Quins Vs Tigers - Friday 7.45

[FKAS]

Starting XV:

1. Fin Baxter (41)
2. Jack Walker (54)
3. Will Collier (233)
4. Joe Launchbury (16 - Captain)
5. Irne Herbst (37)
6. George Hammond (56)
7. Will Evans (80)
8. James Chisholm (146)
9. Max Green (5)
10. Jarrod Evans (10)
11. Louis Lynagh (57)
12. Andre Esterhuizen (81)
13. Will Joseph (11)
14. Nick David (47)
15. Tyrone Green (66)

Impact Players:

16. Sam Riley (44)
17. Santiago Garcia Botta (62)
18. Dillon Lewis (11)
19. Arthur Clark (Debut)
20. Archie White (69)
21. Lewis Gjaltema (32)
22. Will Edwards (32)
23. Cadan Murley (105)

Not available for selection (injury): Luke Northmore, Jack Kenningham, Dino Lamb, Stephan Lewies, Will Porter

International duty: Joe Marler, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Oscar Beard

STARTING XV

15 Jamie Shillcock [18]
14 Mike Brown [20]
13 Dan Kelly [73]
12 Solomone Kata [12]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [13]
10 Handré Pollard [25]
9 Tom Whiteley [22]
1 James Cronin [27]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [52]
3 Dan Richardson [14]
4 Harry Wells [189]
5 Kyle Hatherell [13]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [98]
7 Olly Cracknell [33]
8 Jasper Wiese [71]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Finn Theobold-Thomas [6]
17 Francois van Wyk [45]
18 Tim Hoyt [1]
19 Sam Carter [12]
20 Matt Rogerson [14]
21 Finn Carnduff [8]
22 Ben Youngs [311]
23 Matt Scott [73]

Unavailable (FKAS compiled): Vanes, Clare, Dolly, Cole, Heyes, Hurd, Martin, Chessum, Henderson, Reffell, JVP, Porter, Bassett, Simmonds, Watson and presumably Ilione as well.

Well Tigers are going to get battered. No openside means Quins will mark Montoya and there's little chance of turnovers. There tightheads down and a backrow in at lock, Quins will give us a going over at the scrum and possibly the maul. If McKellar masterminds a victory here he'll have done bloody well.

[Stom]

Well, returns for Evans and Joseph timely. That's a good team considering. No backrow on the bench, though.

[Puja]

Well Tigers are going to get battered. No openside means Quins will mark Montoya and there's little chance of turnovers. There tightheads down and a backrow in at lock, Quins will give us a going over at the scrum and possibly the maul. If McKellar masterminds a victory here he'll have done bloody well.

WEvans will be a problem, but Quins do have a lock at 6 and no back row on the bench, so I wouldn't necessarily say they'll dominate at rucks. The scrum is going to be painful though.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Arthur Clark on loan from Glos on the Quins bench. Thought he made quite a good impression at start of season. Surprised he's not required by Glos.

Tigers badly hit by prop/lock absences. Quins short at half back but overall you sense they are in a better place than Tigers.

[FKAS]

Well Tigers are going to get battered. No openside means Quins will mark Montoya and there's little chance of turnovers. There tightheads down and a backrow in at lock, Quins will give us a going over at the scrum and possibly the maul. If McKellar masterminds a victory here he'll have done bloody well.

WEvans will be a problem, but Quins do have a lock at 6 and no back row on the bench, so I wouldn't necessarily say they'll dominate at rucks. The scrum is going to be painful though.

Puja

I was thinking more of our defensive breakdown where we'll offer no real threat and they'll get quick ball and have the attack to generate momentum and score (lots).

If we can wear them down and use our extra back rows to freshen up the pack in the second half we could potentially keep it closer than I'm expecting.

If Richardson goes down injured early it could be a long afternoon. Quins might just choose to concede knock ons and go after the scrum at that point.

[Mikey Brown]

I know White isn’t a stunning player but I’m not sure why we’re saying there’s no reserve backrow. Hammond is useful enough at 6 too, but yeah it’s definitely a weakened side without Marcus Smith and his emotional support group.

Murley back just in time to watch some random fud take his England spot.

