Quins Vs Tigers

[FKAS]

Harlequins Starting XV 1. Joe Marler – Captain 2. Jack Musk 3. Wilco Louw 4. Dino Lamb 5. Irne Herbst 6. Jack Kenningham 7. Will Evans 8. Archie White 9. Danny Care 10. Marcus Smith 11. Cadan Murley 12. Andre Esterhuizen 13. Luke Northmore 14. Joe Marchant 15. Tyrone Green

Impact Players 16. George Head 17. Santiago Garcia Botta 18. Simon Kerrod 19. George Hammond 20. Matas Jurevicius 21. Lewis Gjaltema 22. Tommy Allan 23. Nick David

STARTING XV:
15 Freddie Steward [59]
14 Chris Ashton [16]
13 Harry Potter [45]
12 Matt Scott [50]
11 Anthony Watson [2]
10 Freddie Burns [107]
9 Ben Youngs (vc) [286]
1 James Cronin [5]
2 Julián Montoya [28]
3 Dan Cole (vc) [295]
4 Harry Wells [161]
5 Calum Green [94]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [64]
7 Tommy Reffell [82]
8 Jasper Wiese [46]

REPLACEMENTS:
16 Charlie Clare [57]
17 Francois van Wyk [21]
18 Joe Heyes [105]
19 Cameron Henderson [22]
20 Olly Cracknell [5]
21 Jack van Poortvliet [52]
22 Jimmy Gopperth [5]
23 Nemani Nadolo [40]

Struggling to see past a big Quins win here. Tigers might be able to beat Quins up a bit in the forwards but the Quins scrum is good so unlikely to get change there and the Quins backline is streets ahead in quality and cohesive attacking plan.

[Scrumhead]

We have a more settled side and having Esterhuizen back will be a big boost, but I wouldn’t be expecting a ‘big Quins win’. Wiese back for Tigers is big for them too.

We’ve just had a week off (after our game with Worcester was cancelled). That’s probably better than trying to recover from a physical game against Sale, but sometimes a break can be counterproductive. Hard to call this IMO.

[Oakboy]

I'm not a Quins fan but I like watching them. Esterhuizen back makes them look stronger on paper. Marchant on the wing is a niggle though.

[FKAS]

Marchant maybe lacks the top level pace but his positioning and work under the high ball are very good. Given Tigers somewhat limp attack I don't think he's going to have any issues.

Scott and Burns have both struggled for form this season, Burns might find it easier with two centres who are both happy to carry hard but whilst willing Potter isn't a centre and I expect a class combination like Big Andre and Northmore to cause us a lot of problems. The outside defence has been questionable for Tigers so far and Murley Vs Ashton won't help that.

[Mikey Brown]

Some great matchups in there - Marler vs Cole, Evans v Reffell, Care v Youngs, both back-three units. Shame Murley isn't directly facing Watson, as the England incumbent.

A strong Quins side overall but the spine of the pack is still not really first choice. If our lineout and maul can stand up to Tigers' then I think we should have too much for them, but I'm not predicting a 'big win' either.

[fivepointer]

Tigers wobbling. Quins away isnt the ideal fixture but if they can get an edge up front it will make things interesting.

[FKAS]

Tigers wobbling. Quins away isnt the ideal fixture but if they can get an edge up front it will make things interesting.

I'll be happy if we can grab a LBP.

[Banquo]

Tigers wobbling. Quins away isnt the ideal fixture but if they can get an edge up front it will make things interesting.

I'll be happy if we can grab a LBP.

Its still a side rammed with quality.

[FKAS]

Tigers wobbling. Quins away isnt the ideal fixture but if they can get an edge up front it will make things interesting.

I'll be happy if we can grab a LBP.

Its still a side rammed with quality.

Just not in the midfield where Quins are very strong. We've got one out of form second choice centre and a winger up against one of the best inside centres in world rugby and a very good club level OC. I just think it'll provide an easy outlet to get them on the front foot and get their backs into the game even if they are being out muscled up front (Quins pack is pretty stacked so unlikely).

Quins score a lot of points Vs pretty much everyone, defence is a little leaky but our attack has been pretty meh so far.

[Banquo]

I'll be happy if we can grab a LBP.

Its still a side rammed with quality.

Just not in the midfield where Quins are very strong. We've got one out of form second choice centre and a winger up against one of the best inside centres in world rugby and a very good club level OC. I just think it'll provide an easy outlet to get them on the front foot and get their backs into the game even if they are being out muscled up front (Quins pack is pretty stacked so unlikely).

Quins score a lot of points Vs pretty much everyone, defence is a little leaky but our attack has been pretty meh so far.

Bit defeatist tbh. These problems have been evident for a while, and the coaching staff should have been working on them.

[Peej]

I think Tigers might be able to grind this out and win.

