Preview: Harlequins vs Saracens

The acid test for Quins comes early this season, after what should have been a regulation re-entry into the Premierships comforts against London Irish, Saracens are coming to town. 

Both teams had winning in common last weekend, however in startlingly different games. The rugby press has blithely attested that the second of the contests at the Double Header last weekend was a shambles and not fit to lace the bootstraps of the engaging encounter between Saracens and Wasps. Lazy journalism to me. Whilst the showdown between Irish and Quins never flared into life, a look at the history of this encounter never normally provides a thriller.

Quins started the game well, putting into play a solid defensive shift and a game plan which looked cohesive if not flawless. Whilst the ball was moved around at speed we saw little of the obdurate support lines when breaking the line. Consistently looking for our wingers to turn the opposition and get in behind them, this worked when Brown managed to fling a pass out wide to Ugo to finish neatly in the corner. All was going well, maybe the patchy pre-season form and the lack of recruitment in the pack wouldn’t be an issue? Then Evans began his poor return from the boot. You can normally tell when he’s going to have a stinker. It immediately goes wrong for him, and he never really recovered from the tee, although his game management and kicking from hand in the first half did him great credit.

Going in 20-6 at half time, and listening and chatting with fans at the ground, most of us were happy with that and would have taken it. A peach of escapism by Skippy our public school educated kangaroo, Ollie Lindsay-Hague, evaded Topsy Ojo rather embarrassingly and touched down to make it 2 tries in the first half. Nev again shanked his kick and we departed to the overpriced bars and smoker packed stairs happy but nervous.

In the second half to say the wheels came off would be a bit of an understatement. Joe was unlucky that he lost his hands in his tackle on Tom Court when Robson came in to assist on the tackle and tipped him above the axis. Had to be a yellow. Then Kyle Sinckler, after getting involved in some off the ball shenanigans let the blood go to his head and tackled high on Court, his arms then came up to make it look worse, but a yellow it was. He’s a quality young player but he’s got a bit of a spikey attitude as he certainly had plenty to say as he went to join his captain on the sidelines. During this period, inevitably Quins went into their shell and played much more defensively. It has to be said this was done with some aplomb. Irish were never really that threatening and better teams would have had a field day, but Quins restricted them to Geraghty penalties and they didn’t cross the line. Commendable in that situation. Quins never really recovered momentum when up to 15 and the game became fragmented and scrappy with the addition of th substitutions into a game which was going nowhere. Evans had a golden opportunity to make it comfortable but in continuing with his theme, he missed. He also then had a bad shank of an out of the hand ball, kicking out on the full when the constant misses had gotten to him.

All in all, the best side won, but it was ruined as a spectacle by the yellows, not saying they were undeserved but they knocked Quins out of any stride they may have put together. Another area for debate was Marler’s captaincy. A few of the refreshed state of mind after the game had obviously decided to toss baby out with bath water even though we won the game. Looking back on it and with the aid of Reflink I was actually quite impressed at his interaction with the ref on the day. When he had a gripe he laid it out with humility, “Sir, I know I’ve been guilty of it this game, but could you have a look, I’m only asking for consistency?” Articulate and well put. He’s only going to get better at this interaction, let’s see where he goes.

Saracens similarly bossed their first half against Wasps, however were subjected to a comeback of some proportions as a Haskell and Johnson inspired Wasps fought back ahead of them in a game many had thought dead by half time. Wasps got their noses in front through an awesome grubber kick from Ashley Johnson that was converted by arch poacher, Christian Wade, and but for a little bit of tactical nous would have closed out the game. As it was Sarries pressured them into mistakes in the final quarter and they relinquished the lead to a fortunately well taken try by hattrick hero, David Strettle. Hodgson started and had an eventful game, running the show until taking a rather nasty knock by his own Brad Barritt. Farrell came on but never really got going.

Both teams are largely unchanged for the match this Friday. Saracens replacing Kelly Brown who was ineffectual after coming back on from a sin binning with Jackson Wray who continues to impress. Hodgson will again continue to keep Owen Farrell out of the team and pull the strings from midfield. Quins for their part will keep the faith with the same team as last weekend, only making one enforced change as try scorer Ugo Monye has a nasty groin strain and will be out for a few months. Skippy comes into the team on the opposite wing from Yarde and lightning quick, Charlie Walker makes the bench for the first time this season.

The battle up front will be intriguing, as the old saying goes, Quins will have to earn the right to play. Scrum time didn’t go particularly well against Irish and Sinckler was pinged a couple of times against a wily operator. He is still learning and should have a better time out against the less experienced Richard Barrington who is covering in Mako Vunipola’s absence. Saracens looked pretty dominant against a good unit last week in Wasps and will be looking for the power shift from new captain, Hargreaves, ably abetted by George Kruis, who again impressed on the big stage.

In the back row, Robshaw and Wallace will be up against two exceptional young flankers in Jackson Wray and Will Fraser, both Robshaw and Wallace will have to turbo charge his performance from last week to blow Fraser away at the breakdown or there will be questions asked come Autumn International time… Wallace in particular has been conspicuous by his run of the mill performances which seem to have carried on from where he left off last year. Nick Easter will be looking to run the rule over Billy Vunipola, and whilst he gives away years he doesn’t run down as many blind alleys as Vunipola does.

The battle at half back will be a grizzled affair, two old war horses in Evans and Hodgson duking it out once more and Danny Care going toe to toe with England rival, Wigglesworth. There is perhaps no finer kicking scrum half in the league than Wigglesworth, but he has very little of a Plan B. The same could be said of Care, but he has put work into his box kicks and whilst not great they are not the liability they used to be. Evans will need to bring his A game and hope he has lost the yips from last week, his line running remains strong but Quins can ill afford to leave 15 points on the pitch against Saracens.

If the game plan for Quins is to get their wingers to stretch the opposition, look for more of the same this week. Yarde and Lindsay-Hague both have gas to burn and are up against wingers who have, at one time or another, been questioned over their defence. The other exciting match up, and surely Lancaster will be at the Stoop to watch this one, will be Brown vs Goode. Two very opposing styles of play, and Brown having to answer some questions for the first time in a while about his decision making when taking the contact.

This will be the early season marker for both teams, if Sarries come away with the win at the Stoop then this will galvanise their push. By contrast if Quins fail to take them at their home ground then this could bring home to roost some of the more negative, some would say realistic, comments of fans on this board that we will have to go some to end up in the top four this year.

Apologies this is not the usual lengthy diatribe, time has been short this week. Let’s hope NEv’s attack of the yips was equally short…

Sarries bench looks ominous, but heart is ruling head on this one. Quins by 3pts.

COYQ!!!!!