By Worried of Whitton
October 19 2006

This week, NEC Harlequins head back across the Fields of Athenry as they return to Galway on Friday night to meet Connacht in the first round of the European Challenge Cup. Kick off at the Sportsground, Galway is at 19.00, Irish Summer Time on October  20th.

In their previous meetings the two sides have played some good rugby with plenty of points being scored. At home in April 2004 Quins won 31-22 but lost 18-23 in the exciting away leg.

I was contemplating whether I should add a black border to this weeks preview as a mark of respect to those supporters who ventured down to Bristol last Sunday and saw their hopes and dreams for this season expire. At this stage of the season “death” is possibly too strong a term to use, but certainly the squad are in need of some serious intensive care, following their relapse at the Memorial Ground last weekend. Not surprisingly the message board has been extremely busy this week, with supporters divided over what they should do as their frustration and anger was vented. This of course was not helped by what appeared to be self destruction on Monday night with the ”A” squad squandering  their solid 21 point lead, and allowing 31 unanswered points to get past them in the second half. Fortunately/unfortunately I did not witness either match and so my head is still filled with the more pleasant memories of how the team played at home against Sale, despite loosing.

I was astonished to read in the press on Monday that Dean Richards announced after the Bristol match that "I am not too concerned about our position, but I will be if we are still looking for our first victory in a month's time." Of course by then, Harlequins will be preparing to face Worcester at home in the Premiership the outcome of which is likely to be crucial on their fortunes this season. The object of a preview is to look forward, but the Worcester match is too far into the future and the squad has three games to go before they reach that hurdle. Maybe Richards firmly believes or is pinning his hopes on a fit Abbot, Volley, Luscombe, Mehrtens and Strettle to pull Harlequins fortunes around. I would also suggest that those players who are currently available for selection are picked and used in positions where they play best, and gel as a team. With the reports I received on Sunday one has to wonder why Miall, Deane, and Keogh were not in the starting line up, and Williams or Duffy and Mc Mullen in positions where they are more used to playing. But then again, I don’t pick the team, and I like every one else has to accept

Opinion on the board has been split, not necessarily on what matters this season, which is certainly focused on survival in the Premiership, but how Friday night’s game and the match against Montpellier the following weekend should be approached. A significant number think that key players should be rested while the “A” s get a run out others suggest that we need to field the strongest team we have. Yes injuries have been and continue to be a problem, but we need to get back to winning ways and build some confidence in the squad. Attack is the best form of defence. Indeed this is the start of this competition, we are starting a fresh and there is no reason why we should go all out to win it, after all we have won this competition twice in recent years. In other respects the European competition, like the EDF cup should be viewed positively as it once more gives us some breathing space to regroup, react, rebuild and prepare for the crucial Premiership matches in November. If winning points are not forthcoming from those matches then we are all in for the revival of a long winter of discontent. The real problem is that we just have not had the same starting line up two weeks running, and the squad has not been able to gel. Maybe he team will get to know each other better this weekend as they will be together for the long journey to the west coast.

There is some cause for concern at the short length of time that the team have to prepare for this weeks match, just four days in between matches and a days travel. Quins of cause have the benefit of knowing their opposition and last played in Galway back in April 2004 in the Parker Pen Semi final a match they lost on the day but won on aggregate. As we all know went on to win the final against Montferrand with a last gasp try by Simon Keogh. Not wishing to influence the team selection this week but I understand he is a pretty useful player on the wing when you need to win a match! -  having just seen the team selection it proves I know nothing!

We all have very fond memories of that weekend in Galway, which is a great city, and the potential is there for a repeat of the festivities, however it is unlikely to be as grand this time around. I thought it a shame when this fixture was announced for a Friday night kick off, initially at an earlier time, as it effectively prevented many supporters from travelling over, and although the kick off time was put back to 8 o’clock, it still does not give much opportunity for travelling supporters to arrive in time. Coming at the start of the half term week Connacht and Galway have forfeited a great opportunity in some gaining some extra tourist Euros at the end of the holiday season. A Saturday or Sunday kick off would have allowed for another long weekend for travelling supporters and their families.  Maybe I m a traditionalist but I firmly agree with Steve James in his article in last Sunday Telegraph that Rugby is played on a Saturday afternoon at 3.00pm, and not Friday night or Sunday.