[Banquo]

I think Tigers might be able to grind this out and win.

That was my thinking tbh.

[Mellsblue]

Tigers wobbling. Quins away isnt the ideal fixture but if they can get an edge up front it will make things interesting.

I'll be happy if we can grab a LBP.

Its still a side rammed with quality.

Shame they’re playing like sheep

[Banquo]

I'll be happy if we can grab a LBP.

Its still a side rammed with quality.

Shame they’re playing like sheep

ewe can say that, I couldn't possibly comment.

[FKAS]

Its still a side rammed with quality.

Just not in the midfield where Quins are very strong. We've got one out of form second choice centre and a winger up against one of the best inside centres in world rugby and a very good club level OC. I just think it'll provide an easy outlet to get them on the front foot and get their backs into the game even if they are being out muscled up front (Quins pack is pretty stacked so unlikely).

Quins score a lot of points Vs pretty much everyone, defence is a little leaky but our attack has been pretty meh so far.

Bit defeatist tbh. These problems have been evident for a while, and the coaching staff should have been working on them.

Yes and no. Clearly we have been looking at playing a different style but it's a style that is based on Pollard at 10 and not Burns. Pollard is a much greater running threat so facilitates a secondary playmaker at 12. Burns doesn't and so we need to go back to last season's tactics but with injuries we have struggled to put out a side that can do that. We're trying to go back and play last season's style today so we'll see if it works but the lack of fit centres aren't helping things and as willing as Gopperth is he can't play like Kelly at 12 and Scott will struggle to as well though at least he might get closer.

These issues weren't really there last season and we are trying to move things on but it isn't working and so we're going back to the kicking game as a reset. Burns indifferent form is not helping with that though and neither was Ashton at 15 in the first game Vs Chiefs.

Quins are a good team and the Stoop is not an easy place to go. Before the financial carnage the plan was, get through the Quins game as the last one in a very tough start to the season and then look to gain some momentum against Wasps and Worcester at home. I'd still take an LBP tomorrow, it'll mean we've pushed Quins close and so have been in the fight throughout.

[Banquo]

Just not in the midfield where Quins are very strong. We've got one out of form second choice centre and a winger up against one of the best inside centres in world rugby and a very good club level OC. I just think it'll provide an easy outlet to get them on the front foot and get their backs into the game even if they are being out muscled up front (Quins pack is pretty stacked so unlikely).

Quins score a lot of points Vs pretty much everyone, defence is a little leaky but our attack has been pretty meh so far.

Bit defeatist tbh. These problems have been evident for a while, and the coaching staff should have been working on them.

Yes and no. Clearly we have been looking at playing a different style but it's a style that is based on Pollard at 10 and not Burns. Pollard is a much greater running threat so facilitates a secondary playmaker at 12. Burns doesn't and so we need to go back to last season's tactics but with injuries we have struggled to put out a side that can do that. We're trying to go back and play last season's style today so we'll see if it works but the lack of fit centres aren't helping things and as willing as Gopperth is he can't play like Kelly at 12 and Scott will struggle to as well though at least he might get closer.

These issues weren't really there last season and we are trying to move things on but it isn't working and so we're going back to the kicking game as a reset. Burns indifferent form is not helping with that though and neither was Ashton at 15 in the first game Vs Chiefs.

Quins are a good team and the Stoop is not an easy place to go. Before the financial carnage the plan was, get through the Quins game as the last one in a very tough start to the season and then look to gain some momentum against Wasps and Worcester at home. I'd still take an LBP tomorrow, it'll mean we've pushed Quins close and so have been in the fight throughout.

Given Pollard has hardly been available and is now crocked, you'd think the coaches would have had some form of other plan before, no? and frankly, its the defence that has been poor. Given the quality of players available across the squad, it all seems a bit pessimistic to me.

[FKAS]

Bit defeatist tbh. These problems have been evident for a while, and the coaching staff should have been working on them.

Yes and no. Clearly we have been looking at playing a different style but it's a style that is based on Pollard at 10 and not Burns. Pollard is a much greater running threat so facilitates a secondary playmaker at 12. Burns doesn't and so we need to go back to last season's tactics but with injuries we have struggled to put out a side that can do that. We're trying to go back and play last season's style today so we'll see if it works but the lack of fit centres aren't helping things and as willing as Gopperth is he can't play like Kelly at 12 and Scott will struggle to as well though at least he might get closer.

These issues weren't really there last season and we are trying to move things on but it isn't working and so we're going back to the kicking game as a reset. Burns indifferent form is not helping with that though and neither was Ashton at 15 in the first game Vs Chiefs.

Quins are a good team and the Stoop is not an easy place to go. Before the financial carnage the plan was, get through the Quins game as the last one in a very tough start to the season and then look to gain some momentum against Wasps and Worcester at home. I'd still take an LBP tomorrow, it'll mean we've pushed Quins close and so have been in the fight throughout.

