By Hillary Carr
January 13 2004

A new year, another win; confidence inspired, yet still no consistency in team selection through injury and unavailability. However, the team appears to have turned the corner from ‘winning ugly’ to winning by attractive, fluent rugby. Having lucked-out last week in not being able to field a full front row for the cup match, forfeited to Uxbridge, the Amateurs were keen to concentrate on the League position where, with a win, we could leapfrog several teams.

Thanks to the legacy of coach Steve Melbourne, (now preparing for duty in Iraq), who inspired ‘thinking rugby’ and a game plan rich in variety, the team fully exploited these skills on Saturday against Old Grammarians, a team at the top of the table who we were looking to ‘do the double’ over.

The forwards continue to provide a very strong platform, particularly at set pieces for multiple phase-play. Thompson and Sterck dominated our own ball in the line-out, catching and then gaining significant yardage and limiting the amount of clean ball won by the opposition. The set scrums remain solid thanks to our front five, with Amateurs Chairman Malcolm Wall making a welcome ‘guest’ appearance at lock. Our open play is improving vastly, but we still find players breaking midfield and being caught without support, often leading to turnover ball. Matt Stevens was high profile throughout the game making sniping runs from the back of the scrum or setting up colleagues to take the ball on, scoring the last try himself in the 2nd half.

The combination of Coyle and Webster at half backs and Smith and Dewar as centres entertained the spectators with some incisive running and dissection of the opposition defence, particularly Smith who scored 3 tries and was nominated Man of the Match. Webster read the game well, setting the back line in motion or kicking usefully for position and when caught, made the ball available for another attacking phase. The back line was ably reinforced by strong running from the wingers van der Westhuizen and Evans, and Ah-Sun at Full back always looked confident with the limited defence he was called upon to perform and was exceedingly strong in the counter- attack. In fact the Quins fourth try was scored from a counter attack launched from a line-out five metres from our own line!

Like many of our games, we suffer from tiredness towards the end of the match when we concede niggly and unnecessary penalties and give away valuable yardage and possession. This eventually allowed Old Grammarians to register a score in the dying minutes.
On the basis of Saturday’s performance, the rest of the season looks very promising for an assault on the loftier reaches of the table.

Harlequins Tries: Smith (17, 33 and 45 mins) Stevens (57 mins)
Conversions: Webster x 2
Old Grammarians Penalty: (78 mins)

Harlequins: 15 Ah-Sun, 14 v d Westhuizen, 13 Dewar, 12 Smith, 11 Evans, 10 Webster, 9 Coyle, 1 Lawrence (capt), 2 Nel, 3 Cooper, 4 Wall, 5 Sterck, 6 Thompson, 7 Bamfield, 8 Stevens.

Subs: Blackmore, Wootton, Hugall.