Upon arrival at Twickenham the usual meeting with friends and a beer or two at the Cabbage Patch was in order. Twickenham was eerily quiet, almost too quiet. The only hint that there’s a match on today being other supporters sat outside in the numerous tables of our preferred pre-match Twickers haunt… After catching up with people’s summer affairs, it was down to business and down to the Stoop!

As with many, I picked up tickets on the doors, and was plonked right over the try line to the left in the Lexus Stand, the only stand open that day. The countdown clock was not in operation, which is understandable really. Finally, the game kicked off!

38 mins: After a bit of to’ing and fro’ing with Quins, they were awarded a penalty. I didn’t recognise their 10 and from this kick, I can understand why, miles wide…!

36 mins: The missed penalty counted for nothing as they came right back at us from the off. After a ruck formed outside the 22 (I think, they were on the other side of the pitch to me!) the ball comes out to their 11 (Monye?) who hands-off Armittage like he’s just not there. The try is scored out wide and the resulting kick was missed. 5-0

31 mins: Faith is restored! Irish battle their way into Quins territory and at the base of a ruck the ball goes through the hands. Our new number 8 Heffalump (can’t pronounce nor spell his real name!) runs through a few players out wide drawing in so many defenders that his offload onto Hickey gives him the easiest try he’ll ever score! Hewat also misses the conversion 5-5

23 mins: Irish punt the ball down field quick recycling of the ball and a beautiful off-load gives Quins another simple try. Another conversion missed 10-5

14 mins: Possession goes with both sides, Irish eventually work their way into the Quins 22, Heffalump again impressing by running through players, with a beautiful offload to Maps, only to be denied by the tackler ripping the ball forcing a knock-on. Good panic defence, an opportunity missed.

11 mins: Irish having a good period of play, kicking forward is opening up the field and making space for Irish playing to our strengths

10 mins: Irish force a penalty in the ruck, but as they’re playing somewhere outside East Sussex, I can’t see why. Hewatt kicks this one, 10-8

2 mins: Another good attacking phase from Irish leads to another penalty that Hewatt again slots, 10-11, we have the lead for the first time!

0 mins: All the players are at the opposite side of the pitch and I can’t see squat, except Quins get a penalty and this one is slotted. 13-11 at half time.

2nd Half:

37 mins: Try! Oh dear, oh dear. Ball in our 22, no one takes responsibility and the ball keeps coming back and back until eventually there’s only one player left, Hewatt has no choice but to kick, but by then is surrounded by Quins players. The charge down try has a sense of inevitability about it. This is converted 20-11

34 mins: A penalty is awarded somewhere just outside Cairo, we slot the penalty 20-14

32 mins: Topsy is brought on and has an almost immediate impact. Quins have a 3-on-1 and somehow Topsy manages to intercept and runs downfield. Delon, playing at 13 is in a prime position to charge down with him and offer assistance, after swapping the ball a few times, they manage run down to Botswana before eventually being brought down. However a penalty is awarded to us for playing on the floor, but this is missed.

30 mins: After we regain possession at the kick-off, we work up the pitch. Off the back of a scrum the ball is fed to Hewatt who looks to be passing out wide but then switches inside to Gower who runs over unopposed, nice try straight from the training ground. Hewatt converts 20-21, COME ON IRISH!!

21 mins: Try for Quins. Well, apparently not really, there did look to be a forward pass, the ref comes over to the TJ, shrugs his shoulders and amusingly makes the signal for the Video Ref, but as that’s not available a Scrum is awarded and after a few phases with some good defence Quins inevitably score anyway by punching a hole through route 1. This is converted to leave Quins leading 27-21.

I take this opportunity for a loo break :-p

~10 mins: Delon is taken off, a few minutes earlier he was tackled poorly, no malice was in the tackle but he didn’t appear to land well. After a while he gets up, but is taken off anyway. Here’s hoping that’s not serious

8 mins: It’s all Irish, and as play is in Antarctica, I have no idea what’s going on, we’re awarded a penalty from what looks like 45 meters out and Hewatt gets it! 27-24!

6 mins: Another Irish penalty! I’ve never seen a game finish with a draw (excluding the ECC final against Gloucester we were in, but the game went into extra time), and I reckon a draw is a fair result. However Hewatt misses this one, badly as well!

-2 mins: In what must be the final kick of the game Hewatt has another chance, unfortunately he scuffs the kick and it sails leaving Quins with the win.

It’s a pre-season game, so not too much can be read into either performance. Irish seemed good with ball in hand, Corbisero did well at Prop I thought, I would be surprised not to see him in a game or two, especially in the ECC or EDF competitions. Heffalump looked very good, certainly brings Leguizamon’s style of go-forward rugby with Murphy’s safe hands. Elvis looks like a good combination with Maps and I only noticed 1 ELV rule…!

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