Circus comes to town

By Leipziger
November 9 2006

Promoted side Harlequins visit Kingston Park on Friday night for the first time since a tight 22-21 defeat on Tyneside in September 2004, as the Falcons readjust to life with the injured Phil Dowson and Jonny Wilkinson and, yet more alarmingly, Micky Ward.

The team will be discussed later, however this match is a real 8 (or 10?) pointer for both sides as they look to pull away from Worcester at the bottom. The Falcons are tenth in the Premiership with ten points, our visitors are eleventh with seven, and with Worcester facing a tough time against Northampton on Saturday looking for a first win of 2006/07, this would seem to be a great chance to get away from relegation worries.

Harlequins beat Northampton last weekend to clinch a first win on their return to the top flight after a year in Division 1, with a bonus-point winning, 34-19 performance in front of 11,000 at the Stoop. Simon Keogh (2), Adrian Jarvis and former England star Andy Gomarsall scored the tries for Dean Richards' side.

Richards, the former Leicester title-winning coach, has built a solid if unspectacular squad in south London, with the star names All Black great Andrew Mehrtens and former captain Andre Vos of South Africa backed up by the solid Paul Volley, who currently skippers the Quins. Injury robbed the Stoop last week of seeing Mehrtens take on his former New Zealand rival Carlos Spencer, however the fly-half will be on the bench tomorrow night alongside the precocious former Leeds 9 Danny Care.

On the two clubs' last meeting at Kingston Park, a penalty try and some top kicking from Jonny Wilkinson saw the Falcons home with a 22-21 victory to put us top of the Premiership, after George Harder and Gavin Duffy had scored for the Twickenham jesters. In the March of 2005 however, Harlequins put the Falcons well and truly to the sword in London with a 39-23 victory to assist in their ultimately futile battle against relegation. Quins have won three times at Kingston Park in the Premiership, most recently in January 2004, and will fancy their chances tomorrow.

Dean Richards has named pacy wing Ugo Monye and powerful hooker Tani Fuga in his side for the trip north, along with, as previously mentioned, Andrew Mehrtens on the bench:

15 Mike Brown
14 David Strettle
13 Gavin Duffy
12 Jordan Turner-Hall
11 Ugo Monye
10 Adrian Jarvis
9 Andy Gomarsall
1 Ceri Jones
2 Tani Fuga
3 Mike Ross
4 Ollie Kohn
5 Nicolas Spanghero
6 Andre Vos
7 Paul Volley (C)
8 Nick Easter

Replacements:
16 Jimmy Richards
17 Lorne Ward
18 Jim Evans
19 Luke Sherriff
20 Danny Care
21 Andrew Mehrtens
22 Mel Deane

Like we all predicted it would eventually, the Falcons placing their faith in Jonny Wilkinson's fitness and Toby Flood being ignored by England has caught up with us now, and with new Samoan signing Loki Crichton not deemed ready to make a starting debut, John Fletcher has named the versatile Joe Shaw at fly-half for tomorrow. In the absence of Flood and Jamie Noon, Mark Mayerhofler makes a return to fitness at inside centre alongside Mathew Tait who appears for Newcastle for the fiftieth time in a competitive match (cheers Smithy), and due to Micky Ward's injury sustained against Bristol last week, David Wilson is at tighthead. Jason Oakes returns from suspension.

15 Matthew Burke (C)
14 Tom May
13 Mathew Tait
12 Mark Mayerhofler
11 John Rudd
10 Joe Shaw
9 James Grindal
1 Jon Golding
2 Andy Long
3 David Wilson
4 Andy Perry
5 Jason Oakes
6 Geoff Parling
7 Ben Woods
8 Brent Wilson

Replacements:
Robbie Morris
Matt Thompson
Mike McCarthy
Cory Harris
Lee Dickson
Loki Crichton
Tom Dillon

Tickets continue to sell fast for the clash tomorrow night, with over 8,000 already sold. Vall 0871 226 60 60 or go to Kingston Park to secure your place in the stands, but if you can't get to the game, Sky Sports will be providing live coverage.

Quins preview [url=http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s98/st107346.htm]here[/url].