By Bedfordshire Boy
November 17 2015
This will have been a first for most of us, a competitive match at The Stoop on a Thursday night just as we were being conditioned to accept regular games on a Friday. Not really sure what to expect from this game but with Jake White in charge of Montpellier we can expect them to very competitive up front but of course French teams are notorious for not being good travellers.
A great run by Marland Yarde from the kick off eventually leads to nothing as he attempts to pass the ball when there was loads of room behind the defence and the situation was crying out for a chip and chase. The first scrum results in a free kick to Quins as Montpellier are penalised for pushing early and although Quins are looking lively it is not leading to much. Another scrum after 4 minutes leads to a penalty to Montpellier as they shove Quins off of the ball with apparent ease but the kick is pulled wide by number 9 Benoit Paillaugue, a good sighter if nothing else. Interesting that there appears to be so many scrum halves in the French game who are front line kickers. The rain is now teaming down adding to the very strong wind that Quins are facing in the first half. A break by Tim Visser on 6 minutes reults in a turnover ball and a second penalty to Montpellier who kick to touch and although Quins win the resulting line out it is adjudged illegal by referee Ian Davies. Paillaugue takes the points on offer this time for the French side to led by 3 points after 9 minutes.
There are some seriously big guys in the French side and Quins are having to defend well to stay in the game and its not too long before Quins are again in trouble at the scrum leading to another penalty converted by Paillaugue, 0 -6 after 13 minutes. Quins win a lineout from the kick off and Montpellier prop Nariashvilli is penalised from entering the resulting maul from the side. Quins elect to kick to the corner, not surprising with the strong headwind, but lose the lineout which doesn`t do anything to help the very subdued crowd. Three minutes later and another Quins attack breaks down and from the scrum Quins are once again completely destroyed, penalty to montpellier, kick to touch, 20 metre rolling maul, Quins entering from the side and another 3 points to Montpellier. 0 - 9 after 20 minutes. The way Quins are getting bullied at the moment has all the makings of a long painful night.
Montpellier are awarded a scrum from the kick off from a Quins knock on but a penalty is awarded to Quins for boring in. Evans goes for goal this time and adds the points, 3 - 9 after 22 minutes. Quins mullered again in the next scrum almost in front of the posts, penalty Montpellier and Paillaugue restores the nine point advantage, 3 - 12 after 25 minutes.
Mike Brown injects some pace into the Quins attack and following a short period of sustained pressure Quins are awarded a penalty as Montpellier number 7 Liebenberg is replaced by Malzieu for a blood injury. Evans kicks to touch inside the Montpellier twenty two and following a catch and drive Quins drive to the line and following TMO intervention a try is awarded to Luke Wallace. The conversion attempt by Evans drifts left of the uprights, 8 - 12 after 29 minutes. It is almost as if Quins have finally worked out the type of game they should be playing while Montpellier are playing a fairly effective territory game!
From a Quins line out Montpellier are penalised and Evans puts the kick to the corner for another line out which Quins lose yet again and Montpellier clear the ball to the halfway line. A clever kick through by Danny Care put Montpellier under pressure again but they clear the ball to touch which allows a heavily bandaged Liebenberg to return to the fray. Quins are awarded another penalty which Evans kicks to touch well inside the Montpellier twenty two which in turn leads to an almost carbon copy of the first Quins try, this time Nick Easter claiming the points following another long period of study by the TMO. Evans adds the points this time, 15 - 12 after 38 minutes. Montpellier number ten Trin-Duc attempts a drop goal from the restart which is well short and wide and the attack peters out to end the first half. Montpellier must have wondered how they managed to go in at half time behind on the scoreboard.
Quins kick off the second half with Chris Robshaw having replaced Luke Wallace and Montpellier make a good break as far as the halfway line. Van Der Linde replaces Liebenberg (which strangely is reversed a few minutes later) as Quins are awarded the first scrum of the half and this time it is the Quins pack that drives back Montpellier - it must be the tail wind, the only logical explanation. More pressure from Quins leads to a lineout deep inside the Montpellier 22, another terrific catch and drive by the home side and this time it is Jack Clifford who gets the ball to ground, no TMO required this time. Conversion points added by Nev, 22 - 12 after 46 minutes. This is a completely different game to the first half.
Within minutes, Montpellier are back on the score sheet to bring the score to 22 - 15 after 49 minutes, KieranTreadwell replaced Sam Twomey followed a few minutes later by Sinkler coming on for Adam Jones. The bonus point winning try came after 55 minutes when Danny Care went over, Nev missed the conversion to put 12 points ahead at 27 - 15 which was the signal for Mark Lambert to come on to replace Joe Marler. Montpellier added to their score on 60 minutes from the boot of Paillaugue followed a couple of minutes later by Ollie Lyndsay-Hague replacing Tim Visser on the wing. Following a bit of ping pong Marland Yarde found himself with the ball between the Quins 22 and the halfway line, he chipped the ball over the first line of defence, gathered the ball, slipped the ball to DC who eventually got a pass to Mike Brown who put OLH over under the posts for the try of the match - that alone was worth the entrance money. Nev easily added the extra points to bring the score to 34 - 18. Karl Dickson replaced DC on 65 minutes followed 4 minutes later by a double substitution for Montpellier, Mas and Liebenberg off, Cilliers and Galletiers on. Harry Sloane took a knock at the same time and was replaced by Ben Botica for a blood replacement. When Sloane returned to the pitch 5 minutes later, Nick Evans left the field and Botica moved to number 10.
Quins final substitution saw Rob Buchanan come on for Dave Ward with six minutes to go and just when we thought it was all over Robshaw went over for Quins sixth try which was converted by Ben Botica, 41 - 18 with 3 minutes left on the clock. This try was set up following a Quins scrum 5 metres from the Montpellier line after their fullback fumbled the ball forward after Mike Brown sent a clearance kick down field from inside the Quins 22. Quins were rampant now and there was still time for another superb "try" - despite the time; Montpellier were still looking for a try but they lose the ball 10 metres out from the Quins line, Botica passes to Yarde who sets off down the wing, chips ahead and there is a race to the Montpellier line for a score which is disallowed. If it was possible to see the TV screen from the east stand I would probably have a clue to why the score was disallowed.
All in all a satisfying result for our first outing in this seasons European competition with a final score that nobody would have imagined after the first twenty minutes of play. Considering the time and day of the match, a crowd in excess of 7100 was a very good turnout, more than some premiership sides manage for a Saturday game. Some good performances, Yarde continues to impress and must be considered as a contender for an England place and once again DC demonstrated the skills that England failed to make use of in the RWC. Not sure what was going on in the set piece but it was certainly under pressure from the visitors and in general, the lineout was at times diabolical, clearly something to work on.
Still feeling optimistic for the season.
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