Jeff chat

propdavid_london wrote:Quins certainly struggled against Bristol in the LDH last year! I expect that it will be a close affair in their first game of the 17/18 season.  
Pre-Season friendly where both LI and Quins played a pretty strong side went down to a last minute score.

propdavid_london wrote:I wasn't Ozzy, just read some reviews and saw a try real on social media.  Bit of a try fest it seemed - I also saw someone say that Irish were the better side and were quite miffed to be on the loosing side.  

I fully expect the LDH to be a very close game.  How close was that friendly side to what you think will be the starting 15?

Ozzy3213 wrote:Looking at tomorrow nights sides I'd have to go for Chiefs and Falcons wins.  

Harlequins' fly-half Marcus Smith is on the radar of England head coach Eddie Jones.
Harlequins' 18-year-old fly-half Marcus Smith is a player who "has it all", according to club captain Danny Care.

Smith is in line to start against London Irish in the season opener on Saturday having only left college in the summer.

He was drafted into an England training camp earlier this month and is being tipped for a full cap this season.

"The kid is special," Care said. "He's incredibly talented and he's going to be a very, very good player."

The England scrum-half added on 5 Live's Rugby Union Weekly podcast: "He just takes charge of a game effortlessly. So hopefully we can look after him a little bit."

Smith only left Brighton College in the summer but has impressed in pre-season, and Care says the teenager will mentally be able to cope with stepping up a level.

"The great thing about Marcus is it won't go to his head," added Care.

"He knows that he's got an awful lot of work to do, but he has a pretty amazing mentor in [former All Blacks and Quins fly-half] Nick Evans, who has just stepped into coaching.

"Everyone is excited about what he can do, but I think it's key people don't push him too hard.

"If I can help in any way, on or off the field, then I will try my best."

Former Quins winger Ugo Monye even expects Smith to be capped by England in the next year, and says it's not inconceivable that could happen as soon as the autumn internationals.

"He's a star player. He seems mentally to be the right kind of character, but skills-wise he has a great variety of passing, decent kicking, with good footwork and pace," Monye added.

"I think he will get capped in the next 12 months."

formerly known as Sam wrote:Worcester have some impact on the bench but there are some weak options in that squad. Ryan Bower at loosehead a prime example. Newcastle should be fine.

Chiefs are missing a few backrow players whilst Glaws have some good forward impact on the bench. That one could be closer than previously anticipated.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Worcester have some impact on the bench but there are some weak options in that squad. Ryan Bower at loosehead a prime example. Newcastle should be fine.

Chiefs are missing a few backrow players whilst Glaws have some good forward impact on the bench. That one could be closer than previously anticipated.

Its not the point Sam.
Unless they have niggles we don't know about...that side is a end of season scratch side when you look hard at the squad we have now.

Back row looks too similar and lightweight
Locks - Witty or Green with a more athletic lineout man. Preferably Witty who is the monster now.
Centres - untried and Matavesi looks seriously overweight - a bigger gut than most of the fans!
Back 3....?? Boring, lacking pace or creativity....