Given Pollard has hardly been available and is now crocked, you'd think the coaches would have had some form of other plan before, no? and frankly, its the defence that has been poor. Given the quality of players available across the squad, it all seems a bit pessimistic to me.

Yes but during the summer you don't plan for a type of rugby that doesn't make best use of your big name flyhalf that was playing for the Boks at 10. The lack of fit centres has also hindered out ability to go back to last season's system. The defence is generally because we've ended up not kicking on our terms because the attack isn't working plus Gopperth who's only been at the club for a few months is having to organise the defence as opposed to Kelly and Moroni last season who were exceptional at that.

[Banquo]

Yes and no. Clearly we have been looking at playing a different style but it's a style that is based on Pollard at 10 and not Burns. Pollard is a much greater running threat so facilitates a secondary playmaker at 12. Burns doesn't and so we need to go back to last season's tactics but with injuries we have struggled to put out a side that can do that. We're trying to go back and play last season's style today so we'll see if it works but the lack of fit centres aren't helping things and as willing as Gopperth is he can't play like Kelly at 12 and Scott will struggle to as well though at least he might get closer.

These issues weren't really there last season and we are trying to move things on but it isn't working and so we're going back to the kicking game as a reset. Burns indifferent form is not helping with that though and neither was Ashton at 15 in the first game Vs Chiefs.

Quins are a good team and the Stoop is not an easy place to go. Before the financial carnage the plan was, get through the Quins game as the last one in a very tough start to the season and then look to gain some momentum against Wasps and Worcester at home. I'd still take an LBP tomorrow, it'll mean we've pushed Quins close and so have been in the fight throughout.

Given Pollard has hardly been available and is now crocked, you'd think the coaches would have had some form of other plan before, no? and frankly, its the defence that has been poor. Given the quality of players available across the squad, it all seems a bit pessimistic to me.

Yes but during the summer you don't plan for a type of rugby that doesn't make best use of your big name flyhalf that was playing for the Boks at 10. The lack of fit centres has also hindered out ability to go back to last season's system. The defence is generally because we've ended up not kicking on our terms because the attack isn't working plus Gopperth who's only been at the club for a few months is having to organise the defence as opposed to Kelly and Moroni last season who were exceptional at that.

......all a set of circumstances coaches have to deal with. You knew Pollard wouldnt be there at the start, ditto Kelly ditto Moroni. Frankly the poor wide defence should have been fixed. Just think....adapt and work the strengths whllst working on mitigating flaws..... mind, I'm sure they probably are!

[twitchy]

Not the greatest opening half an hour. Commentary has mainly been about how big nadolo is.

[FKAS]

Tigers mugging Quins at the breakdown repeatedly. Happily both teams have been kicking to the corner and looking to score tries. Still think this game could come more to life in the second half.

The Reffell intervention on Northmore was outstanding, looked a really good try until the second watch.

[Stom]

Tigers mugging Quins at the breakdown repeatedly. Happily both teams have been kicking to the corner and looking to score tries. Still think this game could come more to life in the second half.

The Reffell intervention on Northmore was outstanding, looked a really good try until the second watch.

I think it's been crap. Quins have just not supported well: we're not being turned over by some amazing breakdown work from Leicester. It's good, but we're just not clearing out well enough. We're also struggling with consistent decision making, which is a problem.

Leicester are also getting all the calls, which is partly because they got the legal upper hand and Quins made some poor decisions in the first ten, so the ref started missing things... like the forward pass in the lead up to Montoya's try.

My only worry with Quins is that we've not really got a way to change this game. We're really struggling with injuries in the backrow. No Dombrandt, no Chis, no Lawday. And White is just...OK. So it's a bit of a struggle.

Watching games like this, I just feel like Quins really need to be horrible and nick a player or two from Wasps or Wuss...

[Stom]

No, sorry, the ref is having a mare now. That's 3 in a row where the jackaller hasn't supported their weight. Not good enough from either him or Quins.

[twitchy]

That looked really nasty for green.

[FKAS]

No, sorry, the ref is having a mare now. That's 3 in a row where the jackaller hasn't supported their weight. Not good enough from either him or Quins.

I think the ref has been pretty even to be honest. We've got away with one or two and you've got away with players not rolling away so that you're backrow can stand a chance at the breakdown. The block on Steward moments ago looked a certain penalty as well. When both sides have only minor annoyances with the officiating then they've probably done a very good job.

Green injury looks bad, I really hope it's not as bad as it looks.

[FKAS]

Well I didn't see that one coming. Tigers simply bullied Quins up front and particularly at the breakdown. I really expected Quins centres to give them more go forward but the exceptional Scott and also Potter really stepped up well and gave them no change.