Harlequins (27) 32
Tries: Guest, N Evans, Robshaw Con: N Evans Pens: N Evans 4 Drop: Malone

Wasps (3) 10
Try: Simpson Con: Walder Pen: Staunton

Chris Robshaw (facing) celebrates his try with Ceri Jones and Will Skinner

Harlequins full-back Nick Evans scored 19 points on his return to the starting line-up to continue Wasps' miserable run in the Premiership.

Evans scored a try, four penalties and converted Tom Guest's early try to put Quins 27-3 ahead at half-time.

Chris Robshaw increased the advantage after the break while Joe Simpson scored a consolation try for Wasps.

The win moves Quins up to second in the table while Wasps are now just one point ahead of basement club Bristol.

The defending champions, who slipped to their fifth defeat in six league games, are now in serious trouble at the bottom of the table and face a major battle to qualify for the play-offs, let alone retain the title.

Wasps were without nine international players, including England contingent Paul Sackey, Danny Cipriani, Riki Flutey, James Haskell, Tom Rees, Tom Palmer and Simon Shaw, and never recovered from a dismal first half.

They will be rueing the fact that they played Quins on the day that Evans was making his first start since suffering a knee ligament injury on the opening day of the season - the fly-half producing a man-of-the-match display despite playing in the unaccustomed role of full-back.

Harlequins made a superb start, fly-half Chris Malone landing a drop-goal after just 23 seconds while Guest drove in from the base of a close-range ruck.

Evans added his first penalty to put his side 13-0 ahead after just eight minutes before he traded kicks with former Quins fly-half Jeremy Staunton.

The former All Black then claimed his stunning try on 28 minutes, joining the line to link up with centre Tosh Masson's break and showing superb acceleration to power home.

Evans added two more kicks before the break to punish Wasps for indiscipline inside their own 22.

Wasps had the perfect chance to get back into the match at the start of the second half but centre Lachlan Mitchell spilled the ball as he dived over the line.

Quins made Wasps pay for their profligacy and Mark van Gisbergen will want to forget his role in the home side's third try.

A Malone grubber kick bounced off his head, Masson hacked on and flanker Robshaw won the race to the ball.

Substitute scrum-half Simpson beat three opponents as he ran in from the halfway line but it was too little too late as Wasps finished well-beaten.

Harlequins rugby director Dean Richards:
"It wasn't just about Nick and his finishing. It was the quality of the rugby that led up to it.

"Our scrum dominated their scrum which must have been disappointing for them.

"The brand of rugby we are playing at the moment gives you an idea of the feeling in the camp.

"You always miss your internationals but it's an opportunity for other people which some of these young guys have taken."

Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan:
"We missed too many tackles in the first half and had a mountain to climb after that.

"The players stuck at it and did better in the second half but we have to do it for 80 minutes.

"There were a lot of easy points given away - six penalties. We will look at what we are doing at the moment. We aren't happy with some of the things.

"No other team is going to help us. We have to make concentrate on what we are doing and make sure we are competitive and accurate, which we weren't in the first half."

McGeechan on his missing internationals:
"It does make a difference with the experience that's there.

"We know we always have the biggest challenge when international rugby is on."

Harlequins: N Evans; T Williams, Masson, Turner-Hall, Amesbury; Malone, Gomarsall; Jones, Botha, Ross, Kohn, J Evans, Robshaw, Skinner, Guest.
Replacements: Barry for Turner-Hall (64), Poluleuligaga for Gomarsall (50), Lambert for Ross (73), Robson for J Evans (64), Mcmillan for Guest (64).
Not Used: Brooker, Luveniyali.

Wasps: Van Gisbergen; Lawler, Lewsey, Mitchell, Voyce; Staunton, Robinson; Payne, Webber, Barnard, Skivington, Birkett, Hart, Betsen, Worsley.
Replacements: Walder for Staunton (56), Simpson for Robinson (50), Ibanez for Webber (56), French for Barnard (41), Leo for Hart (60), Ellis for Betsen (56).
Not Used: Hoadley.

Att: 12,000

Ref: Tim Wigglesworth (RFU).

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