By Prof
October 12 2004

Harlequins have secured the services of 29 year old New Zealand second row Simon Maling on a contract that will see him playing for Quins from November until the end of the season.

Last year Simon Maling played his 100^th first class game, he has been a stalwart in the Otago (NPC) and Highlanders (Super 12) teams and is the Highlanders main source of ball in the lineout as well as being renown as one of the best lineout forwards at international level.

He will bring a lot of experience to the Quins second row having been first capped for the Highlanders in 1997 and having played for the All Blacks since 2001 (his first two games were non-cap).

He was a certainty in most people’s eyes for selection for the RWC 2003 New Zealand squad but he was ruled out because he was carrying an injury before the tournament. Maling’s non-selection led former All Black captain Taine Randell to say:

"I'd question a couple of selections in the tight five. I think leaving out lock Simon Maling is a particularly bad idea.
 "The front five is an area where they struggled a little bit against England and they needed all the help they could get in that department."

Although he hasn’t played against England for New Zealand he did play at Twickenham for the New Zealand Barbarians in December last year so he is already acquainted with Ace Tiatia who was on the same side.

Graham Henry made it very clear that he wanted Maling to play in the forthcoming All Black tour to Europe but he is now looking elsewhere with Maling’s impending move to Japanese club Santori for three years. The Highlanders were also very keen to secure his services for next season’s Super 12 but Quins have snapped him up first.

Maling is powerful, experienced, doesn’t mind doing the dirty work in the tight and is a lineout specialist, just what we could do with at the moment. I’d like to wish him all the best for his time with us.