Quins Vrs Scarlets

Quins -:

Mike Brown
Tom Williams
Matt Hopper
Ben Botica
Sam Smith
Nick Evans
Danny Care

Joe Marler
Rob Buchanan
Will Collier
George Merrick
George Robson
Maurie Fa'asavalu
Chris Robshaw (C)
Nick Easter

(reps - Dave Ward, Darryl Marfo, Kyle Sinckler, Tom Guest, Luke Wallace; Karl Dickson, Paul Sackey, Charlie Walker)

Scarlets -:

Liam Williams
Kristian Phillips
Jon Davies
Scott Williams
Jordan Williams
Rhys Priestland
Rhodri Williams

Phil John
Emyr Phillips
Samson Lee
Jake Ball
George Earle
Aaron Shingler
John Barclay
Josh Turnbull

(reps -: Kirby Myhill, Rob Evans, Jacobie Adriaanse, Johan Snyman, Craig Price; Gareth Davies, Steve Shingler, Gareth Maule)

Harlequins have announced the team to play Scarlets in Round 1 of the Heineken Cup at the Twickenham Stoop, kick-off 3:40pm (Live on Sky Sports 2).There are three changes to the backline that played London Irish last weekend as Tom Williams returns to start on the right wing. Sam Smith switches to the left wing, replacing Ugo Monye who picked up a slight knock last week.

Ben Botica starts alongside Matt Hopper in the midfield and replaces Tom Casson who was also injured last week.

Danny Care starts at scrum-half, with Karl Dickson named on the bench.

George Merrick starts in the second-row, as Nick Easter returns to his more familiar position at number 8.

Among the replacements, Paul Sackey is named.

Harlequins team

15. Mike Brown
14. Tom Williams
13. Matt Hopper
12. Ben Botica
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler
2. Rob Buchanan
3. Will Collier
4. George Merrick
5. George Robson
6. Maurie Fa'asavalu
7. Chris Robshaw (C)
8. Nick Easter

16. Dave Ward
17. Darryl Marfo
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Tom Guest
20. Luke Wallace
21. Karl Dickson
22. Paul Sackey
23. Charlie Walker

Oh dear - 2 awful teams. Will this be the worst game of the weekend?

It may well open up and lead to two teams throwing the ball around. Could be a high scoring game though I'd have thought Quins will nick it as they seem to have the better tight five.

It really is a looking like a 'who is the worst' competition rather than a who will be the better.

The Scarlets have been able to use the set peice as a pretty reliable weapon so far this season, however losing Ken Owens will hurt both our line and scum, and losing Rob McCusker (our only player with any real No.8 experience) will hamper our scrum even more.

In the backs the Scarlets do look like they have a lot of good atacking options. Jordan and Rhodri Williams both stood out during the JWC in the summer, especially for the pretty attacking play. Foxy shone during the Lions tour, and Priestland is looking like he is returning to form. I am just hoping that with this being a HEC game, being an Anglo-Welsh clash , and also being the last chance to catch Gats eyes prior to the AI squad announcement, that the backs will click and we can show some attcking skills.

Have the Quins really been as bad as I have heard, or is it like us a case of passes not sticking etc, and things that time should fix?

That Scarlets backline could be superb if the back row and halfbacks can get the ball right.

Defensively out wide Phillips and Williams are vulnerable.

Be interesting to see how the Scarlets front five can front up. Sampson Lee has been superb.

Trevor40 wrote:

Oh dear - 2 awful teams. Will this be the worst game of the weekend?

 
Trevor what exactly do you mean by that statement
 
A fair few internationals in both teams and quite a bit of attacking intent especially (from both teams) in my mind

You clearly haven't seen either side play this season!

Is Trevor trolling Scarlets as well now?

I do however think that our bench literally contains our last 3 remaining backs

Trevor40 wrote:You clearly haven't seen either side play this season!

Why do you say that?......... have you seen them play live this season or maybe you watched the rugby highlights the day after  

I watch many live games and all of Edinburgh games this season so far, one of them was when the Scarlets beat us at home 3-22 with three tries from the backs and with Liam and Scott Williams having storming performances. I haven't seen Quins play apart from the AP highlights on the box.

They both have won 2 out of 5 games so not firing on all cylinders, but that doesn't mean it will be the worst game of the weekend  

So tell me Trev.... out of interest, how many times have you seen Quins or the Scarlets live this season?

Seen Quins 5 times. I'm a STH. Not seen Scarlett's live but seen hi-lights and I do read the press and forums.

Trevor40 wrote:Seen Quins 5 times. I'm a STH. Not seen Scarlett's live but seen hi-lights and I do read the press and forums.

