By Tykefalcon
May 1 2002

According to an interview on the BBC website Phil Davies appears to have a zen-like calm at the moment, and is not losing any sleep over the upcoming crunch match against Quins on Friday. The players have been told “to go out and enjoy” their rugby, to “remember the fun of it”. According to the BBC interview Davies is satisfied that Tykes will continue to grow in the future regardless of the division we end up in.

"We are building something that won't crumble after one setback...If the unthinkable does happen, we will get stronger - not weaker."

The “Tykes Talk” release from the club gives a better impression of what this game means to the team, Phil Davies appreciates the opportunity that Tykes have to go out on Friday and grab a place in next season’s Zurich Premiership. Davies acknowledges that Tykes have failed to capitalise on bonus points in certain matches, which would have put us above Quins, but sensibly looks to the future games stating:

“If someone had offered me this position at the start of the season I would have taken it, our destiny is still in our own hands and we need to make sure that we perform on the day.”

Davies makes no attempt to down play the importance of Friday’s match describing it as a “massive game” for the club, the “biggest… in the club’s history” and one which will provide Tykes with their “toughest challenge of the season”.

Tykes will be without the injured Tom Palmer, (unlikely to play for Tykes again this season, though he may be fit for the England tour this summer) and flanker Rob Rawlinson, who is suffering from a calf strain. However the good news is that Japie Mulder is fit again, after having picked up a dead leg in the Leicester match. The Brothers Murphy are in at 4 & 5, Phil having done a good job so far filling in for Tom Palmer. Steve Bachop & Braam Van Straaten are playing 10 & 12, hopefully Bachop will remember to wear his kicking boots on Friday and not the pair he wore in the London Irish match at Easter!

Unfortunately Quins will be without Mr Injury, Dan Luger, who is likely to be out until next year, so we’ll just have to forego the sight of Dan Scarbrough showing the England winger how it’s done!

Tykes have beaten Quins once this season and there is no reason why they can’t do so again. Yes, it’s a big game and there is a lot riding on it, but we’ve players with big match experience and a team who have proved over and over again this season that they are as good as any other team in the Premiership. So it’s time for us to put our faith in the lads, get behind them and enjoy every nail biting moment!

Go Tykes!

The team in full
15. Jon Benson
14. Dan Scarbrough
13. Japie Mulder
12. Braam van Straaten
11. Shaun Woof
10. Steve Bachop
09. Scott Benton
01. Mike Shelley (c)
02. Matt Holt
03. Gavin Kerr
04. Chris Murphy
05. Phil Murphy
06. Cameron Mather
07. Dan Hyde
08. Isaac Feaunati
16. Justin Wring
17. Mark Luffman
18. Carl Hogg
19. James Ponton
20. John O’Reilly
21. Tristan Davies
22. Chris Hall