Harelquins vs. Toulouse

First topic message reminder :

Team's up

15. Mike Brown
14. Seb Stegmann
13. Matt Hopper
12. Benjamin Urdapilleta
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler
2. Chris Brooker
3. James Johnston
4. Tomas Vallejos
5. George Robson
6. Maurie Fa'asavalu
7. Chris Robshaw (C)
8. Nick Easter

16. Joe Gray
17. Mark Lambert
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Charlie Matthews
20. Luke Wallace
21. Richard Bolt
22. Rory Clegg
23. Ugo Monye

Young bench for the Quins, could be a baptism of fire for Kyle Sinckler!

Quins front 5 blown away. Robson in this game shows to me why he isn't Int class, just really lacks physicallity against top quality locks. The breakdown has been a shambles as Quins just can't get a platform to get clean ball.

Maybe you are right, but I still just don't feel comfortable with him.

Also looks like Too-Loose have it wrapped up. Quins with no consistent attacking threat.
Do you think this is the odds catching up with them? Or simply they have been a bit undressed here?

Toulouse are gonna be tough to be for anyone this season...i fancy them for the trophy....

Toulouse were pretty incredible tonight. Was difficult to see how Robshaw did really, as he still managed to make the hard yards and tackles, but you could see how badly the quins were outmuscled. They were blown away off the breakdown.

Powerful performance from Toulouse and a well deserved win. With some go forward in midfield apart from when the backrow was there (they really missed JTH & Lowe), Quins might have stood more of a chance, but in truth Toulouse winning away from home is probably one of the least shocking results in European rugby.

Hardly a shock, Quins sitting unbeaten at the top of the weakest league in world rugby is hardly a bench mark for European glory,
The only shock has come to the SKY rugby pundits and fair weather English fans

Totally Rory. I'd be expecting my front 5 to give me a little protection there but Toulouse just smashed them.

Robshaw played well on the back foot, tough game for a flanker to shine similar with the backline. Evans had 3 in his face as soon as he received the ball.

View....If you actually knew anything about rugby or showed you had half a brain cell I'd take offence to that idiotic comment. Thankfully it's a negitive on both counts.

Awwh bless

Good comeback. Try google and type in "witty retorts" if your stuck fella.

viewtothegym wrote:Hardly a shock, Quins sitting unbeaten at the top of the weakest league in world rugby is hardly a bench mark for European glory,
The only shock has come to the SKY rugby pundits and fair weather English fans

Same will happen with ASM and Leicester tomorrow. The top French teams are beginning to get a better idea how to manage the pool games especially away from home over the last few years

Is there really a need for this "my league is better than yours" childishness

Toulouse were immense tonight. EVERY team, whether irish, english, italian, french, welsh or scottish (hope I haven't missed anyone!) is going to struggle against them.

I thought that Robshaw and Brown were very good and towards the end seemed like the only Quins player really trying to pull it back. Similar could be said for Care but hes still a bit rusty from his layoff but should be back to his previous form before too long. Prefer him in the england to shirt to youngs atm.

Quins definitely missed TH and Lowe, Hopper really looked out of his depth apart from that break and brilliant offload. Got bumped off the tackle all too often but should come good in the next few seasons, thought Monye should have started instead of Smith tbh. He provides a little more experience and a fair bit more oompf.

On a side note any word on Marler? Would be a terrible shame if hes out for a long time, wanted him to get a shot in the 6N. He needs to get experience of how to scrum against the best to go with his loose game. Also Rowntree should have a thing or 2 to teach him.

In general Robshaw looks like the type of player England need - he never gives up, and always gives 110% to everything he is involved in. He is passionate about his team and his rugby, and that is exactly the type of player this new England side will want.

The scary thing about Toulouse is that they were far from clinical in that game, yes probably both their tries were from forward passes, but they could have scored far more. Woe betide any team that has to witness them really going through the gears with precision.

McCalister is a good player, but with a true world class FH (something they haven't had for a number of years) they would be near unstoppable.

Still think Leinster are gonna be the team to beat - Toulouse and maybe Clermont after that.

sorry Quins fans, I do like you team and thought you wil be at par on the set pieces but was a bit disapointed by them (mainly the scrum with marler). as for the rest, Toulouse backrow did their job with sheer agressivity in denying clean balls to evans and being all over the place while the backs got the scoreboard ticking but if anything the game was won by toulouse defense. am sure next week game will be different so nothing over yet. Picamoles managed to put the same performance he did against toulon so he might be starting to be a consistent player (kudos to ML to have given him his first caps).
such a good start for a rugby weekend - hope for some more nice games to follow.

Will Greenwood called Nick Easter the best number 8 in the UK in the pre match hype classic

viewtothegym wrote:Will Greenwood called Nick Easter the best number 8 in the UK in the pre match hype classic

Sky coverage is often laughable, but Greenwood is usually a fairly reliable witness, but may favour his former team. Easter has his strengths and weaknesses, but who are the contenders at No 8 in UK?