[Mellsblue]

without Marcus Smith and his emotional support group.

Seems pretty moot with Jack Walker at Quins. How they expected Marcus Sebastian Smith to perform whilst his comfort animal was marooned on the bench or suited in the stand I never understood but now he’s not even in the squad.

[Danno]

Has to be some change sending David/Green/Lynagh/Murley down Mike Brown's wing. I thought that Mike Brown on the wing was, as a concept, as dead as Mike Brown but with hair.

[FKAS]

Has to be some change sending David/Green/Lynagh/Murley down Mike Brown's wing. I thought that Mike Brown on the wing was, as a concept, as dead as Mike Brown but with hair.

Better off grubbering it past him and turning it into a foot race.

Tigers haven't got any more fit wingers without delving into the development squad. Even then it's centre/15 Gourlay or centre who can cover wing Cusick. So no outstanding option there.

[Slater582]

Well Tigers are going to get battered. No openside means Quins will mark Montoya and there's little chance of turnovers. There tightheads down and a backrow in at lock, Quins will give us a going over at the scrum and possibly the maul. If McKellar masterminds a victory here he'll have done bloody well.

WEvans will be a problem, but Quins do have a lock at 6 and no back row on the bench, so I wouldn't necessarily say they'll dominate at rucks. The scrum is going to be painful though.

Puja

I was thinking more of our defensive breakdown where we'll offer no real threat and they'll get quick ball and have the attack to generate momentum and score (lots).

If we can wear them down and use our extra back rows to freshen up the pack in the second half we could potentially keep it closer than I'm expecting.

If Richardson goes down injured early it could be a long afternoon. Quins might just choose to concede knock ons and go after the scrum at that point.

How do you think Hoyt compares to Heyes & Hurd in terms of potential?

[Puja]

WEvans will be a problem, but Quins do have a lock at 6 and no back row on the bench, so I wouldn't necessarily say they'll dominate at rucks. The scrum is going to be painful though.

Puja

I was thinking more of our defensive breakdown where we'll offer no real threat and they'll get quick ball and have the attack to generate momentum and score (lots).

If we can wear them down and use our extra back rows to freshen up the pack in the second half we could potentially keep it closer than I'm expecting.

If Richardson goes down injured early it could be a long afternoon. Quins might just choose to concede knock ons and go after the scrum at that point.

How do you think Hoyt compares to Heyes & Hurd in terms of potential?

He comes with a reputation for promise and a big frame, but he was exceedingly average on every time I saw him for the U20s and got overtaken by the far more effective and younger Fasogbon within a few games. Took a lot of momentum out of the hype train for me.

Puja

[FKAS]

I was thinking more of our defensive breakdown where we'll offer no real threat and they'll get quick ball and have the attack to generate momentum and score (lots).

If we can wear them down and use our extra back rows to freshen up the pack in the second half we could potentially keep it closer than I'm expecting.

If Richardson goes down injured early it could be a long afternoon. Quins might just choose to concede knock ons and go after the scrum at that point.

How do you think Hoyt compares to Heyes & Hurd in terms of potential?

He comes with a reputation for promise and a big frame, but he was exceedingly average on every time I saw him for the U20s and got overtaken by the far more effective and younger Fasogbon within a few games. Took a lot of momentum out of the hype train for me.

Puja

He's a big lad, part Fijian. It didn't look like he was that great for the under 20s either because he fatigued quickly or because he just wasn't technically good at scrum time. In theory he has the physical characteristics to be an absolute monster type of prop that could be a real benefit to club and country but right now he's barely played due to injury this season and has done nothing to indicate he'd be near the bench where we not missing tighthead options 1, 2 and 3.

Hurd, he's a tidy player. Solid at scrum time, hits hard in defence and has a good work rate. Not much carrying game and his mobility around the field isn't anything of note. Could develop into a very useful club player that might get a handful of caps for Scotland. With any luck could be a Will Collier type player.

Heyes, he's got a lot going for him. Very powerful and aggressive. Has an annoying tendency to scrum with his legs to far back which means his balance can be targeted at scrum time by more technical looseheads (particularly ones that are good at getting away with turning in), which detracts from his otherwise good set piece work. Works hard around the pitch but needs to find a way of making more telling impressions ball in hand and in defence. There's nothing wrong with what he does but it's also instantly forgotten. He's coming into his prime years and could do with some statement performances to really nail down the starting shirt for Tigers and maybe England.

