Aviva Premiership: Harlequins 38-7 London Irish
By Keith Moore
Last Updated: 05/12/15 6:26pm
Tim Visser scored a hat-trick to give Harlequins a 38-7 win over Aviva Premiership rivals London Irish at the Stoop.
Danny Care and replacement Jack Clifford added tries to the Visser hat-trick, while Nick Evans contributed 11 points with the boot.
New England coach Eddie Jones was in attendance for his first match since replacing Stuart Lancaster, but it was a Scot who stole the show in Twickenham. Scotland's Dutch-born wing claimed a hat-trick of tries, each of which took some finishing with the 28-year-old's strength and pace proving the undoing of Irish's defence.
Quins claimed a bonus-point victory, which furthers their challenge for a place in the play-offs, while Irish are still searching for their first competition points of the season.
The blustery conditions contributed to a scrappy opening half, and though Danny Care made some attacking breaks, the only points of an uneventful opening 30 minutes came from an Evans penalty.
The lead would have been extended if Ross Chisholm had enough pace to finish off a break by George Lowe, but Alex Lewington tackled the replacement winger into touch.
Quins then increased the tempo and were rewarded when Evans combined with Visser on the switch for the Scotland international's first try of the night, as Quins took a 10-0 led into the break.
Lowe enjoyed an influential afternoon, and his break down the right set up Quins' first try of the second half, with Chisholm supplying the scoring pass to Care.
Care turned provider in the 58th minute when he passed to Visser on a good line, where the winger's strength left a trail of tacklers in his wake for the score.
The Scot was initially denied his hat-trick by the television match official, but with 10 minutes remaining he dotted down for his third to secure Quins a bonus point. Evans' long pass put him in front of the line before he twisted through the defence.
Jack Clifford burrowed over from close range three minutes from time, but Irish were able to get on the board at the last possible moment when Halani Aulika touched down two minutes later.