Harlequins 15/16 Thread

[yappysnap]

First topic message reminder :

Our squad (pinched from CAW):

HARLEQUINS Senior Squad

Name                DoB             Position        Contract
Rob Buchanan        (13/05/91)      Hooker          2015/16  
Joe Gray            (05/08/88)      Hooker          2015/16  
Dave Ward           (21/05/85)      Hooker          2015/16  

Will Collier        (05/05/91)      TH Prop         2017/18  
Adam Jones          (08/03/81)      TH prop         2015/16  
Matt Shields        (12/02/91)      TH Prop         2015/16    
Kyle Sinckler       (30/03/93)      TH Prop         2016/17    

Owen Evans          (19/02/89)      LH Prop      
Mark Lambert        (19/02/85)      LH Prop         2016/17    
Joe Marler          (07/07/90)      LH Prop         2015/16  

James Horwill       (29/05/85)      Lock            2017/18    
Charlie Matthews    (23/07/91)      Lock            2015/16    
George Merrick      (04/10/92)      Lock            2016/17    
Sam Twomey          (09/05/92)      Lock            2015/16  

Jack Clifford       (12/02/93)      Flanker/No. 8   2015/16    
Chris Robshaw       (04/06/86)      Flanker         2015/16    
Luke Wallace        (02/10/90)      Flanker         2016/17    

Nick Easter         (15/08/78)      Number 8        2016/17    
Mathew Luamanu     (04/03/88)      Number 8        ?          
Netani Talei        (19/03/83)      Number 8        ?          

Danny Care          (02/01/87)      Scrum-half      2015/16    
Karl Dickson        (02/08/82)      Scrum-half      2016/17    
Tito Tebaldi        (23/09/87)      Scrum-half      ?        

Ben Botica          (07/10/89)      Fly-half        2016/17    
Nick Evans          (14/08/80)      Fly-half        2015/16    
Tim Swiel           (04/06/93)      Fly-half        ?    

Matt Hopper         (29/01/85)      Centre          2016/17    
George Lowe         (22/10/89)      Centre          2015/16  
Jamie Roberts       (08/11/86)      Centre          ?        
Harry Sloan         (16/06/94)      Centre          2015/16  
Winston Stanley     (11/02/89)      Centre          ?      

Ollie Lindsay-Hague (08/10/90)      Wing/Fullback   ?          
Tim Visser          (29/05/87)      Winger          ?          
harlie Walker      (23/12/92)      Winger          2016/17    
Marland Yarde       (20/04/92)      Winger          2015/16    

Mike Brown          (04/09/85)      Fullback        2015/16  
Ross Chisholm       (19/10/90)      Fullback        2016/17    


A very strong looking squad, with a lot of internationals and experience to help the youngsters coming in. Fingers crossed but this season may be a good one for the men in quarters.

COYQ's!

[yappysnap]

Way too early for Marchant, Walker is in a position with lots of competition and isn't stating enough to get looked at.

Personally though I'd have him over our other wingers every game. He just has that knack of scoring tries, something very few others have had since Sam Smith.

Not too fussed about this weeks result, a lbp or even try bp and lbp would be great, but it's going to be all about the character that's shown on the day, was the Sarries game a flash in the pan? I hope not.

[propdavid_london]

Agree yappy - I would be happy with a LBP. Although any kind of bonus point is hard to come by at the moment for Quins.
Walker is an excellent player to bring off the bench - Visser has been showing some good touches recently too.

Marchant not playing against sarries may have been pivotal. I am not Hoppers biggest fan but he did well last weekend and showed the desire and intent that seemed to be missing from earlier games. He was also solid in defence where Marchant wasn't perhaps the best - perhaps a bit more time is still needed for Marchant to make that break through season.

[propdavid_london]

That season where we had Sam Smith and Seb Stegman on either wing was very entertaining - both had a real eye for the try line.

[ChequeredJersey]

Hopper is properly broken though, biceps injury

[ChequeredJersey]

Reckon Walker will play 13 vs Wasps

[propdavid_london]

Danny looked like he bruised or popped a rib. Joe M probably shouldn't play as he was out cold (not sure what the statutory time out is for concussion). Hopper did something with his arm (thought it was a stinger).

Pack will be the same with Lambert starting.
Dickson to start
They may well bring Marchant back into the 13 if Hopper is crock. Or as you say Walker to move to the midfield.

What is Alofa Alofas preferred position?
Anyone know whats happened to NEv for the last few games? Injured?
Is Loumanu back yet?

