The Guinness Premiership currently looks like this. Quins have had what can be described as sparkling start to the season. Quins are currently in fourth place just three points below the leaders Bath, but they have only won three of the five matches played. Quin’s league position ishelped by the fact that they have collected four bonus points from five matches. It is clear that there is very little between the top six teams at this time. A home win against Wasps is crucial as this is the first of three significant fixtures for Quins that could well determine the rest of their season. Quins are away to second placed Leicester next weekend before playing Bath at the Stoop at the end of the month. Coincidentally they meet head to head Saturday lunchtime (13.00) at the Rec.

Quins' Achilles heel this season has been the inability to string two good halves together, as demonstrated by the way they allowed London Irish to fight back and win the game after Quins had all but sewn up the match in the first half. The loss at Gloucester, although not totally unexpected, was disheartening due to the fact that Quins could also have won that match. This trait of playing well for just forty minutes has also been evident in the recent cup games, and in that amazing turn-around against Llanelli Quins showed their mettle. After his return in the second half against Worcester last weekend, Nick Evans makes a much welcomed return to play his first home fixture since sustaining an injury on the opening day of the season against Saracens. It is speculation to but it is hard not to wonder how much better Quins would have fared in these games had he not been out of action for eight weeks.

Cynics have said for years that Quins always do well during the Autumn Internationals, as their team is never depleted. This year the same charge cannot be made as Quins currently have Care, Easter and Monye on England duty, (congratulations on retaining your places against Australia)and Strettle who is out injured, but with the return of Evans and not forgetting the second best scrum half in the country in Andy Gommarsall, the team selection will be strong. Despite losing both first choice wingers there is still a good choice in reserve with Stegmann, Amesbury and Williams, Quins look set fair during the next few weeks provided they steer clear of injury.  A week without a match gives the opportunity for more chance of recovery for those who have sustained injury,and Quins may have a problem at No 8, as Phil Davies has an injured his knee at Worcester and Tom Guest, is recovering from a rib injury, there may be a need to draft in academy player Chris York who is also just returning from injury, hopefully Tom will recover in time.

So far this season Wasps have not got out of first gear, and despite all the platitudes that Wasps always start slowly, they appear to be even further behind this season, as they lie in tenth place in the premiership table.  Their plight has not been helped by some inconsistent team selections in the first few weeks of the season. Wasps were woeful in their opening Double header match against London Irish and have limped on to produce just one win, against Northampton in five outings. The team appear to be really missing the motivation of Dallaglio on the pitch. Despite their continued poor performance, their squad has been decimated to provide players for the Autumn Internationals, and in particular for England. Despite Johnson not requiring the services of Lewsey and Payne, Wasps are likely to be without Cipriani, Flutey, Rees, Sackey, Vickery, Palmer and Haskell.  Who have been called up for the England squad, and does not take in to account any of the other nations. Shaun Edwards is also “absent” in as much that he is likely to be more focussed onhis Welsh duties this month, especially after the failure of Wales to capitalise on their chances against South Africa last weekend. It is possible if any of these players are on the England subs bench on Saturday and not brought on then they are likely to get pulled into the team for Sunday's match. That said, Wasps can be and are likely to be dangerous, they desperately need to kick start their season. They do have strength in the depth of their squad, with the likes of Worsley, Voyce, Walder, Skivington not forgetting Betsen and of course Staunton, who are all likely figure in their team selection this weekend. The individuals are in place it is just how they gel as a team on the day. Quins will know just who and what they are up as the coaches will have done their homework which will have provided some useful details after two recent second XV matches against them. Confidence of a home win has to be high and with a capacity crowd at a sold out Stoop, and Quins should produce the win that we are all looking for. A bonus point win would be a real bonus and confidence boost, ahead of the Leicester and Bath matches

My job has taken me away from home for a strategy review, aptly code named “California Dreamin’ “at head office, so this week’s match preview has been written “Sitting on The Dock of the Bay” in a sunny San Francisco. I have resisted theurge to wear some flowers in my hair, although I have been given a Ford Mustang as my hire car, but I can assure you that the tops of those hills are not to be taken at speed! This will be third home match that I will have missed this season and my plight is not helped by the unavailability of match DVD’s thisseason (wags finger), I feel that I m becoming a part time supporter, however I'm grateful, to BatQuin who has promised to keep me updated via text messagesfrom the LV= Stand, as I eat my “Breakfast in America”... no kippers though. Quins should be able turn Wasps over easy, providing they do not make a hash of their performance, and providing that they play two full halves it is looking good for a Quins win.  I certainly hope that the match meets all its expectations and as they tend to say around here, have a nice day!

Come on You Quins!

The otherPremiership matches this weekend are;

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