New signing Chris Melling excelled at full-back for Quins

St Helens: (6) 6
Tries: Gidley
Goals: Long

Harlequins: (10) 14
Tries: Orr, Hopkins, Wells
Goals: Sykes

Harlequins created the first shock of the new season as they ran in three tries to stun champions St Helens in dreadful conditions at Knowsley Road.

Danny Orr intercepted James Roby's pass to run half the length of the field and score, only for Leon Pryce to set up Matt Gidley to score for Saints.

Sean Long's poor kick allowed Chris Melling to counter-attack, Lee Hopkins rounding off the move with a try.

Jon Wells made it three on 60 minutes and Quins held on for a famous win.

Interview: Harlequins coach Brian McDermott

The visitors went ahead when Roby became part of an attacking move involving Long and Keiron Cunningham.

But his attempt to keep the move alive just put the ball straight into the midriff of Orr, who ran home to score.

Long's clever kick-off allowed Pryce to set up Gidley, but he missed the conversion and it was his attempted grubber kick which Melling pounced upon.

606: DEBATE From the start I felt that Quins were the better side SG 606: Have your say

He was held up by Ian Hardman and Francis Meli but Hopkins followed up to burrow over in the left-hand corner.

Long pulled back a penalty just before the break when Julien Rinaldi was in the sin-bin, and after the restart Pryce was only denied a touchdown by stout Melling defending.

Wells rounded off the scoring on the hour mark which set up a grand finale assault by Saints, but the Londoners' defence stood firm to pull off a spectacular victory.

"It was snowing during the course of the game but that's no excuse. They were better than us.

"They made big tackles and they carried the ball very well and that's indicative of a fantastic effort by Harlequins."

"And if the game had been rugby union I would say we got to the break-down a lot quicker than Saints. We exploited that and took our chances.

"Chris Melling is going to be very good for us this year. He's one of those utility players, while Danny Orr was outstanding."

St Helens: Hardman, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Bennett, Graham, Roby, Hooper, Hargreaves, Moore, Fa'asavalu.

Harlequins: Melling, Wells, Sykes, Smith, Gafa, Hill, Orr, Temata, Randall, Mills, Purdham, Hopkins, Paul, Rinaldi, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Grayshon, Worrincy.

Att: 7,515

Ref: P Bentham (Warrington).