Faletau and Morgan are both inexperienced, Faletau less so. The Scottish 8's aren't flourishing at the moment. Ulster 8's are foreign and they're only 2/3rd within UK. In England, there's Waldrom and a few others, but Easter consistently seems to perform at a higher level. Seem a fair comment to me, if debatable.

Did Mike brown get injured in the last play of the game he seemed to be hiolding his wrist. Hope it is not a long term thing if he did, would realy like to see him challenge Foden for the England full ball shirt.

You've gat to laugh at the sky pundits though, they are so totally biased towards the English sides. When Will Greenwood was waffling on about how if Harlequins beat Toulouse and deny them a bonus point then go out to Toulouse and get a result, they could get a home draw in the quarter finals and then go on and win the whole thing, I nearly choked on my beer. I said to my old man that he obviously has not been watching Toulouse this year, and the fact that they probably have more money that the whole of the eurozone, they will be a very hard nut to crack for anyone. You have got to love Will Greenwood bless him. Also I laughed my head off during half time when Scott Quinell was explaining to Will Greenwood about the importance of backrow play at a snail's pace. As good a player as he was, sometimes he should take a little emotion out of his punditry to give a little less biased view, it has not changed my mind about the man though, he was a class act on the field and he comes across as a class act off the field as well.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Good comeback. Try google and type in "witty retorts" if your stuck fella.

Well that was a slap in the face. Back down to earth with a boom after the last few months.

Well done to Toulouse, they were absolutely immense and did for us far too easily. Our front 5 just couldn't live with the intensity and the sheer size and power of their pack and our backline was badly out classed.

All season Quins have done three things well.

Get parity in the forwards
Defended on the front foot
Scored points at every opportunity

Last night we couldn't do any of that, Toulouse showed what a step up it is to try to compete in Europe and much like Saracens last season just because we're doing well in the home league doesn't mean we'll do well here.

Roll on next week. I'm already looking forward to the game and it'll be an interesting test of the squad, Robshaw and Connor to see how the boys travel over to Toulouse and play. All we need to do is win and deny them the losing bp and then we're right back in this

Despite teh fact that the scoring passes for both Toulouse tries were a long way forward - the scoreline flattered Quins.

It felt like men against boys. Easter was the only Quins forward that played well, and even then he was outshone by Picamoles.

Ye - Picamoles was unbelievable last night, bouncing off tackles at will.

Harinordoquy should watch his back cause I can see Picamoles getting a lot of caps at 8 for France.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Ye - Picamoles was unbelievable last night, bouncing off tackles at will.

Harinordoquy should watch his back cause I can see Picamoles getting a lot of caps at 8 for France.

I think they would both start - Harinordoquy plays flanker for his club, he is just as good there.

Dubbelyew L Overate wrote:

viewtothegym wrote:Will Greenwood called Nick Easter the best number 8 in the UK in the pre match hype classic

Sky coverage is often laughable, but Greenwood is usually a fairly reliable witness, but may favour his former team. Easter has his strengths and weaknesses, but who are the contenders at No 8 in UK?

Faletau and Morgan are both inexperienced, Faletau less so. The Scottish 8's aren't flourishing at the moment. Ulster 8's are foreign and they're only 2/3rd within UK. In England, there's Waldrom and a few others, but Easter consistently seems to perform at a higher level. Seem a fair comment to me, if debatable.

I think your first answer, Faletau, is head and shoulders above Easter, regardless of his inexperience.

Xavier Rush,Heaslip "Southern Ireland i know" even Andy Powell is better than Easter,
Easters strength lies in how fat he is so he can lie all over the ball.

Do you actually watch rugby? I've really never seen such garbage written by one single poster.

Heaslip doesn't even play in the UK, you might as well state Harinordoquy is a better UK 8.

Always the sign of a defeated man by splurting out the "Do you actually watch rugby" line.
YES of course i do and you know that also played until i called it a day last year.

So you still think Easter is the best in the UK?

viewtothegym wrote:Xavier Rush,Heaslip "Southern Ireland i know" even Andy Powell is better than Easter,
Easters strength lies in how fat he is so he can lie all over the ball.

Rush and Powell? Don't make me laugh, you are a fairly poor WUM! I doubt you actually believe they are better than Easter.

Heaslip isn't part of the UK.. you say "Southern Ireland I know", so why are you mentioning him then if he isn't part of the UK?

Faletau is much better than Easter IMO.. There are also a few talented scottish 8s coming through who are yet to establish themselves, so we will have to see if they challenge. But I do think Easter is the best and most experienced 8 England have at their disposal right now, and he should definitely start and possibly captain the side for this 6 nations.

"Always the sign of a defeated man by splurting out the "Do you actually watch rugby" line."

Is it? I always thought talking utter rubbish was more of a sign myself.

I never stated Easter was the best 8 in the UK, although he is without doubt ONE of the best. More so than Heaslip anyway......

