A new No 7 was the talk of Twickenham as Chris Robshaw returned to the scene of England’s World Cup exit.

Gloucester flanker Matt Kvesic was named man-of-the-match at HQ, issuing Eddie Jones with a timely statement ahead of next month’s Six Nations squad announcement.

Kvesic outshone Harlequins rival Jack Clifford in a wide-open 10-try draw, prompting Cherry and Whites director of rugby David Humphreys to hail the 23-year-old as Robshaw’s natural successor. 

Chris Robshaw waves to the Twickenham crowd after Harlequins played out a 39-all draw with Gloucester

Robshaw races in to congratulate Danny Care (second left) after he crosses for one of their five tries

Robshaw takes the ball up to Gloucester’s Ross Moriarty in the blockbuster match on Sunday

Gloucester flanker Matt Kvesic (left) was man of the match for his outstanding work at the breakdown

Kvesic, the 23-year-old pegged as Robshaw’s natural England successor, tackles Tim Visser on Sunday

The Aviva Premiership’s ‘Big Game 8’ welcomes a crowd of 70,718 at England’s home of rugby in London

‘I have no doubt that Matt Kvesic is the England international No 7-in-waiting,’ said Humphreys. ‘Big players produce big performances in the biggest games. If you are Eddie Jones, he is going to be hard to ignore.’

Kvesic provided constant needle at the breakdown, emerging with four turnovers – as well as topping the tackle count – to help remove the sting from Harlequins’ superior possession and territory.

The back-row’s performance even drew acclaim from Quins director of rugby Conor O’Shea, whose words of praise will reach Jones back in Australia, where he is spending the Christmas period.

‘We allowed him to be become too much of a factor in the game at the breakdown by not clearing him out,’ said O’Shea. ‘Matt was outstanding around the breakdown.’ 

While Kvesic’s performance provided reason for optimism, Twickenham continued to be a source of bad news for English rugby in 2015 – as Gloucester duo Jonny May and Henry Trinder both suffered second-half injuries after No 8 Ben Morgan pulled out before kick-off.

‘Henry hurt his hamstring and Jonny hurt his knee,’ said Humphreys. ‘It’s too early to assess the scope of the damage. Ben picked up a knock on Tuesday evening and we didn’t feel he was 100 per cent when we returned to training on Boxing Day.’

Robshaw claims a lineout at Twickenham for the first time since England World Cup-ending loss to Australia

Wales centre Jamie Roberts makes his debut for Quins in the epic encounter in west London on Sunday

Marland Yarde dives over despite the best efforts of Jonny May to score the first try for Quins in the corner

James Hook dives over after being put through by Billy Twelvetrees for an unopposed 40m run to the line

Trinder was influential on his first Premiership start this season, poaching two second-half tries off loose passes from Danny Care and Dave Ward. 

All five of Gloucester’s tries resulted from Quins inaccuracies, with the hosts leaving themselves open as they set out to attack – securing their seventh four-try bonus point in a row.

‘Ball in hand we look really, really threatening,’ said O’Shea. ‘We’ve scored 41 tries in our last seven games. We know which side of the game cost us. We conceded some freakish tries. We gifted them some scores and mentally that’s very hard to take.’

All Blacks lock Jeremy Thrush opened the floodgates in the seventh minute, after Gloucester winger Charlie Sharples beat Mike Brown at the high ball.

Then Clifford and Wales centre Jamie Roberts, making his Premiership debut, sucked in defenders to set up Marland Yarde, with Greig Laidlaw and Nick Evans both exchanging penalties.

A Kvesic turnover allowed James Hook to burst clear for a 60-metre try, but Care narrowed the half-time deficit to two points when he grounded the ball against the base of the post.

Scrum-half Danny Care scores Quins’ second try before Evans conversion makes it 15-17 before half-time

England wing Jonny May is helped from the field on Sunday and is now another doubt for the Six Nations

May required attention for a hamstring problem shortly after the sides returned to the pitch after half-time 

Henry Trinder extended Gloucester’s lead yet again as Laidlaw converts to make it 15-24 in their favour 

Quins wouldn’t go away with Nick Easter soon busting his way over next to the posts for 22-24 after the kick

When Ross Chisholm (right) crossed, and Evans added the extras, Quins had a 29-24 lead after 55 minute

Two minutes after the break, a loose clearance kick left May clutching his leg and he now joins Kieran Brookes, Alex Corbisiero and Henry Slade on a growing Red Rose casualty list.

Trinder then ran in his first try in 20 months from 75 metres, before adding a second either side of scores from Nick Easter and Ross Chisolm to leave proceedings level at 29-29 on the hour mark.

Laidlaw edged the visitors ahead and Rob Cook established a 10-point lead when he sliced through the Quins defence after a poor clearance kick by Brown.

But the hosts were given a glimmer of hope when hooker Richard Hibbard was sin-binned, completing their comeback when Evans converted Chisolm’s 77th minute score.

The Kiwi then had a chance to snatch victory with a last-minute drop goal but, with his effort drifting wide, there was to be one final moment of anguish for Robshaw and his troops. 

Trinder limped over the line to cross for his second try with what appeared to be a hamstring injury

Nick Evans attempts a last-gasp field goal to win it for Quins as James Hook attempts the chargedown

Anguish shows on Evans’ face as he witnesses his kick sailing wide and condemning his side to a draw 

Gloucester’s Hook consoles his opposite No 10 Evans after he almost wins the match in a grandstand finish