It is difficult to know what to make of this weeks match. The preview is being written as the grief of last weekend is still fresh. Harlequins have made five changes to the team that started at Bristol. As the club have announced  “In the pack, captain Paul Volley returns to the back row having missed the last four matches due to a leg injury and he replaces the injured Will Skinner. Ollie Kohn comes in for Jim Evans and will partner Nicolas Spanghero in the second row.

In the front row, Tani Fuga starts his first game of the season at hooker, with James Hayter dropping to the bench, while Mike Ross has recovered from the injury that forced him to miss the Bristol match and takes the place of Ricky Nebbett at tight head prop. There is one change in the back division, with Jordan Turner-Hall coming into the midfield to partner Gavin Duffy instead of Craig McMullen, who is amongst the replacements.”

I’m sure that Gavin Duffy will relish the chance to play once more in Galway, although he has not looked so good at centre so far this season, and I would have played him at Full back. We ve not been given a reason for the like of Keogh and Deane in the squad but I would have thought that they would have made much more of an impact in their respective wing and centre positions that Williams and Turner Hall. After his four week absence it will be interesting to se how Volley leads his team to face the challenges of this match and indeed those of the next few weeks. It is pleasing to se the return of Mike Ross this week, who, along with Tani and Ceri should produce a formidable front row.

Connacht have announced just one change to their squad from last weekend's match against when they beat Newport Gwent Dragons 16-9. Their Captain John Fogarty has recovered from the shoulder injury which forced him to the match. Connacht currently lie midway in the Celtic “Magners” League in sixth place. Of their seven games this season they gave won three, lost three and drawn one match. They have scored 128 points and conceded 120. In contrast Quins sit at the foot of the Guinness Premiership having lost all of their five league matches, scoring just 98 points and conceding 147. Connacht therefore must be feeling very positive about their chances of inflicting another defeat on Quins. After the debacle of last weekend, things have to improve, discipline will be key and with a French referee both sides will need to be wary of his interpretation.

Since we are in Ireland this week, we should all follow the custom in that country and have a wake after a period of mourning, to say farewell to that dreadful start to the season and to celebrate what has to come. We are all expecting a far better performance on Friday otherwise we can expect a change of “Punk Anthem”, for the team to run out to at The Stoop next Saturday. At the insistence of the supporters, London Calling by the Clash could well be replaced by “Something Better Change!” by the Stranglers.

Come on You Quins!

NEC Harlequins
15. Mike Brown 14. Tom Williams 13. Gavin Duffy 12. Jordan Turner-Hall, 11. Ugo Monye 10. Adrian Jarvis 9. Andy Gomarsall 1. Ceri Jones 2. Tani Fuga, 3. Mike Ross 4. Ollie Kohn 5. Nicolas Spanghero 6. Nick Easter 7. Paul Volley (Capt.), 8. Chris Hala'Ufia
Replacements: 16. James Hayter 17. Lorne Ward 18. Jim Evans 19. Tom Guest 20. Andre Vos, 21. Danny Care 22. Craig McMullen

Connacht:
Daniel Riordan; Matt Mostyn, Paul Warwick, Gavin Williams, Darren Yapp; Mark McHugh (capt), Chris Keane; Ray Hogan, Adrian Flavin, Brett Sturgess; David Gannon, Andrew Farley; John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa, Colm Rigney.
Replacements: John Fogarty, Brett Wilkinson, Michael Swift, Brendan O’Connor, Tom Tierney, Keith Matthews, Ted Robinson.
 

Referee:    Romain Poite (France)
Touch judges: