Scotland centre Emma Orr scored two second-half tries as Bristol Bears came from behind to seal a 17-14 win and all but end Harlequins’ hopes of reaching the Premiership Women’s Rugby top four.
Staged at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium for the first time as part of Bristol’s ‘Big Day Out’ the match was watched by 14,020 fans – a record for a ‘home’ game for Bristol -with a Prem meeting between the men’s sides at 15:30 GMT.
Defeat was Harlequins’ sixth in a row, and while they took a losing bonus point to move up to fifth in the table – level on points with Sale in fourth – they have played more than those around them and have just one game remaining.
The Bears remain eighth with this their first win in two matches, with games against Exeter and Gloucester-Hartpury to come.
Meanwhile, second-placed Saracens thrashed Sale 54-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Saturday’s second game.
However, Gloucester-Hartpury restored their nine-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday – and made it 14 wins from 14 – with a crushing 51-14 victory over winless Leicester Tigers.
In Sunday’s other match, England’s Abi Burton scored a hat-trick as Trailfinders Women beat Loughborough Lightning 39-26 to boost their semi-final hopes.