Nick Evans inspired a young Harlequins side to victory as they secured a home draw in the semi-finals of the LV=Cup.

The former All Blacks fly-half contributed 18 points with a try, two conversions and three penalties to beat Cardiff Blues.

Harlequins, with seven players away on international duties, sit at the top of Pool Four and showed their superiority.

Evans and scrum-half Karl Dickson ripped Cardiff apart with Quins now unbeaten in their last eight games.

Winger Sam Smith, with his seventh touchdown in six first-team matches this season, scored Harlequins other first-half try as they wiped out an early 7-0 deficit to lead 17-7 at half-time.

Quins fell behind in the seventh minute when Blues flanker Andries Pretorious took a short pass from lock Bryn Griffiths and forced his way in from close range, fly-half Ceri Sweeney adding the conversion.

Harlequins drew level eight minutes later through Evans, who converted his own try. Their Welsh prop Ceri Jones was then hauled down a metre short of the line before they opted for a scrum instead of a close-range penalty kick.

The gamble paid off with scrum-half Karl Dickson feeding Evans from the base of the scrum and the New Zealander raced through the narrowest of defensive gaps to touch down.

Evans kicked Harlequins ahead with a penalty after 21st minutes after Cardiff, who lost centre Casey Laulala and prop Tom Davies to injury, were caught off-side in front of their own posts.

Harlequins' grabbed their second try on 24 minutes when Smith made a clear 25-metre run to the line.

The Blues, also badly depleted with international calls, injuries and suspension, continued the pressure as they dominated the second half for long periods. But they were unable to breach a well-drilled Harlequins defence.

Evans kicked further penalties in the 67th and 74th minutes to ensure his side extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions.

Harlequins: Chisholm, S. Smith, Lowe, Casson, Camacho, Evans, Dickson, Jones, Brooker, Andress, Stevenson, Browne, Fa'asavalu, Skinner, York.
Replacements: Clegg for Chisholm (55), Urdapilleta for Casson (34), Moore for Dickson (75), Cairns for Brooker (52), Collier for Andress (61), Kohn for Stevenson (67), Trayfoot for York (55). Not Used: Gray.

Cardiff Blues: Czekaj, Mustoe, Laulala, Hewitt, James, Sweeney, Slater, T. Davies, G. Williams, Filise, Griffiths, Tito, Pretorius, Navidi, Brown, Trevett.
Replacements: Evans for Laulala (4), Fish for Hewitt (67), Downes for Slater (54), Trevett for T. Davies (13), Thomas for G. Williams (61), White for Navidi (47), Molitika for Brown (51), Hobbs for Trevett (51).

Att: 8,723

Referee: David Rose (RFU).

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