Leicester away….Forget it…(Wrong mental approach perhaps, please discuss later)….Leeds at home September 14th…that's more like it!!! Last years whipping boys, Trys galore, bonus points in the bin….Season underway! A quick dose of reality later and where is we? Leeds top, Quins bottom, Leicester played 3 Lost 2….Who would have predicted that?

The match itself promised much and delivered little. It was a scrappy and fairly low-key event throughout with Leeds edging the Try count 3-2, and the points 23-33. Our visitors had a game plan, and it worked perfectly. Leeds Director of Rugby, Phil Davies, admitted before the game that he was looking for any sort of proof that they could compete away from home, and in the post match conference revealed that emphasis on training last week was on the scrum and trying to unsettle our experienced front three. It would not have gone unnoticed by the former Welsh International that the visitors crucial third try came from intense pressure from said scrum. Two more trys from the Leagues top scorer - Dan Scarborough - confirming his growing reputation, with the third coming from Cameron Mather with the 'scrum steal' right at the end. Harlequins scores coming from a debut try from Viliame Satala and Will Greenwoods first of the season, with Paul Burke kicking two conversions and three Penalties (missing one). A tight match ultimately won at the death by a Leeds side that have worked very hard to prevent a repeat of last season basement finish.

Match Details (Skip if you were there!)

Leeds kick off (I think they did, my journalistic naivety let me down there!)
3rd minute Penalty Leeds - Braam van Straaten kick swirling right and short indicating quite a strong wind in Quins favour.
10th minute Penalty Harlequins - Paul Burke successful, Dan Hyde offside at a ruck, Score 3-0.
18th minute Try Leeds - North west corner, Leeds with men over, kick through and Dan Scarborough with an unchallenged touchdown. 3-5.
19th minute Leeds Try converted - BVS, 3-7.
23rd minute Penalty Leeds - BVS successful, 3-10.
29th minute Try Harlequins, 5-metre scrum, big shove from Leeds, a couple of lucky breaks, and some fairly quick hands give Viliame Satala a Try on his home debut. Good play by Paul Burke and some strong running by the Big Fijian, 8-10.
30th minute Harlequins Try converted - PB, 10-10.
32nd minute Drop Goal Harlequins, good pressure, Paul Burke fairly central, 13-10.
42nd minute Penalty Leeds, BVS unsuccessful, 13-10.
Half Time.
46th minute Try Leeds - Dan Scarborough again, lucky bounce under the West Stand, couple of missed tackles, touchdown almost under the posts, 13-15.
47th minute Leeds Try converted - BVS, 13-17.
48th minute Penalty Leeds - BVS successful from 60 metres!, 13-20.
51st minute Penalty Harlequins - PB successful, 16-20.
60th minute Penalty Leeds - BVS successful, 16-23.
69th minute Try Harlequins - Will Greenwood angled run after a burst from Ace Tiatia, 21-23.

picture by Simon Jones

70th minute Harlequins Try converted - PB, 23-23.
76th minute Penalty Leeds - BVS successful, 23-26.
79th minute Try Leeds - Leeds pack shunt Harlequins off their own put-in at a five-metre scrum, ball squirts out for Cameron Mather to touchdown unopposed. 23-31.
80th minute Leeds Try converted - BVS, 23-33. Harlequins fans leaving in droves from the East and South Stands. John Kingston interviewed later also noticed early mass evacuation!
82nd minute Jason Leonard and Ben Gollings get in each others way under West Stand, manage to throw the ball out on the full. 23-33.
Full Time.

At the post match conference a stony faced Mark Evans admitted that 'Ball maintenance had been poor all afternoon', but that he was confident of a home victory for most of the match. He also stated that 'the scrum was under no pressure all afternoon, and then whoosh' putting the blame on mental slackness and 'lack of concentration'. He was also asked 'with your Chief Executives hat on, are you happy with your Head Coach? to which he replied that he was confident in his own ability. He did say that he 'wasn't happy how they played from 23-23' describing the team as 'playing poorly'. He had an honest message for the fans however saying 'they will be unhappy with that, quite rightly so' but remember the season is only three games old.

picture by Simon Jones

Phil Davies speaking after the match revealed some of the training techniques used by Leeds to sharpen up their 'Mental toughness' (special mention must go to the number of times that phrase was used on Saturday!), Wrestling, Hill running and doing 50, 100 yard sprints, one after another! Whatever they did…..They left the Stoop clutching 4 points leaving the Quins empty-handed!

I also managed to grab an interview with Ian Robertson - BBC Rugby commentator - who described the match at half time as 'poor' but did think that 'this was typical of dear old Quins, who always start the season slowly', but with some key personnel injured didn't predict them staying near the bottom for long. He thought Quins hadn't had 'Mental Toughness' for twenty years but with the likes of Keith Wood around could acquire that much sought after and priceless commodity……….Mental Toughness!

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