Nope, the shivers are with anticipation of Quins facing Gloucester at the Stoop. I think even a neutral fan would agree that it’s easily one of the most mouth-watering fixtures of the season.

Two teams with a reputation – on their day – for high-tempo running rugby and lots of tries. Two teams that ally an international class back line with a possibly under-rated pack. Two teams who this season have frequently come back from big deficits, but are still learning to close out the critical games. Two teams featuring high class All Black fly halves. Two teams coached by men called Dean.

Gloucester have been the Guinness Premiership’s nearly men over the last couple of seasons. Despite the talent on display, they have never quite managed to turn it into silverware, and the Shedheads are losing patience: according to a poll on Shedloads (their CAW), 54.35% of them want Dean Ryan to leave if Gloucester finish the season with no trophies.

At the moment, he is on track to keep his job. Despite disappointment in the Heineken Cup, Gloucester have an EDF Semi to look forward to, at home against Ospreys. In the Guinness Premiership, they are sitting 4 points clear at the top of the table, having traded the position with London Irish over the last few weeks. And their fans claim that they haven’t really clicked yet this season.

The recent addition of Carlos Spencer to their backline seems to have worked (despite what seemed to me a surprising amount of resistance to the idea on Shedloads). King Carlos, ably assisted by Prince Olly and the Duke of Simpson-Daniel, steered them to a comeback from nine points down against Sale last weekend.

Yet it remains to be seen whether these perennial pretenders to the throne can claim it this year.

If Gloucester are the Old Pretenders, surely Quins are the Young Pretenders. With one of the youngest squads in the GP, Quins are still building for the future. In the last couple of seasons, long runs of good results have been followed by fallow periods, and if Glaws missed out on the title last season, how much more painful was it to miss out on a playoff place that was within Quins’ grasp with only minutes of the season left to go?

This season, perhaps, is the one where Quins, and their fans, will learn whether the team has got what it takes. Key additions to the squad in some critical positions – Gary Botha, Gonzalo Tiesi, Junior Polu and “the Nev” – have been allied to a rapidly maturing core squad and the 2009 Quins have shown a new side to their game. They are still capable of losing their grip on the game for worryingly long periods, and don’t always read the referee as well as they might, but we have also seen new levels of grit and determination, and the ability to grind out a win. Perhaps most encouragingly, Quins now have the maturity not to panic when they go behind, but to play themselves back into the match on their own terms.

What remains to be proven is whether they can consistently pull out a result in the crunch matches. And make no mistake, this is one. There are ten points between the teams in the table. It’s the difference between first and fifth. Even with a game in hand, Quins need these points to have a good chance of making the playoffs at the end of the season.

It’s all very well needing the points. Can they get them? Nothing is a certainty in the Guinness Premiership, but I think the odds are slightly stacked in Quins’ favour.

The last three matches between the teams have all been within 7 points, and Quins have been in a position to win at Kingsholm twice, only to let it slip away. But Quins beat Gloucester at home last year, and haven’t lost at the Stoop since October. Meanwhile Gloucester, formidable at Kingsholm, have had mixed results on the road. They’ve beaten Sarries and Bristol, but lost to Newcastle and been hammered by London Irish.

The backlines are evenly matched. Based on last week’s teams, a probable line-up is:

Pretty much every position presents an interesting head to head, with some real contrasts of styles. Will Balshaw’s pace and creativity trump Brown’s consistency? Can JSD outsmart Ugo? Will Barkley’s kicking game add more than Turner-Hall’s crushing impact on defensive lines? Will Nev’s precision kicking and overall game management nullify the unpredictability of Carlos Spencer?

And all of that is before you throw in subs of the quality of Anthony Allen, Ryan Lamb and David Strettle. I’m certainly looking forward to watching it but I’m not sure I could call it, other than to say there could – there should – be fireworks.

However, Quins may have the edge in the pack. My feeling is that the Glaws tight five is not what it was in previous seasons, whereas Quins are increasingly competitive. The real disparity, though, comes in the back row. It’s long been a Gloucester strength, but the Cherry and Whites have suffered this season with injuries to some key players, not to mention the loss of James Forrester. Peter Buxton and Akapusi Qera are out for the long term, and Gareth Delve is only just coming back. With Strokosch called up by Scotland, the cupboard is looking a little bare.

Quins, on the other hand, benefit from England’s selection policy and from Tom Guest doing all he can to make the No 8 shirt his own. Robshaw, Skinner and Guest, coupled with the breakdown play of our tight five, ought to give the home team faster ball and a decent chance of turnovers.

So history and form suggest that Quins come into the match as slight favourites. But I’ll not make myself a hostage to fortune by going further than that. Let’s just say it will be a nailbiter, it could be a classic, and it is likely to see the loser claiming one, maybe two, bonus points.

It’s enough to raise goosebumps.

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• February 2009 at Quins