By Worried of Whitton
March 1 2007

Quins are away to Leicester Sky-gers at the absurd time of 17.15 on Saturday March 3rd. This is the third week in succession that Leicester have been televised live on Sky TV and we can only hope that it will be third time lucky to watch them play in a match worthy of being screened.

In both of their two previous matches against Worcester and Northampton, Leicester have been very poor, and have not looked to be the team at the top of the Premiership.

This is the second of four consecutive matches that Quins are playing against the top four placed clubs. Last week it was Bristol, after Leicester come Wasps at home and Gloucester away. In their previous meetings with all four clubs earlier in the season Quins were the losers, and fairly emphatically against Bristol and Wasps away so the win against Bristol last Saturday could be a good omen. The two home games against Leicester and Gloucester were matches that Harlequins lost, rather than the opposition won, and all these losses were at a time when Quins were re- establishing themselves. As has been documented, most recently by Prof  in his “Perfect 10/11” articles; A week ago Harlequins had the second best run of form in the Guinness Premiership and were tied on 7 wins with Tigers and Bristol. This week, with losses for both the top two teams has left Quins being the only team with 8 wins out of 11.

Comparing the two sides over their past 11 games Leicester have picked up more bonus points, from their significant try scoring averaging three per game against Quins two per game.

Welford Road has been a fortress for Leicester as they have not lost at home for the last three years however they finally succumbed last weekend against their local rivals when Northampton surprised everyone and came away with a win. Coincidentally there is a total lunar eclipse starting at 22.24 on Saturday evening, the first for three years. Indeed could its timing suggest the final score and signify that Quins will eclipse Leicester and shatter another and even longer standing record of losing back to back league games. As we know there is nothing more dangerous than a  wounded Tiger and, will they will be wanting to do what Tiggers do best bounce back with a win, but as Prof wrote “If Northampton can go there and win we can too.”

In an interview following their match against Worcester two weeks ago, Pat Howard seems to indicate that he was taking the “Wasps Approach” to winning the Premiership Title, but focussing on winning the play off at Twickenham rather than the league itself. Apart from Guinness who promote this marketing merry go round by trying to squeeze more revenue out of this competition from tired players who are really looking forward to a break at the end of April, I think most rugby supporters all recognise that it is whoever finishes top of the table are the true Premiership winners.

The press have reported that this match is Tigers' Premiership showdown with Harlequins Dean Richards' first return for a competitive match since Leicester sacked him in February 2004. It may be the first in the GP but he was their last May when the two clubs meet in the 2^nd leg of the Guinness “A” final. In his response Pat Howard, Tigers' head coach, played down any suggestion of extra pressure. He said: "We want to win because we were highly embarrassed by what happened last weekend.” Harlequins are a side that are working hard and kicking their goals. They dog games out and, as a consequence, they are highly competitive." Hmmm, two sides that are playing the same way, so perhaps it will be a low scoring match after all.

Dean Richards has warned Tigers to expect a tough game from his side who are in fine fettle after the win at home to Bristol... "Saturday's victory was a very pleasing one. It gives us plenty of confidence for a difficult run of games ahead, most notably away at Leicester."

I don't think they've lost back-to-back league games for 10 years. I'm looking forward to it,” so are all Harlequins supporters! There is a sense of optimism albeit cautious that Quins can produce their fourth away win of the season.

One regular contributor to the Leicester board wrote last week   “…dropped 3 on Glaws, but gained one on Pests and evens with Brizzle. Could have been worse, I guess. I've got serious nerves about Quins next week, though. I'm "hosting" some Quins fans, and the idea was to be magnanimous in victory. If it's anything like today, they may be buying the beer while I cry in it. Surely we can't play that badly 3 weeks on the trot, can we? “

Reading Richards comments after our 15-21 home defeat back in September he said "I wouldn't exactly say I was disappointed with Leicester but on paper they have a very good side, don't they? I looked at their side tonight; they had 12 internationals in it. I don't know whether they are not firing, or what, or maybe we just played better than people anticipated...” 

It was indiscipline that cost us a win in that game when Skinner was yellow carded and we came away with a losing bonus point, and we will need to maintain discipline again this week, although it has markedly improved from the first few weeks of the season. The Leicester squad will be battered and bruised after their match last weekend and with confidence broken. That also goes for the Leicester players who were in the England Squad, many of whom did not play well against Ireland. Leicester have also lost there Italian prop through injury, Martin Castrogiovanni suffered a knee injury against Scotland and is out for the rest of the season. Andy Goode is also suffering from an injury and he too is unlikely to be in the Leicester team.

In contrast Harlequins will be very positive going into this match. New England cap David Strettle scored a great try on his debut and the team win over Bristol was well worked defensively, and they all appear to have come through with no major injury worries. In addition with Turner Hall and Ceri Jones playing in the “A” game on Monday night it looks as if the strength in depth and reserve is back. On Saturday our defence will have to be very solid, as Leicester are able to score tries, and in greater numbers than anyone else in the Premiership. In contrast they continue to give away too many penalties, but any side who give away three points for every five or seven they score are always going to win

There is no complacency Leicester away is always a tough match but Harlequins have matured over the past three months from promoted Premiership strugglers to a team fighting for a coveted Heineken Cup position. Our defense is one of the best, if not the best over the last few months, and this weekend’s match has the makings of being a good one. Let us hope it is for the sake of the tv audience, and show them just how far Harlequins have come over their last eleven premiership matches

So this Saturday the strains of Deano, Deano, Deano, will once more ring round the old Welford road ground but this time it will be from the mouths of  the supporters in the Quartered shirts.

For completeness the current Premiership table and weekend fixture list is included.

 

 

Other fixtures this weekend:

 

 

 Come on You Quins