Heinken Cup: Harlequins progress after sixth straight win
Harlequins beat Biarritz 16-9 in south-west France to maintain their perfect record in Heineken Cup Pool 3.
Last Updated: 18/01/13 11:38pm
The Londoners had already secured qualification and a home quarter-final, but this historic victory will give them a major boost heading into the knockout stages.
Biarritz had only ever lost one Heineken Cup game at Parc Des Sports Aguilera - to Cardiff in 2008 - but Quins proved they are now more than a match for the best clubs in the Top 14 even on their own patch.
Neither side was able to play much rugby in continuous torrential rain on a surface which rapidly came to resemble a paddy field.
With footing treacherous for place-kickers, Dimitri Yachvili missed an easy penalty chance for Biarritz after the opening exchanges but made amends on 10 minutes after Joe Marler came in at the side.
Nick Evans levelled the scores after Quins' first visit to the Biarritz half and they went ahead on the half hour with a try almost from nowhere.
Evans put a penalty into the corner and Tom Guest collected the ball at the back of the lineout, spun towars the line and was able to dive in almost untouched. Evans added the extras for a 10-3 lead.
Wencelas Lauret and Marler were sin-binned for fighting in the only other notable event of the half, but after the break Yachvili picked away at Quins' lead with two successful penalties.
But Marler redeemed himself by winning a penalty at the breakdown and Evans fired over the kick of the night from 45 metres, the ball hitting the top of the crossbar and going over.
Yachvili missed another penalty chance with 15 minutes left and with the Quins forwards starting to take control, they earned a scrum penalty eight minutes from time and another fine kick from Evans wrapped up the win.