[FKAS]

Well Dan Richardson is holding up fine but James Cronin the experienced Irish international is falling apart at scrum time. Rumours are he's heading back to Munster, good.

[Stom]

This is one of the worst games of rugby I've seen in a while.

God, Jarrod Evans isn't very good, is he?

[FKAS]

Doesn't look like Quins have woken up yet.

Tigers going wide to OHC very quickly when they can which is causing the narrow Quins defence some issues.

Whiteley at 9 has had a shocking game with his passing. Helping keep Quins in this.

[FKAS]

Yep, Whiteley is indeed Quins best player. Quins haven't been in the Tigers 22. Whiteley kicks away half decent ball to short so all the forwards can't advance. Quins break in numbers and score having not been in the game. Sub Whiteley, please.

[Mikey Brown]

Lol. Poor Hammond. Odd to say the second row should gone for a grubber/chip there.

[Mikey Brown]

What the fuck was that???

[Banquo]

Well Tigers are going to get battered.

or....

[FKAS]

Well Tigers are going to get battered.

or....

Quins didn't turn up in the first half did they. They only got into Tigers 22 after Whiteley spooned that kick. The Quins forwards didn't front up and Tigers got into them. In the second half after Quins had got their second half rollicking Tigers did start to suffer from the lack on an openside. Sir seemed happy for a bit of silly buggers at the breakdown and we weren't able to capitalise on it.

In the end Tigers will be disappointed the game wasn't put to bed in the first half and that we didn't finish with a TBP.

McKellar got the tactics spot on. Going wide fast paid dividends, OHC surely appreciated having lots of touches.

[FKAS]

Lol. Poor Hammond. Odd to say the second row should gone for a grubber/chip there.

was a couple of times where the lock looked a bit lost when finding himself out in the space where the backrow roam. A bit unlucky as he generally played well.

[Spiffy]

Doesn't look like Quins have woken up yet.

Tigers going wide to OHC very quickly when they can which is causing the narrow Quins defence some issues.

Whiteley at 9 has had a shocking game with his passing. Helping keep Quins in this.

I'd say Nick David had the better of his battle with OHC. He gassed him surprisingly easily for his try, when H-C gave up the chase rather early. And in the first half David chopped down H-C when he seemed to be through for a try - though H-C did seem to take his foot off instead of accelerating for the line. David is having a good season. A very good, and probably underrated wing with footballing skills as well as speed. As for his pal Green at FB - what footwork, acceleration and determination.

[Puja]

Thought that was the best game we've had out of OHC, and that was with some easily rectifiable mistakes as well. Be good to see him coming back into good form again.

Chisholm and Evans absolutely murdered us at the breakdowns - even when they weren't taking the ball, they were making everything a horrible mess that Whiteley couldn't cope with. Youngs came on about 15 minutes too late. Richardson deserves a medal for standing up and doing a job for 79 minutes against Baxter.

All things told, our passing was laboured, and our backs showed every inch that we don't have a backs coach currently, but we at least attempted to play some rugby and won that game through character and standing up to be counted, which is not nothing.

Puja

[Puja]

Also, how is Will Evans not off training with England? Been clearly the best 7 in the country this season.

Puja

[FKAS]

Agreed Puja, Will Evans is a brilliant openside. I was more than a little annoyed that Tigers didn't play him more when he was here. Absolute pest at the breakdown.

Tigers attack did look improved last night, not sure I'd go as far as good but it was improved. They're not all on the same wavelength a little, there was one move were Kelly came steaming up on Kata's shoulder looking for a little pop only for Kata to tuck it under the arm and try to fend two players. It's getting closer to clicking but no joy.

The resourcing of the breakdown when we don't have Reffell is a major problem. Made worse by not having our more mobile locks and Montoya playing quite so many minutes. McKellar has generally helped Tigers generate quicker ruck ball but it's an area we'll get targeted in by better teams and our attack needs all the help it can get.