at Irish on opening night, but they bounced back with a 58-34 success at home to Saracens last Wednesday.

And they took that same belief into the clash with Quins, bouncing back well after a huge slick of luck allowed the Londoners to take the lead.

It had been all Harlequins early on, and after Will Edwards opted for a crossfield kick with a penalty coming, the ball bounced, almost miraculously, backwards into the path of Cassius Cleaves, who dotted down gleefully.

Edwards converted, but Saints responded almost immediately as Kayde Sylvester pounced on a loose Quins kick and dived over.

James Grayson added the extras to level the scores and he was soon putting in a huge statement shot on big Quins No.8 Viliami Taulani.

Grayson managed to recover from that to slot another conversion after Angus Scott-Young picked up from the breakdown and cruised over for his team's second try of the night.

Quins were being punished at every turn, and when they conceded a penalty close to halfway, Grayson showed some superb improvisation, firing a perfect crossfield kick to the left, where Tom Collins finished in trademark style.

Grayson converted to take the lead to a healthy 14 points, but Quins soon hit back, sucking the Saints forwards in before sending the ball wide for Conor Oresanya to score.

Edwards missed the conversion, and Saints didn't take long to respond as Collins and James Ramm combined superbly to send George Hendy in down the right.

Grayson converted and that was to be his final act following a fantastic 27-minute showing as he got a word from the coaches while putting his coat on after heading to the bench.

In a see-saw game, Quins were straight back at it, with a lovely offload opening the door for full-back Connor Slevin score.

Edwards converted and there had barely been time to take a breath as the clock hit the 30-minute mark.

The flowing nature of the game continued with a flowing Saints score, as Tom James burst through before offloading to Joel Matavesi, who in turn offloaded to Tom Lockett, who dived over.

Matavesi, playing at 10, converted and there was still time for yet another try before the break as James released Collins down the blindside.

Matavesi slotted the conversion superbly from the left touchline and Saints led 42-19 at the end of a half in which points flowed like pints at the bar.

It was a calmer start to the second half, and it took Saints 14 minutes after the restart to add to their try tally.

James was far too sharp for Quins as he picked up from the ruck and ran in under the posts.

Matavesi converted and Saints were closing in on their half-century of points.

However, the game was becoming increasingly fragmented as changes were made by both teams and momentum disappeared into the misty night.

Edwards found a way through seven minutes from time to at least give Quins a try bonus point to take back to the Twickenham Stoop.

And the fly-half was at it again as he finished off a fine breakaway score for the visitors from the final play of the game.

Saints: Hendy; Collins (Garside 40), Litchfield, E Grayson, Ramm; J Grayson (J Matavesi 27), James (c) (Kean 60); Heffernan (Patten 57), Gradwick-Light (Bell 60), Prowse (Painter 48); Nansen, Lockett; Sylvester, Scott-Young (Mulhall 75), Irvine (Atuanya 68).

Harlequins: Slevin (Chisholm 52); Cleaves, Bradley, Benson, Oresanya (Kolade 40); Edwards, Stafford (Murray 59); Baxter (Osborne 57), Riley (Jibulu 47), Litterick (Hobson 55); Matthews (c), Green; Carr, Trenholm (Smith 52 (Wilkinson 62)), Taulani.

Referee: Harry Walbaum