So you saw the way they performed against us (Edinburgh) then?............ Liam Williams, Scott Williams, Jon Davies, Rhys Priestland, should all be in the Wales squad for the Autumn Internationals, and young Jordan Williams is an exciting talent so if you don't think that is a quality backline then you better start watching them a bit more, they also have an outstanding young talent in Samson Lee, and a back row of current internationals in Aaron Shingler, John Barclay, Josh Turnbull.

They are not the "best thing since sliced bread" and they are bloody inconsistent.......but they are most certainly not an "awful side"

Both teams have 2 wins out of 5 in second rate leagues. That is awful. And when was the last time Scarlett's won anything?

Trevor40 wrote:Both teams have 2 wins out of 5 in second rate leagues. That is awful. And when was the last time Scarlett's won anything?  

Is Trevor trolling Scarlets as well now?

I understand what CheckeredJersey meant after your comments on the Rabo and AP being second rate leagues - nothing on here for you Trev

You won't change his opinion...

ChequeredJersey wrote:You won't change his opinion...

You Can't Educate Pork  

flyhalffactory wrote:

Trevor40 wrote:Both teams have 2 wins out of 5 in second rate leagues. That is awful. And when was the last time Scarlett's won anything?  

Is Trevor trolling Scarlets as well now?

I understand what CheckeredJersey meant after your comments on the Rabo and AP being second rate leagues - nothing on here for you Trev

pretty much the definition of trolling if he has so little interest in either league, no?

remember trevy, this isnt baseball, so you may not even get three strikes.

Spidey, Quins haven't been as bad as made out. Two of their five losses were against Sarries and Saints in close games. Quins are certainly weaker this season due to losing Johnston and Kohn at the end of last season. This has meant their tight five isn't as strong. Evans is also blowing hot and cold, of he refinds his mojo then Quins will start to tick once again.

Looking forward to this game. Two teams who like to play good rugby. Looking forward in particular to seeing more of Jordan Williams.

Quins looked effective but not great vs Wasps, pretty good and unlucky in the worst possible conditions vs a physical Saints, absolutely excellent vs a very poor Worcester, good for 40 mins and very good defensively but running out of ideas in attack and lacking composure vs Saracens, the league leaders, and awful in patches in the second half but decent in the first half, just lacking execution and clinical finishing (including kicks) vs a defiant Irish (a match we still could easily have won). Not as bad as people make out but not good enough. Our team today has as raw a bench as imaginable with no real centre cover, cover for 10 or lock cover, novice (but talented) props, 3rd choice hooker, 2 lightweight backrowers, a 9, a lightweight 5th choice winger and a young lightweight tyro winger/FB. Our starting 15 is ok except Hopper and Botica is nowhere near an ideal centre combo in defence, Merrick is v raw and our 5th choice lock and Nev needs to play like he did vs Wuss not Irish

I predict the bloodgates opening up around 60mins.

Walker's preferred position is OC, I believe. So while it's a raw bench, it could be an exciting one.

Poorfour wrote:Walker's preferred position is OC, I believe. So while it's a raw bench, it could be an exciting one.

Bets on finishing with this backline?

9-Dickson
10- Care
11- Sackey
12- Botica
13- Walker
14- Smith
15- Brown

When compared with the S15, the Rabo and AP are second rate.

Trevor40 wrote:When compared with the S15, the Rabo and AP are second rate.

less chippy though

Trevor40 wrote:When compared with the S15, the Rabo and AP are second rate.

bit like the quality of your posts....

Quins seem to have a nudge on in the scrums, and the scrums have been a place of strength for the Scarlets this season.

Scarlets haven't played 'scarlet rugby' for a long time... That was a good try!

Utter rubbish from Quins.

Excellent try

Wonderful by Preistland, in the set up and that last pass was beautiful

Magic from priestland

Great try from Scarlets.

What on earth are Quins doing?

wales606 wrote:What on earth are Quins doing?

Playing like we did last week by the sounds of it

Clueless Quins are going to get hammered again. They are awful.

Thats what Barclay was brought in for

Wales suddenly seem to be neck deep in on form flyhalves

Harsh on Barclay, he was on his feet then

If we lose this match, we will be in for an absolute pasting next week

Nah, Quins are good against the French.

Do Quins have a back row on the field?

PS, have Scarlets now finally found their back-row?! This unit seems to be going well, so far...

Jonathan Davies has really taken it to the next level since the Lions - he has dragged the Scarlets though games this season, and now he has the Quins outside backs running away from him

68% possession to Quins and no points. Utter rubbish.

Its not really the backrow, it is the fact that the entire team is counter-rucking - with JD2 leading the way at the moment

Trevor40 remind anyone else of a certain poster??

Davies gets flattened by one of the worst centres in the Prem.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Trevor40 remind anyone else of a certain poster??

Absolutely not. He reminds me of 2 different posters from different sites. But currently he is annoyingly correct, we need to up our game

Shingler was almost away there

Very iffy not releasing calls at the moment