Worcester took the honours in a wafer thin win after Pat Sanderson stole a try at the end of the match when the two sides met in the EDF cup back in October. 

The Premiership table looks like this. 

After last weekend the Premiership Table has opened up further, with West country rivals Gloucester and Bath opening up a clear lead at the top. After their home defeat by Saracens, who have consolidated their third place, Harlequins who have now slipped from fifth to sixth and have to win on Saturday in order to maintain their top six position. Although seventh placed Bristol are six points adrift, the results over two games can wipe out that deficit and with Harlequins expecting a mauling from the visiting Tigers first game in January a minimum of four points is required this weekend, and s with Sale away at Leeds they too are likely to consolidate their position in the League.

On paper this appears to be an easy match to predict with yet another home defeat for Worcester, but dig a bit deeper and it is clear that both sides have targeted this match as a must win. Worcester are without a League win so far this year, and Quins seem to have forgotten how to win after such a good start to the season. Worcester went downn23 -16 to London Irish last Sunday but picked up a valuable bonus point in the process. In his match report in the Daily Telegraph Brendan Gallagher noted that “These are tough times, but Mike Ruddock has the squad to survive and indeed do a little better than that. But hey badly need a breakthrough win”, and the way Harlequins are playing at the moment it is easy to see that this breakthrough win may well come this week. I see this match like the fixture last years, as a potential banana skin waiting for the combined quartered feet to slip up, especially with Worcester’s ex Quins players determined to upset their old club and win at home in front of a sell out crowd. 

Since their sneak win at the Stoop in the EDF cup Worcester have bulked their squad up with the arrival of three players from the antipodes, which includes Rico Gear and All Blacks centre Tuitupou and with the recent news that they are to be joined by Latham next year, suggests that the ill fitting Worcester salary cap contains more twists, turns bends and joints than the plumbing that connects to one of Cecil Duckworth boilers. 

Once again there has been a lot of talk about the Quins performance and the now weekly ritual of lets blame the referee. By the way we have Wayne Barnes this weekend. Whilst there is photographic evidence to prove that Monye did reach the ball ahead of de Kock, the try stands, but the issue we should be debating is how and why did Quins get into that situation in the first place when they were attacking The start of the season may have been a false dawn of the New Age Harlequins. We are not the finished article and no one would argue that there are issues to resolve, not least the way they can dominate a game yet seem unable to convert that domination into points BUT the signs are there. We all passionately support our club and want them to do well. A top four finish may well be unrealistic but we need to start to consolidate our position as a top six is achievable providing we get back to winning ways and these need to start at Sixways with a rampant Andy Gomarsall marshalling the side to victory and wiping that smug grin of Pat Sanderson’s face.  Quins can win but it will be close as we will gift Worcester a bonus point to lift them clear of the bottom as 2007 becomes 2008. 

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year. Come on Quins let’s start the New Year off as we mean to carry on We have to win on Saturday.

Come on You Quins!

The other Premiership matches this weekend are;

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• December 2007 at Harlequins

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