WHEN the substance matches the style, Harlequins are the most dangerous team in this division.
Too often in league action the Cherry and Whites have been put to the famous sword of the west London club's impish character.
In medieval Italian theatre the Harlequin's comic exterior belied a nasty streak.
Conor O'Shea's Quins are just as easy on the eye – but every bit as deadly as their quartered clown.
At every tackle a Quins raider lurks on the shoulder or in the pocket, desperate to change the point of attack and flummox floundering defenders.
Domestically it is a gameplan without equal, too high-risk for most.
The Kingsholm men had leaked 95 points in their previous two Premiership trips to The Stoop, and Twickenham's second stadium had started to carry an air of dread.
Not under Nigel Davies, though – not with his band of skirmishing defenders.
In those hammerings of old Gloucester conceded almost every time Quins snaffled possession.
On Saturday evening the Cherry and Whites shut down the O'Shea way – and that's a first at The Stoop.
All must hail Gloucester's last-gasp field-length try that salvaged a bonus point.
But let us also remember only dogged, rugged and at times desperate defence made that possible.
Gloucester's breakdown work was magnificent, Akapusi Qera and Billy Twelvetrees constant scourges over the ball.
And Davies' men flooded deep when the ball was shifted carousel-style to avoid ruck or maul, all the while holding shape.
Three sloppy lapses were all Quins required to steal the spoils but not even defeat here can capsize Kingsholm's Davies buoyancy.
Nick Evans and Freddie Burns' opening penalties sorted the niceties, and just shy of the quarter-hour the contest-proper began.
Sometimes a botched lineout offers the greatest gain, and so it was when Maurie Fa'savalu gobbled the scraps at the tail in the Gloucester 22 and raced into centre-field.
One quick ruck, three quick passes and full-back Mike Brown was in at the corner.
Gloucester shrugged off the omen and cajoled their way to three-straight Freddie Burns penalties.
The third owed everything to Burns' foresight. The wily outside-half tapped a quick penalty, blasted deep and led the Gloucester chase into the Quins 22.
The Kingsholm marauders snagged and isolated Brown, forcing a rightful reward that caught Quins off guard.
Gloucester's two-point lead only lasted as many minutes.
A trademark quick-tap raid caught Gloucester short, Tom Williams dragged in the remaining cover – and his wide pass sent Matt Hopper clear into the right corner.
With half-time fast approaching a three-point deficit would have been palatable.
But then Gloucester fell foul of the classic Quins trap.
Playing from deep at The Stoop is often playing into the hosts' hands.
A quick lineout had James Simpson-Daniel hunting a midfield gap, but with nothing doing he fed Martyn Thomas.
Full-back Thomas neither committed the defender nor drove straight for the gain-line.
That momentary indecision was enough for Sam Smith to chance his arm.
When Thomas shipped on to Monahan Smith pounced, for a clear run to the whitewash.
The only time Gloucester slightly forced the issue, and they were punished without mercy.
Lament the execution but do not chide the ambition.
Gloucester turned around frustrated but unflustered.
Burns calmed what nerves did surface with a penalty to open the second-half.
But then Monahan tackled Brown in the air. More clumsy than malicious, but dangerous nonetheless, and the Irish winger walked to the sin-bin.
Quins were scenting try bonus-point blood, but Gloucester drew strength from fending off Leicester with 13 men the previous week.
The tryline assault lasted the length of Monahan's sanction, but Gloucester refused to yield.
Evans missed a straightforward penalty to leave the game scoreless in those ten minutes, and Gloucester's belief ratcheted.
The Kiwi playmaker then traded penalties with Burns as the game passed the hour-mark.
All the city boys wanted was that fourth try – but everyone knows the pinstripe brigade have to work for their Christmas bonus in this climate.
Tom Savage copped an elbow to the face and kept on going, and Ben Morgan needed 15 stitches to a head wound.
Quizzical Quins could hardly fathom Gloucester's resolve, seeming almost fanciful about accepting another Evans penalty with seven minutes left to play.
Still Gloucester would not relent, and Morgan was hardly patched up before he was back on the bench.
The number eight killed the ball as Quins battered the Gloucester tryline.
Once again Gloucester were down to 14, so Quins tried to exploit the situation through a series of scrums.
The Cherry and Whites handled the set-piece with just seven men, keen not to be outnumbered out wide.
Quins won three penalties, scrummaging each time.
But on the fourth scrummage Gloucester turned the tables in fine style.
No ceremony for Dan Robson. He tapped, went and fed Thomas.
The Welshman raced down the left flank, passing halfway before setting a ruck.
Monahan plundered down the right, then Pete Buxton cut towards centre-field – and it fell to Twelvetrees to provide the finish.
Burns' conversion left Gloucester three points adrift with one play remaining.
Suddenly all that capital swagger deserted the hosts.
Gloucester claimed the restart but somehow Quins wrestled the ball back and set a ruck.
Burns scragged Ben Botica but could not bring him down.
The young playmaker quickly dismissed thoughts of launching one last attack – retreated and blasted to touch to signal full-time.
Quins – with a man advantage – deserted their bonus-point quest to preserve victory, the biggest compliment to the Nigel Davies era yet.
HARLEQUINS: M Brown, T Williams, M Hopper, T Casson (B Botica, 41), S Smith, N Evans, K Dickson, M Lambert, J Gray, J Johnston, O Kohn, G Robson, M Fa'asavalu, L Wallace, N Easter (capt). Unused: D Ward, D Marfo, W Collier, C Matthews, T Guest, J Burns, S Stegmann.
YELLOW CARDS, GLOUCESTER: Monahan (48), Morgan (75).
REFEREE: Wayne Barnes
ATTENDANCE: 14,517
