Harlequins ……………. 48pts
Tries: Cokayne 7, 17, 38; Konkel 23, Cleall 31, Edwards 44, Kildunne 72, Mckenzie 80
Conversions: Tuima 8, 23, 44, 72
Bristol …………………….. 14pts
Tries: Davies 64, White 78
Conversions: Reed 64, 78
SHAUNAGH Brown ended her rugby career on a high as Harlequins claimed a dominant victory over Bristol Bears.
Brown, 32, announced earlier this month that she would retire from rugby at the end of the year.
The England international, who won 30 Test caps, four Six Nations and one Premier 15s title, received a standing ovation as she left the field on 75 minutes and was lifted onto the shoulders of team-mates after the game.
She said: “Every minute I was thinking ‘that's another minute gone'.
“I didn't think of this as the last game – if I'm in, I'm in. I find it hard to go into things half-hearted. Today was about Harlequins, about us winning.”
Harlequins got off to a strong start with Amy Cokayne scoring the first of her hat-trick of tries as she steered a rolling maul over the line in the fifth minute. Bears' Ellie Mulhearn was shown a yellow for a high tackle shortly after and Quins capitalised with a second Cokayne try and Jade Konkel-Roberts dotting down a third.
TEAMS
HARLEQUINS: Kildunne, Aucken, Mayhew, Tuima, Torley (Blacklock 52), Scott (cc) (Mckenzie 54), Packer (Swords 54-67); Edwards (Cooper 52), Cokayne (cc) (Dobson 58), Cleall (Leaney 14-24, 58), Galligan, Bonar, Brown (Duffy 73), Robinson, Konkel (Corson 60)
BRISTOL: Keight, White, Murray, Reed (c), Bonner (West 20-24, Coles 64), Snowsill (Smith 64), Bevan (Burgess 45); Pam (Pyrs 45), Davies (Osborn-Clarke 71), Mulhearn (West 45), Stafford (Phillips 45), Burns, Molloy (King 60), Johnes, Marston
REFEREE: Karl Dickson
ATTENDANCE: 4,479
Star player
Amy Cockayne -Bristol
Bryony Cleall sealed the bonus-point try and Cokayne claimed her hattrick just before half-time with another driving maul from a line-out.
Harlequins began the second half with a Chloe Edwards try, but Bristol were an improved side and put their their first points on the scoreboard with Lark Davies finding the line from a rolling maul.
Ellie Kildunne broke quickly down the left and scored in the corner to restore Quins' dominance, but that was followed by Grace White powering over from 25 metres out to give Bears a second.
However, Quins had the final say with Bella McKenzie crossing the line but she failed to add an extra two points, hitting the post with the final kick of the game.
Up next for Quins is a trip to Wasps on January 14 while the Bears host Sale Sharks.
