By Jon_r43
December 29 2010

So off the Twickenham (Or the Big Stoop as the announcer kept calling it!) for what Quins had billed “The Big Game 3” Well yes it was a big game for us for 3 reasons …… At least but 3 works with the title!!

Firstly, after 7 losses Quins on paper was probably our best chance of a win for a while and we really need to break the losing run. Secondly any game against Quins is a big game especially for Irish supporters who live and work in the Twickenham/ Feltham area. As the locals at work, school, church etc for some reason are predominantly Quins . This year this is a more important reason as we have been invited to supper with friends who support “them” after the game! (Dan’s planning to need to do some homework if we lose!) and thirdly after our disastrous non trip to Toulon (make that Gatwick!!) last week this was the first game in a new run of attendance at Irish games for the R43 family (LKR was at over 2 years of First, “A” and friendly’s before last week!)

Teams arrive and head into the stadium, supporters on this board have been calling for changes and we notice one as they go in both Toby and Justin are wearing long trousers!

We head round to our seats in the “Irish Section” (marked by only one Quins flag on every other seat!!) and take in the Twickenham pre match atmosphere. I would comment on the “entertainment“ but having never watched X Factor can’t really make a start there however the cheerleaders and dancers (not the Irish type) make you yearn for a home game or even a game at the Stoop (Not my favourite ground!). Quins marketing interests me, 74,000 attended mainly at £5-£10 per ticket for a club who sell out their ground most games anyway? Not sure I get the strategy as must mean that an awful lot of them don’t attend very often and can’t come back. I’m told in the evening that the idea is to convert more people into season ticket holders but given the quality of game on show not sure this will have happened

So what is the experience…. The “Irish” section has loads of people supporting Quins in it with a “football mentality (I heard “cheating Irish” too many times from a Quin “fan” behind us) and others tell me “you’re not singing any more” was heard (not sure why as there weren’t many of us who sang anyway!) Typical Twickenham lack of respect for the kickers (Low level chat, but there was at least no booing) .There was a “wave” in the second half but it was noticeable that after the double header that there wasn’t anything being thrown (Not sure there were cardboard carriers available for drinks!) Jason Lennard arrives with the Match ball in a hovercraft!! and fireworks go off from the stadium roof.

I had the “benefit” of Mr Small in my ear, courtesy of ref link, at the time and am watching the Sky plus replay (once without pausing!) for the reader’s benefit (not sure I would have bothered otherwise). So the facts in this report maybe a bit sketchy.

In fact the first half could be summarised “whistle, mistake, penalty where was the advantage, why no cards (until 20 seconds before the break.)”

Teams run out and off we go. Mr Small (Who was to have a key role in at least the experience if not the result) blew his whistle and Molly kicked off… and out on the full! Maybe he couldn’t see the touch line for the firework smoke?

Penalties seemed to be awarded at will for most of the first half although on ref link Mr Small was keen to stop players in offside positions moving forward and seemed to be warning both teams for most of the game. First one was to Quins in front of the post (Bob not rolling) (3 – 0 Quins) both backs had a run early, Tagi was brought down by Care (I won’t call it a tackle) Pen number 2 was Molly’s for not releasing (3-3). At the restart Mr Small calls no blocking and we don’t Molly is caught and George seals the ball off. Pen in front (6-3) Next one Quins hands in the ruck (6-6). Restart again, no call of “don’t block” and Richard does (9-6). Then a pen missed by Quins (missed what for twice as trying to do “bank holiday jobs” at home while writing the report), Richard is done for hands on the floor (12-6) and is seen on the replay saying ’What did I do?’

About 25 minutes in our friends’ daughter, who is attending her first game comments that “It’s boring, it keeps stopping.” Maybe she’s going to be a great analyst it’s so true! Even when we get a period of possession there is no threat to the line but a Quins player is penalised for not rolling away (12-9) Quins ball is chipped away by Brown who goes down and Quins go to the corner but then another knock on give us the feed at the scrum. Maps is done for offside but Mr Small still keeps his cards in his pocket (And gets told off on Sky for doing so!) (15-9). A good restart from Molly leads to Irish possession, Quins offside and a penalty in front (15-12) Final play and Bob’s not rolling and takes a player out while on the floor (Yellow card!!) (18-12) and half time. So in 40 minutes 11 kickable penalties awarded - no wonder there is no flow to the game. During half time we are “treated” to another couple of numbers from the X Factor finalists and tried to go and buy coffee and chips but this is Twickenham so to get those the match reporter would have missed 10 minutes of the second half (the sacrifices made for accurate reporting, although I probably saved about £10.

First 10 minutes of the second half with 14 men (we win this period 3-0), Has anyone ever seen Tagi in the pack at scrum time? A short lineout works well and we are going forward but Faan knocks on (Should have be a pen against us with Richard off side), at the scrum Richard and Dodge catch Care at the back he’s holding on (18-15)

Bob’s back and Quins have possession, Nick is done for a high tackle on Danny Care. He would have to get on the floor not to tackle high him. Evans kicks the penalty (21-15) We get possession and make a good break through Maps’ inside ball to Topsy, the pass goes to Williams who is done for holding, unfortunately Molly misses the kick.

Again possession with a break from Dan and Sky get their phase counter out for the first time in the game!! 10 phases later and the play is stopped nearly on the line under the posts. Danny Care is carded for killing the ball and Molly kicks (21-18). Next score probably wins it and we should have a chance, especially with Quins down to 14. Maps makes what is his third or 4th knock on when we had players wide. Given the rumours of his departure to France (Do Toulon really need more players!) a rendition of the Marseilles is sung in our area. 4 changes for Irish including the withdrawal of Captain Clarke, Sky suggest Dodge is Captain but I would have thought Bob would take over. Quins have attacking ball and which is turned over, there is a fight in the ruck which takes the attention of TJ and Ref so the spot for the line out was something of a guess (Ref is heard on Reflink saying “A bit further, about there”)…. A few phases later, Turner Hall chips through and George Lowe gathers for a try (28-18)

Into the last 10 minutes (10 points down, so a penalty for the BP or a Penalty and a converted try for the draw?) Matt Garvey just misjudges the restart and takes out a Quin in the air so lineout to Quins on half way and offence leads to a scrum which all of a sudden needs to be reset 2 or 3 times. Time is running down. Penalty awarded out wide on 73 minutes and we go for the corner from the line another penalty awarded right more centrally, “Take the 3” I say but the team are seeking the 7 and play on. About 30 seconds later a penalty is awarded out wide and we go for the corner, Where are the cards, red zone penalties Against Quins?. There are now 3 minutes left and another penalty is awarded again. Molly is down and you see on Sky you can see Dan asking if he can kick for the posts. Mr Small issues a warning to the Quins captain and we get a scrum on the 5 metre line. Drop goal for the BP but Molly is still hobbling, George picks up and goes for the line but the ball is lost and Quins see out the last few minutes

In the final analysis too many mistakes when the backs occasionally got the ball, pack and lineout were not dominant, “Sir” seemed to spoil the flow, but despite that another one we could have won and probably should have had a bonus point. Never in front but again never out of it until right at the end but as an advert for the game, fairly poor!

After the game met up with Big Al, Peezee and Azed, LKR is suggesting our next win will be Newcastle in Feb (As she usually only predicts Leeds at home as our win during the year this is confidence from her!) but Al and co are confident, you heard it here first, we will beat Bath next week.