Or whats happened to Nantai Talei?

[sad_gimp]

Do you think Walker has a shot?
Marchant already appears to be in the good books.

I'm sure he's on EJ's radar....only takes a few injuries...and this season has been pretty brutal so far.

[sad_gimp]

Not too fussed about this weeks result, a lbp or even try bp and lbp would be great, but it's going to be all about the character that's shown on the day, was the Sarries game a flash in the pan? I hope not.

The two big differences vs Sarries for me were 1) Swiel playing much better than Nev, bar the odd wonky kick, he's maturing into a very good player. 2) We cut out the handling errors.

Loumanu was out for 3 weeks.

Don't really fancy Walker at 13, he's a pure wing for me.

[propdavid_london]

Wasn't there some talk last season that he was off North of the border to have a crack at Scots international honours?
I am glad he stayed and think that he offers a lot to the side.
Think I remember some pundits saying he is one of those players that can make mistakes, but still has the pace and turning speed to get back and correct them himself.
He certainly showed he has the physical side against Sarries and properly got stuck in.

[ChequeredJersey]

Not too fussed about this weeks result, a lbp or even try bp and lbp would be great, but it's going to be all about the character that's shown on the day, was the Sarries game a flash in the pan? I hope not.

The two big differences vs Sarries for me were 1) Swiel playing much better than Nev, bar the odd wonky kick, he's maturing into a very good player. 2) We cut out the handling errors.

Loumanu was out for 3 weeks.

Don't really fancy Walker at 13, he's a pure wing for me.

We don't have any other non injured 13s do we?

[propdavid_london]

So is Marchant injured?
Looked to be a bit of a stinger for Hopper - he could be right for this weekend (although had a lot of strapping on arm before he injured it).
Winston Stanley?
Whats the story on Lowe?
and isn't Alofa Alofa supposed to cover multiple positions?

[propdavid_london]

Article when he signed said Alofa Alofa was a wing and outside centre.....

[ChequeredJersey]

Rumours I heard on Hopper were serious biceps injury

[ChequeredJersey]

Lowe is out until "October" no idea when in October

[ChequeredJersey]

And I think Stanley and Marchant were both injured this weekend but they could be back

[yappysnap]

Off the top of my head Marchant, Lowe and Hopper are all injured. If be surprised to see any this weekend.


With the silence around Lowe I'm not expecting him any time soon, it'll be informative to see if he's in the European squad or not.

If Marler is out then who's on the bench if Lambert starts?

[ChequeredJersey]

Evans?

[ChequeredJersey]

The new South African?

[propdavid_london]

Harlequins Squad
15. Mike Brown
14. Marland Yarde
13. Alofa Alofa
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Tim Visser
10. Tim Swiel
9. Karl Dickson

1. Mark Lambert
2. Joe Gray
3. Will Collier
4. George Merrick
5. James Horwill (c)
6. Chris Robshaw
7. Luke Wallace
8. James Chisholm

Replacements
16. Dave Ward
17. Joe Marler
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Sam Twomey
20. George Naoupu
21. Charlie Mulchrone
22. James Lang
23. Winston Stanley

[propdavid_london]

No Charlie Walker at all! No wing cover! only 10 and centre.
Buchannan dropped out - perhaps standard rotation (shame as he looked a lot better in last game).

New caps off the bench for Naoupu and Mulchrone - but Sinkler and Marler coming off the bench is impact.

Where is NEv???? Is he in NZ trying to recruit Cruden for us?

[sad_gimp]

No Walker :S

Thought we were pretty lucky to hang onto him over the summer, not even making the bench is a bit of a slap in the face.

[ChequeredJersey]

If we win with that squad, I'll be ecstatic

[propdavid_london]

Well - that was a humping!

Standard Quins from last season it seems. Some great performances followed by disappointment.

[sad_gimp]

I don't think we were that bad, lost shape a bit in defence in the second half, just lost to a better.

Wasps would have soundly beaten anyone in Europe on that performance, so clinical in attack, I can only remember one attack they fluffed.

[yappysnap]

Biggest worry was Daly's try, when you run through 4 players without getting touched as they're all watching the other persons player, then the system isn't right, or they're not trusting it.

2 others were caused by terrible defence 1 on 1

[sad_gimp]

Daly's try was definitely a coaching problem....they've obviously been told to not overcommit men to the tackle, which is fine, as long as there's an understanding of who is going to make the tackle when the attacker is equidistant from the two defenders.

