Harlequins
Preview: Harlequins vs Worcester
By Wyddy
November 29 2012
Well after a quite frankly rotten trip to the Rec last week, complete with booing fans and miserable weather, it’s time to right the cart and get back on song at the Stoop against a Worcester team who travel about as well as German humour.
Worcester did us a big favour last week. Turning over Saracens at Sixways via the boot of the rotund, ageless, baldy guy, Andy Goode. It was in similar conditions to the turgid defeat we suffered at the hands of Bath. However Worcester were able to make their physicality count and their impact in first up contact proved enough to turn over a depleted Sarries. Big contributions from Matavesi, Carlisle and last weeks sub, Grove to the fore.
Quins, as mentioned, slipped to a dreary defeat in the battle of the kiwi fly halves. Surprisingly Donald having one of his few good days with the boot and managing to out perform his compatriot, Nick Evans. However the blame cannot be solely put at the feet of our NEv, the whole team played poorly, with Tom Williams’ inexperience in the full back role showing through. How we miss Ross Chisholm... cruel luck that he was nobbled against Leicester early in the win of the season so far, as he would have been worth his weight in gold in the absence of our England Winger (@£$%!!!! Really?!), Mike Brown.
Last Friday we seemed to be drawn into Baths gameplan fairly easily, and although most of the attractive play in the loose came from Quins, it was plagued by poor execution and sloppiness. As such Bath began to turn the screw, putting pressure on at set pieces and looking for the inevitable errors that infected Quins play in post flood conditions. All in all one we did not deserve to win, and Bath were the more effective team.
Looking ahead to Worcester, Quins will welcome back their Samoan contingent, Johnston and Fa’asavalu having done themselves proud with their efforts looking like securing Samoa a very creditable 8th place world ranking. Thus boosting them into the second tier seeds for the World Cup Group draw on Monday at the expense of either Argentina or Wales. Their return should add some much needed extra ballast and experience to a scrum that never really got going last week. Lets pray that ‘sir’ looks favourably on our big Samoan tight head as he has looked a little lost in league games this season without a Plan B when he has incurred the refs ire.
In the back row in particular, Luke Wallace needs to replicate some of his form from last year, so far this season in his cameos for the first team he has been anonymous, even though he has been pulling up trees for the LV Cup side. Nominated as the breakthrough player in the LV Cup he needs to perform at a higher level if he hopes to push on from last seasons levels. JTH and Hopper continue in the centres, although they were also kept quiet last week, but with the forecast suggesting better weather than Avon floods they should have the opportunity to hit back on slightly firmer ground. George Lowe must be getting worried for his No 13 shirt, Hopper has been coming on leaps and bounds, which has given Quins the flexibility to be careful with Lowe on his return from injury as he has not even made the subs bench.
The only other changes for Quins are the return of Seb Stegmann to the wing in place of the injured Ugo Monye and Charlie Matthews and Tom Casson fit to resume their places in the match day squad from the bench. Rory Clegg continues as the reserve fly half in place of the injured Ben Botica.
Worcester will be led by former Quins lock, Percival and also welcome back their own successful Samoan, Lemi. Powerhouse, Euan Murray has to settle for a place on the bench in light of the beating that the Scottish pack suffered on home soil from Tonga. As per last season so this season, Andy Goode seems to be at the heart of everything positive about Worcester. When he plays well so do Worcester. Neutralising him will be the big ticket item for the rushing Quins defence, look for Fa’asavalu rolling up the fly half channel to give him a warm welcome to the Stoop. Goode may not be the youngest or most spritely 10 in the league, but his experience and ball skills continue to give him the extra decision making time that make him a danger, not to mention his natural feistiness. Worcester will make a nuisance of themselves at the breakdown and we can look forward to an interesting match up of that most rare of beasts, a traditional English No7 (if only Stuart Lancaster could call on an experienced English qualified No7 that was player of the year somewhere in the world...). Matt Kvesic will be looking to do a number on the aforementioned Luke Wallace, slowing Quins ball and allowing that Worcester defence to put pressure on the opposition offloading gameplan and forcing Quins into the uncomfortable role of having to kick for field position. Kvesic in pole position for this one on recent form.
Quins can count themselves extremely fortunate that Worcester did them a favour last week defeating Sarries whilst they were falling to Bath, they still stretched their lead at the top thanks to a losing bonus point. A convincing return to winning ways from what has been a sequence of narrow results is vital to maintain confidence in another tilt at the championship. The wins against Gloucester and London Irish being both narrow and one particularly fortunate. Quins haven’t performed at last seasons standard since the game against Leicester which threw up so many injuries. This makes their position at the top of the league all the more surprising. However now is the time to capitalise as the other runners and riders also suffer stutters, time to string together an important sequence of performances over the festive hump of the season.
Prediction : Quins to get it together under the frosty floodlights at the Stoop for a morale boosting win prior to heading to Parma for the Heiny Cup. Quins by 10pts.
COYQ!!!!!
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Cry — God for Harry! England and Saint George
