By RleQuin & Prof
October 7 2005

A Coventry XV played their first game of rugby in 1874 (8 years after Harlequins was founded) when they played against Allesley Park College in a mixed code game - half Rugby rules, half Association rules. Over the years Coventry have been one of the most powerful teams in the country (they won 72 games in succession during the second world war), their most recent glory years were in the 1960s and '70s.

In 1996 they almost achieved Premier status in two play off games against London Irish.

The current Chairman, Keith Fairbrother, took over in 1998, sold the Condon Road site (their home for 83 years) and set about building the Butts Park Arena which was opened by Sir Clive Woodward in September 2004.

Recent famous players include FE Cotton, HO Godwin, GW Evans (all England & Lions), David 'Dai' Duckham (36 England Caps 1969-76, 10 tries; Lions 3 caps), the current England lock Danny Grewcock and even our very own Zinzan Brooke (2002/3 season).

Over the years the results have been fairly even between Quins and Coventry since their first meeting in 1894 (the last time the two sides met was 1996):

Overall record: P65 W30 D2 L33 F883 A911
Most points scored: 54 (54-18 20/03/1993 at SMG)
Biggest winning margin: 39 (39-0 04/03/1911 at Twickenham)
Most points conceded: 47 (16-47 17/03/1990 at Coventry)
Heaviest defeat: 10-44 (16/03/1996 at Coventry)

League Stats: P1 W1 F15 A12
19/03/1988 at Coventry 1PG3T (15)-1G2PG (12)

So lets see if Quins can keep up the 100% success rate against Coventry in league games and make it two wins from two!

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STOP PRESS: Charlie Amesbury will be playing instead of Ugo Monye on the wing on Saturday.