Last week I took a quote the travel section from The Daily Telegraph “How about Paris in the winter?” with “Nowhere is finer than the French capital at this time of year” how prophetic those words turned out to be. The Harlequins team, management, staff and supporters alike have been basking in the limelight for the past week, with plaudits coming in from all quarters, on last weekend performance. That had to end for the squad on Wednesday as they got back to the serious business of training for another big weekend match, knowing that last week’s efforts will all be in vain if they are unable to pull off a home win this weekend. The partisan Stoop crowd will be a huge asset for the team provided that the get behind the team, and their objective will to be hoarse by the end of the match.

So half way through the pool stages pool games Quins find themselves rightfully heading the Pool table with played three, won three. Quins and Stade Francais have the same points difference but by outscoring their opposition by two tries to one in their 10-15 win last week also improved their try count. Ulster beat Scarlets 26-16 at Ravenhill on Friday night.

The Pool 4 table looks like this after three matches. How good does that look?.

So much has been written about last week’s match that it is difficult to add further to it. Despite the euphoria that we have seen this week, expectation will be high this weekend and we hope the confidence will be just as high, and the team will know hat they have to at least match  their performance of last weekend if not improve on it, as Stade Francais will certainly be out to avenge their defeat. We saw in the first few minutes lint the match how dangerous they can be in attack, and despite their initial wobble in defence Quins overcame them to prevent two tries being scored. The Bah match the previous week was a big defensive effort that stood Quins well and prepared them to rebuff the constant French advances in the second half. Last week’s match was not pretty but had plenty of tension. The back-row of Skinner, Robshaw and Easter were tireless in their defence and shrewd in their play. Post match Skinner was asked whether this victory would be a landmark moment, his reply “we ve always believed that we were contenders, but this win will only mean something if we back it up next week”. It is easy to get carried away by the euphoria, but then I think we have deserved to, but to put in context, as Mick Cleary wrote in his match report  Harlequins have won a pool match. No more than that in terms of points gained, but so much more than that in terms of the signals that it sends out”.  Quins two tries were opportunistic, but they were just reward for the pressure and alertness and despite the second half Stade revival, with their relentless pressure Quins held and did not flinch. There was still a sense of playing only one good half, and there is still a lot to improve upon. Once again at the close it looked as if once more Quins were about to snatch defeat  from the jaws of victory. As I posted last week watching the match in vision only, at my local pub, there was irony in the closing minute as Elkie Brooks “Fool if you think it’s over” rang out through the speakers as Lewis reversed the penalty.... it was difficult to watch...  but the three Quins supporters were ecstatic when the final whistle blew and the other customers wondered what had happened.

Saturday will be another very tough match in conditions that will be cold wet and muddy, but he team have the experience and know what they have to do. The atmosphere will be electric, and we have to forget that Stade have won on their last two visits to the Stoop, Quins will be playing to improve their chances of qualifying for the Quarter Finals of the completion. Just as a though in he pre match music build up may be we need to add to the Kashmir, London Calling and The Mighty Quin, corny maybe but we will all be thinking pre match “Today could be the greatest day of our lives”

Take That Stade Francais!

Allez les Quins!

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