By Wyddy
September 20 2012

Leicester. Now comes a true test this season. So far Quins have flared into life this season sporadically, a glorious 20 minute spell against Wasps on the opening day of the season, in fits and starts against newcomers London Welsh and again only in bursts against a Sale side still trying to find their nature. 

To win at Wellford Road, Quins will need to eradicate the sloppiness that has been apparent at places in the first three games. For example Quins lost the discipline tally by 12 pens to 10 to Sale in the last game, Cipriani having a bit of a mare with his shooting boots let Quins off the hook at what could have been a vital point in the game. Leicester have the capacity to punish those sorts of errors. They will also be smarting after dropping their first points of the season against Saracens in a turgid display at Wembley last weekend that ended 9-9, both Hodgson of Sarries and Leicesters Flood missing late drop goal attempts. 

Leicester’s early season has seen them beat London Welsh convincingly, although I’m sure Cockerill will have been wanting to see a more dominant display. They then moved on to play a spirited Worcester side, shorn of their best player from last season – Miles Benjamin, now at Leicester himself. Tigers crossed twice early doors through Manu Tuilagi and Worcester were chasing the game from then on. Only the eternal Baldy Man, former Leicester servant, Andy Goode, kept Worcester in striking range, in the end Tigers upped through the gears easily and earned a penalty try through scrum dominance, supplemented by a 5th and final try by Worcester old boy, Kitchener – it’s all so incestuous North of the Watford Gap! The game ending 34-26. 

Their recent game against Sarries was characterised by a lack of risk taking from both sides, each excessively concerned with losing the first battle of the big boys this season. Leicester took an early lead through Floods boot and were 9-3 up at halftime, Sarries then in turn battled back once Hodgson had replaced the wayward Owen Farrell who had a bit of a stinker. For Leicester the only positives they could draw out of this error strewn performance were the tireless work that both Steve Mafi and Vereniki Goneva got through, standing out from a thoroughly average level. This Sarries ‘home’ game must have made any new rugby fans reach for the rusty spoons to dig out their viewing orbs. Sublime end to end running rugby... it was not. Neither did it improve the No10 options for the watching Lancaster and Farrell. 

News this week revealed that Geordan Murphy and Miles Benjamin would miss out on the weekend game against Quins, unfortunately for Benjamin it seems a nasty knock which will keep him out for some time. No news as ever from the Quins physio room, however from what we saw last weekend against Sale, Nick Evans took a knock towards the end of the game and prominent prop, Joe Marler, looked to have given himself a stinger with a monstrous hit on Vernon. However both finished the game. Also no recent news about last weeks injury victim, Ollie Kohn, whos deputy Charlie Matthews had a fantastic game, dominant in the lineout and feisty around the field. 

Expect Conor O’Shea to pick his first choice line up in what is arguably the hardest fixture of the season. It will be interesting to see who he goes for at scrum half, Care has had a schizophrenic start to the season and in some games ha been shown up by the quick hands of Karl Dickson. Assuming Evans (NEv) is fit, the selection of either Botica or Clegg on the bench will give the clearest indication as to who, in Conor’s eyes, is the heir apparent to HRH NEv. 

Interesting flashpoints will be the scrums, where Leicester have historically been so strong, Quins now have a pack to be very proud of, forcing a penalty on a Sale scrum under their posts. The renewal of pack rivalries from last years final will also stimulate the players of both sides, Waldrom for one will be eager to make amends for his calamitous performance. One area I hope we put Tigers under pressure is the lineout, last week we were strong in the face of the aerial presence of Richie Gray, and even long lineout ball was successful. However it’s really all about the pressure that is put on Tom Youngs, so touted in the loose, he hasn’t managed to banish the perception that he’s still a liability when it comes to lineout time. Even London Welsh managed to defend his throws on their own 5 metre line. 

A humdinger in store for all of us beckons, Leicester will be keen for revenge and to break free of their self imposed straightjacket from last weekend, whilst Quins are eager to prove that they have the pedigree to continue to swim at the deep end. Lets not forget... England places are also very much still up for grabs as we approach the Autumn Internationals... 

Quins by a gnats chuff. 

COYQ!