What an extraordinary day, not a particularly good technical game of rugby but a game that the short fat hairy one, could only have prayed for.
The start was dramatic, the end even more so!
Mark’s Vision of how to market the future of rugby was vindicated by a team who never say die and who fully justified his faith in the vision.
The team gave Mark a product that will be sold very successfully again and again.
Real entertainment.
This team has moved rugby from the preserve of the aged aficionados’ to the mass market.
What a difference a few years makes – compare the sight of a dejected Mark Evans and a tearful Will Greenwood, after Staunton’s last kick, with the jubilation following Evans (Nick not Mark Evans!!) last kick on a fearsomely cold Saturday night in front of 50,000 at HQ.
Could even Mark Evans have imagined the change in fortune for Quins in three short years?
Clearly, Mark has to thank Deano and the players.
Their performance on the field has transformed the classical underperformers into a team of dogged talent and brilliance, where the best is yet to come.
However, we have to thank Mark for his determination and commitment over the past three years
– If this sounds like brown nosing its not – its credit where credit is due.

This game had every thing.
Speed, movement, drama, suspense, and for this supporter a relatively happy ending!
A draw a happy ending? - Under the circumstances – yes.

We should have rapped it up, but too many penalties, yellow cards and a couple of uncharacteristic, horrible Ugo errors gifted Tigers 10 points that they would have been hard pressed to score in any other fashion.
-
At 9 – 23 to Leicester with 28 minutes to go in the second half, it looked as if Quins were being worked over, with only themselves to blame.

After a Kick Off that went back wards (was it the same kicker who performed at Stade and finished off this game?)
- The game was very much in doubt

But Harlequins had the confidence to continue to play their version of rugby with classic élan.
Élan, that created risk and ensured mistakes, and cock ups.
Élan, that gave points away.
Élan, which demanded the highest standards of confidence and belief.
But it was this same Élan, that enabled them to come back.
Without the risk they could never have made their come back.

Their style allowed Ugo to skin a despairing Varndell and score in the corner!
…. And when the tall Kiwi Evans kid, with the skinny legs, capped a virtuoso display with the last kick of the game, a touchline conversion that Andy Dunne would have been jealous of ….
….. the pre match fireworks paled into insignificance !

Quins earned a draw against a powerful Leicester side that had every quality to win the game.
Croft stood out as a player of real quality, but Flood was a flawed talent on the day. However, Murphy is quick.
- but it was not enough.
Leicester exploited Quins mistakes but they did not create their own opportunities.
Consequently, Leicester found the full Quins team on song irresistible, engaging, and hard to beat.
The sight of Mike Brown running out of our 22 with minutes to go, the scary power of JTH, the strength and unpredictability of Tom on the ball, De Wets try saving tackle. The relatively unseen work of Mike, Tani and Ceri, the speed and mobility of Robson, Jim Evans and James (the epitome of power and cussedness) Percival, and we know were that has come from – your old man must be very proud.
Complemented by that back row, Will, Nick, and Chris – the lexicon is running out on you lot!!!
Their style of play is earning plaudits from the pundits, and more importantly their peers.
On On Quins

Nearly a year ago I was fortunate to report on the first proper 1st 15 start, that Danny Care and Tom Williams made together against Worcester.
– I had bumped into them at the David Lloyd the week before, and a more dejected pair you couldn’t have imagined – they just were not getting any game time, were they fed up !!
Less than a year later Danny is an England player, a tour to NZ under his belt and the most exciting potential since, well, for a long time …
Tom is a huge talent and I see a latter day Josh Loosey in the ascendance
- They both performed brilliantly against Leicester.

I think it fair to say that we played the rugby, were punished for our mistakes but were finally rewarded for remaining true to our determined style of rugby.
Finally, a great vote of thanks to a bunch of Leicester fans who came to the rescue of your reporter and his Official Pencil Sharpener, Jamie the 10 year old.
Press accreditation was a bonus for volunteering to write this report.
However, we did not realise that 10 year olds are not allowed to mix with the likes of Stephan Jones and Paul Ackford in the Press Box – the only alternative was Row 1 behind the south posts – level with the players wotsits – not a good place to report on the game
- The Leicester supporters took pity on a dejected pair trying to get back to Chelsea to watch the Big Game on TV – we were given the great tickets of a pair of Tigers who were unable to make the game – for FREE
- Gentlemen my enduring thanks.
A word to the RFU – you have to do better for the wheel chair brigade in Row 1
- It’s bloody cold down there and you can’t see a damn thing – they deserve better.

My Man of the Match – Mark Evans

CARPE DIEM

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