Your anti-English tone is quite sad tbh. If you were slightly funny or articulate you may get away with it......you're neither of these though.

Oh right i see,
because i don't rate Easter im anti English and a poor WUM!


Have you ever thought of getting your head out of your ass and for one moment realised that not everything is about wonderful Engeerlund! and people do have an opinion that doesn't conform with the SKY rugby club propaganda machine?

I can't argue with you, you write like a child.

view, you're only posting on this article to slag off the English. But most of us just want to talk about rugby. It might be hard for you to understand, but we have no interest in nation bashing or rubbing defeat in peoples noses or calling their players cr@p.

viewtothegym wrote:Oh right i see,
because i don't rate Easter im anti English and a poor WUM!


Have you ever thought of getting your head out of your ass and for one moment realised that not everything is about wonderful Engeerlund! and people do have an opinion that doesn't conform with the SKY rugby club propaganda machine?

Well anyone who actually has a brain and watches rugby would not say Rush and Powell are better than Easter..

Have to say as an Englishman and someone who likes Quins but doesn't support them...Easter is tripe.

Better than Powell, by a mile, better than Rush...no, imho.

If picking up slow ball and getting over the gainline is the ONLY skill you're after, then he's great. But if he managed to cart his puffing, wheezing slab of lard to rucks more quickly, that slow ball might not occur.

I hope for the love of God he never plays for England again...or Quins for that matter. I also think he is far too casual about the effort required to be an international back-row. Unlike Robshaw who thoroughly deserves a call-up.

Yet on Friday night, Easter was head and shoulders above Robshaw.

Now, personally, I do not want Easter playing for england as he is not good enough for international rugby - however I am not sure that there is a fit English player better than him. Sadly this is true for so many positions.

LondonTiger wrote:Yet on Friday night, Easter was head and shoulders above Robshaw.

Now, personally, I do not want Easter playing for england as he is not good enough for international rugby - however I am not sure that there is a fit English player better than him. Sadly this is true for so many positions.

Don't agree he was better than Robshaw at all, nevermind head and shoulders above him..

Rush is not good at all anymore, Easter is better than Rush. Easter should be starting at 8 for England, there are no other options for you and he has experience.

Easter is not a great player but I struggle to think of anyone better who is English. Loads of home nations 8s who are. he simply is too slow -over the ground and between the ears to be a great player.

I don't think he was better either.

I also now think he makes a better all round 8 than Easter, and would happily put him there ahead of Easter for the 6N.

There are very few English 8s, and there are also very few i wouldn't now place above Easter. His workrate is too often woeful.

If he's back from injury and playing, i'd even have a tyro like Fearns ahead of him.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Yet on Friday night, Easter was head and shoulders above Robshaw.

Now, personally, I do not want Easter playing for england as he is not good enough for international rugby - however I am not sure that there is a fit English player better than him. Sadly this is true for so many positions.

Don't agree he was better than Robshaw at all, nevermind head and shoulders above him..

Rush is not good at all anymore, Easter is better than Rush. Easter should be starting at 8 for England, there are no other options for you and he has experience.

In my opinion Easter was the only Quins forward who looked vaguely effective. Robshaw tried hard all night and was always on the back foot due to his front 5. However he was beaten by Nyanga to every breakdown, was smashed back in the tackle when he tried to carry and when it was his turn to tackle really struggled to impose himself on the opposition player. For him it was a poor night. HOWEVER as with any good back row forward he kept on trying and will most definitely come back stronger for that game.

I thought Easter was fairly anonymous. Robshaw worked hard, but it was almost as if it was him against the entire Toulouse pack. Picamoles, Dusautoir and Nyanga collectively destroyed the Quins backrow.

I didn't think Toulouse played that well , just SKY rugby club dressed up the loss almost making it a moral victory for Quins.

viewtothegym wrote:I didn't think Toulouse played that well , just SKY rugby club dressed up the loss almost making it a moral victory for Quins.

Toulouse did not play especially well - just that sadly they were like men against English boys. Something we also saw in Castres yesterday and Montferand today (in the backs anyway CA were so much better).

Seems the Welsh & English clubs lack a little this year

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Seems the Welsh & English clubs lack a little this year

I think England are going to have a few hard years in terms of the HEC/Internationals etc. They are in a real transition period, one where everyone will have to be patient, as this new team grows together and a captain etc is chosen. Might be a real tough 6 nations this year especially.

Until this weekend the Welsh were unbeaten. Get good results next week and all four could be in prime positions to make 1/4 finals.

Both Scarlets & Ospreys looked pretty average against decent opposition this weekend. Can't see either progressing much further in the completion.

Sgt-pooly They never do, but ultimately who cares? as long as the team who plays the best rugby regardless of which country wins it,then rugby is the winner.

Very few back rows in Europe come out on top against Toulouse.

My favourite English backrowers are Croft, Wood, Haskell and Robshaw. Don't rate Easter highly. Not sure what the best English backrow combo would be.

Powell was always very limited. And Rush is a shadow of his former self.