By Worried of Whitton
October 27 2006

Round 2 of the European Challenge Cup this weekend sees NEC Harlequins welcome “Les bleus” of Montpellier Hérault Rugby Club. Kick off at The Stoop on Saturday October 28th is at the regular time of 15.00.

Undefeated in this competition, and with an almost unchanged starting line up, Quins will be looking for their second win in as many weeks, as they prepare for the return, the following week, of the more important Guinness Premiership and three crucial matches, that will go a long way to defining their season.

With the euphoria of last week’s win subsiding it is time to face up to the next telling month, and get the Premiership campaign back into focus. As the Connacht website reported it was a change of recent fortunes and some injury-time heartbreak for the home side with a snatched victory by Harlequins with a penalty two minutes into stoppage time. Connacht had fought back from 16-8 down early in the second-half to go ahead with seven minutes remaining. So nearly could this match have ended in yet more heartache for Quins, which would have made this weeks match against Montpellier even more crucial. Sheer doggedness and tenacity brought the dividend, although Quins did not make their win easy. As has plagued their game all season a number of needless penalties were conceded which enabled Connacht to fight back and take the lead as the match drew to a close. An equally needless penalty after Nick Easter had been fouled enabled Quins to snatch victory through the sure foot of Adrian Jarvis. Dean Richards commented that he thought the pack scrummaged well and that Quins totally dominated the scrum throughout the game. Surprisingly he didn't think there was any difference in Quins approach to the game, just because it was a break from the Premiership. It was a must-win situation, just like every league game, and there was jubilation and delight in the dressing room afterwards. Obviously the result has given all the players, management and supporters a huge confidence boost, made even better pleasing because we got the result away from home, a great reward for all those who were able to travel last weekend

This week we meet Montpellier who are currently in 10^th place in the French championship. After twelve games they have accrued just 22 points having won four games at home most recently 19-17 against Montauban, losing one to Brive with one draw nine points all against Toulouse in September. They have lost all six of their away matches, losing. They are without success in this competition too having lost at home 14-21 against Bath last weekend. As Deano loves to remind us, French teams do not travel well, and whilst the statistics may prove that correct for Montpellier, Harlequins will need to focus and target this match for a comfortable win, to maintain their confidence ahead of the next crucial Premiership matches. A comfortable win on Saturday could benefit Quins and put them at the top of the group 4 table, ahead of the 3^rd and 4^th rounds of this competition in December when we meet Bath home and away in consecutive weeks. After last weeks’ theft, Connacht will be fighting for a win this week at the recreation ground.

All French teams prove to be stiff competition, even away from home, as we have seen at the Stoop in recent years with Castres, who are just below Montpellier, and Stade Français, who currently top the French league. Looking at the Montpellier squad there are no famous names which stand out although they do have a Harley Crane and no less than six Sébastiens, one of whose surnames is Mercier!

The official Quins website reports that NEC Harlequins make just one change from the team that started against Connacht last Friday.  Could we now be seeing the formation of a more stable squad and starting line up because the team has started to gel, after weeks of positioning?  Could we be starting to turn a corner?  The competition for places will really get tough with the return of the injured, Abbot, Skinner, Strettle and So’oialo, not forgetting Lambert and Rogers who are expected to make a return to training soon. Skinner is expected to be fit by next week. The news on Mehrtens, however, is not as good as his recovery from surgery is expected to an additional three weeks.

Danny Care starts ahead of Andy Gomarsall, while the rest of the back line remains unchanged. Jordan Turner-Hall retains his place in midfield after forming an impressive performance against Connacht and will play alongside Gavin Duffy in a central partnership. It is heartening that for the first time this season that in the pack the same eight that started last week do so again this Saturday. Much missed Tani Fuga starts his second game of the season at hooker and is partnered by Mike Ross and Ceri Jones in the front row. Our magnificent seven, Captain Paul Volley is in the back row while Ollie Kohn once again partners Nicolas Spanghero in the second row.  The only other change, from last Friday  is positional and involves Nick Easter moving from blindside flanker to number 8, swapping with Andre Vos who moves from number 8 to number 6. It is good to see Hal Luscombe returning from injury and he replaces Simon Keogh on the bench. I m sure Hal will be hoping to play some part in the match ahead of his call to the Welsh Squad for the autumn internationals. Hal will be Quins sole representative in these games. 

Quins have to be favourites to win this match. They are playing at home, with a partisan crowd who anxious for their first home win of the season, and it is unlikely that there will be many travelling Montpelliérains. The Quins team is virtually unchanged and they will still be elated after last weeks win wanting to show the home support what they can do, the visitors away record also does not bode well for them and I would expect Quins to win by 12 points.

 

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. Danny Care 1. Ceri Jones, 2. Tani Fuga, 3. Mike Ross, 4. Ollie Kohn, 5. Nicolas Spanghero, 6. Andre Vos, 7. Paul Volley (C), 8. Nick Easter
Replacements: 16. James Hayter, 17. Lorne Ward, 18. Jim Evans, 19. Tom Guest, 20. Andy Gomarsall, 21. Craig McMullen, 22. Haldane Luscombe

Montpellier
To be advised - there was no team news on the MHRC website as this preview went to press

Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)