By Wyddy
January 4 2013

A Happy New Year to you all, after last weekends trip to a packed Big Stoop, Quins travel to the new stomping ground of London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium. A new experience for most of us, and one where we will no doubt benefit from the usual hospitality that London Welsh are famous for. 

Quins head into this game in a position which most fans at the start of the season would be chuffed with. Top of the Prem (if only by a point), top of the LV Cup group and top of the Heineken Cup group with an eye on the quarters... surely Connaught can’t derail us again!!? However before we get ahead of ourselves, London Welsh are on the horizon. 

Welsh on the other hand come into this game on the back of a defeat to ‘London’ Wasps. This defeat in itself over their recent form seems a bit of an anomaly as Welsh have bettered the prediction of a host of stattos and journalists, not to mention educated rugby folk by not sinking straight to the bottom of the Prem. They have racked up significant victories in their short time in the league. Their first victory came in a turnover of Exeter Chiefs at their aforementioned new home ground, this seemed to give them the impetus to go up to Sale’s new stadium and add to their traumas by defeating them at the spangling new, Salford City Stadium. In the absence of their star signing, he of the orange glow, Mr Henson. Gordon Ross has displayed grit and tenacity and no little skill in keeping the score board ticking over in their favour and getting performances out of the Welsh backline. 

In Lyn Jones, they have a coach steeped in the realisms of life in the Premiership, he has clearly targeted certain games for Welsh to throw the kitchen sink at after a harsh awakening to their existence facing off against both Leicester and Quins in their first two games of the season. 

Gavin Henson has not been selected for Welsh, so Gordon Ross continues at 10. Welsh have decent players to look to, in Arscott they have a player who on his best days can be a thorn in any side. His performance at the Stoop early in the season was one of the few bright spots that Welsh could take out of that game, impressing both Welsh fans and Quins supporters alike, in spite of a few hits on Quins players taking high balls. In addition Welsh are no lightweights when it comes to set piece time either. In Montanella they have a true pugnacious prop forward who has featured in a few peoples 1st XV’s of the season so far. Their scrum have earned a few precious penalty tries for them this season so it will be interesting to see how they go against Quins most improved skillset. However their line out will be under serious pressure from snaffler, Robson. 

Expect to see Welsh combat Quins normal game the same as Northampton and Irish did, slow the ball down, prevent quick ball to the Quins backs and play a tight game, hoping to get Quins frustrated so discipline slips. If the weather is miserable this will also play to that game plan as we have seen in the past couple of weeks. 

Quins for their part are well aware of this tactic, and have shown that whilst it may have worked in the past, as has been said in so many newspapers of late, they are more than prepared to mix it up and go to a Plan B. Yes it’s a shame for the neutral and the Quins fans who want to see dynamic games of running and line breaks, but for me it’s a source of pride that we now have this all park game. 

Conor has gone with arguably a full strength pack but for the exception of Charlie Matthews stepping in for old dog of war Ollie Kohn. Tom Guest continues to rotate with Maurie Fa’asavalu. However it is in the backs where Quins have elected to make some changes. Out go Ugo Monye and Mike Brown, presumably from knocks which saw them substituted last week and in come Sam Smith and Ollie Lindsay-Hague. If Lindsay-Hague can replicate some of his form that he showed in the A League then Welsh will have to work hard to deny him space or his step change is going to hurt them. 

In the centres we see the renewal of last years final combination for the first time in quite a while. George Lowe fit to return with Jordan Turner-Hall in tandem alongside him. On a tough going pitch this could be just the game for JTH to show his crash ball expertise in breaking the gain lain and getting those hard yards. 

At half back, Quins remain unchanged with Nick Evans starting alongside Danny Care, of note this week is the departure on loan of his Royal Copperness, Rory of Clegg to Leeds Carnegie. Here’s hoping he gets some gametime and rediscovers his confidence, as he seemed shorn of it in his appearances this season, wishing him all the best. However Quins bright new kiwi hope, Ben Botica, takes the berth on the bench for the replacement 10/centre. 

All in all this should be a regulation away win, but let’s not get carried away, other teams have gone to Kassam park expecting an easy ride and been surprised. Professionalism to the fore and respect for the oppo is key. 

Quins by 7! 

COYQ!!!!!!!!!!!