Harlequins vs. London Irish 03/09/2011

15 Mike Brown
14 Ross Chisholm
13 George Lowe
12 Jordan Turner-Hall
11 Ugo Monye
10 Nick Evans
9 Karl Dickson

1 Joe Marler
2 Joe Gray
3 James Johnston
4 Ollie Kohn
5 George Robson
6 Chris Robshaw ©
7 Will Skinner
8 Tom Guest

The Bench

16 Chris Brooker
17 Mark Lambert
18 Tim Fairbrother
19 Charlie Matthews
20 Chris York
21 Richard Bolt
22 Rory Clegg
23 Sam Smith

Strong team there, pretty much first choice with only Easter missing. There are still some interesting choices, particularly on the bench. People will be pleased to see Tom Guest starting, let’s hope he can make the most of his run in the team. Ross Chisolm has been impressive in the A league game’s I’ve watched, his preseason was good too. I’m surprised to see Charlie Matthews in there too, be interesting to see if he can make the step up. Just spotted Chris York too!


15. Tom Homer; 14. Topsy Ojo; 13. Jonathan Joseph; 12. Daniel Bowden (Captain); 11. Marland Yarde; 10. Adrian Jarvis; 9. Paul Hodgson;

1. Max Lahiff; 2. David Paice; 3. Faan Rautenbach; 4. Nick Kennedy; 5. Matt Garvey; 6. Kieran Roche; 7. Richard Thorpe; 8. Chris Hala’ufia

Replacements: 16. James Buckland; 17. Clarke Dermody; 18 Leo Halavatau; 19. James Sandford; 20. Alex Gray; 21. Adam Thompstone; 22. Steve Shingler; 23. Darren Allinson

It looks like Irish really will be relying on youth this year! Pleased to see so many good young players in the Irish backline, but I’m not sure about Jarvis to be honest. Surprised to see Gray and Sandford in the matchday squad, they are very inexperienced. Pleased to see Garvey get over his injury, I thought he was becoming a Saxons candidate last season.

I see Quin’s winning this one though.

On paper I agree this is a Quins win, but we have a very exciting looking backline there, and if the forwards can compete and Dodge and Jarvis can get them into the game we will cause Quins problems.

As a London Irish supporter it is very difficult to know how we will go this year. Booth is backing the kids, perhaps through necessity, but if they click, then we could be on the right path to a very very good future.

Got to feel sorry for Tom Guest. That guy has had no luck this year.

He was superb at the beginning of last season before his injury and looked to be back firing today. With Easter away I thought he would lay the groundwork to making the England squad this season, but initial words seem to be he's broken both bones in his forearm.