Anyway, I don't think the performance was that bad, it was miles ahead of the first few games. Ultimately we just played the top two teams in the competition, we beat one of them at home and lost the other away. We may be 11th in the table, but 6th place is the same win/loss ratio....the situation isn't as dire as the miserable sods at CAW like to fester in.

Saints at home is a game we really need to win to go for a top 6 finish.

[yappysnap]

Jesus CAW is bad at the moment, you get the sense they love it though. There are a lot of people out there who seem to live for bashing their team.

Agree Saints is a massive game, I worry their pack may be too physical for ours unfortunately. Especially if we're still struggling for backrowers and centres. This would be a very handy game to get any of Care, Nev, Lowe, Hopper or another no8 back for.

Good to hear that Sloan went well for the A team though.

[propdavid_london]

Loumanu played for the As on Monday

[yappysnap]

I specifically didn't mention him PL...

I might be being harsh but he just seems lazy tbh, hopefully he'll come good though.

[propdavid_london]

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/montpellier-to-lure-cruden-to-france/

Montpellier after Aaron Cruden.....shame as there were rumours that Quins were going to try for him.
But interestingly the article says Dimitri Catrakilis has been announced as joining Harlequins at end of season.

[ChequeredJersey]

Ffs, that's a deeply mediocre fly half

[propdavid_london]

I recognise the name but I don't know much about him to be honest.
It doesn't say that Cruden has signed with Montpellier - only that they are targeting him (and can probably offer more money than most). But the article sounds pretty definite about Dimitri! First I have heard of it though.

[yappysnap]

Yep we have signed him, a controlling 10 who's a very good kicker could be useful.

[propdavid_london]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/37617399
Team is up for the Challenge cup fixture - looks like as strong a side as we can field.
No idea from the selection if Stade are taking the fixture seriously or not! Camara, Plisson, Pape, Parisse, Slimani are all included.

[sad_gimp]

Good start, defensive speed excellent, Stade going backwards.

Swiel having a shaky start with kicks out of hand, hopefully just a blip

[sad_gimp]

This is more like it

Tries for Marler, Marchant and Visser. 19-0 after 20.

[stub]

Yep - looking very comfortable for Quins gimp.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Yarde!?!!

[stub]

Yarde!?!!

I know - Eddie spooked him!

[sad_gimp]

Yarde just about redeemed for that shocking kick.

Chisholm though, he's going to play himself into the England squad if he keeps this up, showing exactly the kind of intensity and aggression that EJ likes, two tries.

[ChequeredJersey]

Good play so far! The real Quins have turned up!

[sad_gimp]

It's a good performance yep, but this Stade side are awful. I'll be disappointed if we don't put 50 on em.

Looking forward to this next 40

[mid_gen]

That's better back to my old user name...

Well a different Stade have come out this half. Fair play to em.

[ChequeredJersey]

Fairly good win though!

[propdavid_london]

Good result for Quins. Get one past Edinburgh next week and they will be looking good in the group.
Great intensity in the first half - work rate from the tight 5 was exceptional.
Any news on Merrick as he was stretchered off - didn't see what happened to him though.

There was a lot of drop off in the 2nd half as replacements came on but Stade were quite poor - which shouldn't happen to a team with their resources. Their bench was rather inexperienced so I am not entirely sure how much emphasis they have placed in this competition!

[Geordie]

Whilst ive heard Stade were poor....James Chisholm had a good game by all accounts. Was he playing at 8?

Quins have a conveyor belt of back rowers....

[propdavid_london]

Yes - played no.8 till Wallace came off for Loumanu. Chis then shifted to 7.
But he was exceptional at no.8 - its no surprise that Quins better performaces have been when Chis was playing.
Clifford is a good player but was lacking the physical side that Chis has brought.

[Geordie]

Ah good to hear. And yes Eddie Jones will be pleased to see that. He likes his physical players.

[propdavid_london]

Possibly a bit soon for international recognition - But I wouldn't be too surprised if he was brought in to the training camps for experience (as EJ seems to have a habit of doing).

I must admit that I was particularly happy to see the front row stand up well to big and experienced French units. Collier did well as did Buchanan.

[Geordie]

Ah I wouldn't expect to see him in the England squad yet. Certainly not when Mark bloody Wilson cant get in

I also hear Sinkler has been in some very good form as well. Do you think its any coincidence that Rowntree is there??

When Buchanan come on the scene I thought he would challenge the international set up if he worked on his game...hes got the physicality we were looking for...but then seemed to just drop from the earth...

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