ZP Preview: Wither Quins?

Hold the line
By Peter Snow's Swingometer
January 2 2005

London Wasps travel to their keenest if not fiercest rivals Harlequins for the first New Year's bash. Pundits and newcomers alike seem to view Quins as London Wasps bogey team but this picture does not fit actuality. Old-timers, meanwhile, will be dreaming of another 57-26 away...

For it is the Quins who are trying to throw off their perennial tag of underachievers. A loss to London Wasps would be the prelude to a spring of discontent and disaster. Expect a dogged, toe-to-toe scrap for four points in just the sort of game Wasps need before resuming the difficult task of winning ten Heineken Cup points in the coming fortnight.

The old swingometer sees a losing bonus point for one team, Wasps to squeak it by two.

Harlequins: 15 Tom Williams; 14 George Harder, 13 Dafydd James, 12 Mel Deane, 11 Simon Keogh; 10 Jeremy Staunton, 9 Steve So’oialo; 1 Ceri Jones, 2 James Hayter, 3 Jon Dawson, 4 Roy Winters, 5 Simon Maling, 6 Nick Easter, 7 Andre Vos (Capt.), 8 Tony Diprose

Bench: 16 Ace Tiatia, 17 Mike Worsley, 18 Simon Miall, 19 Luke Sherriff, 20 Andy Reay, 21 Andy Dunne, 22 Gavin Duffy

London Wasps: 15 Mark Van Gisbergen; 14 Josh Lewsey, 13 Rob Hoadley, 12 Stuart Abbott, 11 Tom Voyce; 10 Alex King, 9 Matt Dawson; 1 Craig Dowd, 2 Ben Gotting, 3 Will Green, 4 Simon Shaw, 5 Richard Birkett, 6 Joe Worsley, 7 Jonny O’Connor, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio (Capt.)

Bench: 16 Jonny Barrett, 17 Alistair McKenzie, 18 James Haskell, 19 John Hart, 20 Harvey Biljon, 21 James Brooks, 22 Edd Thrower