Whiting, who only recently returned from three-and-a-half months on the sidelines with a broken arm, will miss the rest of the season.

The 23-year-old was taken to a London hospital and was expected to undergo surgery before returning to Hull. He sustained the injury as he set up a try late in the game.

Coach Peter Sharp said: "I feel so sorry for Richard because he has worked so hard to come back from his broken arm and I thought he was playing pretty well. It is another sad loss and once again we just seem to get a player back and then lose one, but we have to rise above that."

Australian stand-off Scott Hill had put his injury woes aside to spearhead a superb home revival. The 30-year-old – who missed Quins' Challenge Cup loss to Leeds the previous week with a hamstring problem – had a hand in all of the hosts' tries as they rallied from a 16-point half-time deficit.

Promising youngster Tony Clubb and Chris Melling bagged doubles, and Julien Rinaldi and Mike Worrincy both touched down in the second half after Adam Dykes inspired Hull to boss the opening 40 minutes.

Hull flew out of the blocks and Australian Dykes exposed Quins full-back Jon Wells with a 'bomb' into the corner which allowed Whiting to touch down after two minutes.

Another high kick from Dykes after 27 minutes was not dealt with by winger Rikki Sheriffe, allowing Mike Burnett to clean up and feed Tommy Lee, who touched down with ease.

Hull soon extended their lead to 16 when stand-off Danny Washbrook reaped the benefits of slick hands from Dykes as the visitors took control.

However, Quins hit back before the hooter when a series of penalties allowed replacement second-row Clubb to burrow his way over from short range to cut the deficit to 10.

Quins picked up where they left off when Rinaldi intercepted Craig Hall's pass and ran home from 30 metres.

Kirk Yeaman kept Hull ahead with a storming 85-metre run after 50 minutes, but the Airlie Birds had no answer as Quins ran riot late on.

Australian Hill allowed Worrincy to crash over six minutes later before Melling scored straight from the kick-off as the hosts went 24-20 ahead.

Clubb extended the lead to eight despite the attention of three Hull defenders after 68 minutes before Australian Matt Sing pulled one back shortly after.

A comeback from Hull was not to materialise and Hill had the final say after a silky exchange with Melling left the Hull defence flapping.

Harlequins coach Brian McDermott heaped praise on stand-off Hill.

He said: "Scott was very influential for us – he looked quick and sharp.

"I thought we were poor and it was just a few individuals who stood up for us.

"I thought we lacked a bit of intensity and urgency, but we managed to turn it around in the second half.

"It was very important for us to get the win – usually I am talking about performances, but it was important for us to do what was required when needed."

Harlequins: Wells, Melling, Gafa, Howell, Sheriffe, Hill, Orr, Temata, Randall, Ward, Clubb, Mbu, Paul. Substitutes: Rinaldi, Haggerty, Worrincy, Grayshon.

Hull: Byrne, Sing, Yeaman, Hall, Raynor, Washbrook, Dykes, Dowes, Berrigan, Cusack, Manu, Radford, Whiting. Substitutes: Burnett, Lee, Wheeldon, Thackray.

Referee: B Thaler (Wakefield).