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Top 3 Players and Why?


By Deadly
August 8 2014

Having met a few over the years, I thought I would pick my Top 3 and why.

Andre Vos

 

Probably my favourite ex Quin. I have his name and number on my shirt from that double header when one of the sponsors was offering to iron on to your shirt whichever name and number you wanted. As this involved removing your shirt because a red hot iron and human flesh are not natural companions I'm afraid I had to scare the natives for a few minutes too!

 

He suffered from a speech impediment which might explain why he was not a naturally outgoing character but, boy, did he do his talking on the field. Usually first to the breakdown and a genuinely hard man who was a complete gent off the field at all times. I'm pretty sure he was the Secret Santa at the Xmas game one time as well mainly because he would not betray his identity by talking.....

 

Not unlike our present skipper, Andre was a wonderful leader of men without being hugely vocal or showy. If there was a brick wall to be run through Andre would be first man there closely followed by his Team mates. He had great tactical nous too and usually got the calls right on the field. 

 

As I played my Rugby in his position I guess I had a keen eye for his movement and skills and he very rarely let us down.

 

 

Dean Richards

 

Although he never played for us I consider him to be one of the greatest influences on the development of Harlequins as a modern competitive and professional Rugby Club. I had a long chat with him at one of the pre season bbq's and he was open, intelligent and interested in what I had to say. We discussed the way the players in our championship year from the oppo tended to harass the referee a lot more than I was used to in the Premiership. He said this was a matter for his backroom boys but that he would certainly bring the subject up for discussion.

 

I asked him how he felt about the coming season and his very honest and straightforward answer was " I'm a little nervous to be perfectly honest!" I ventured to suggest that in any event he had a great team around him and the full support of the fans which he was quick to acknowledge.

 

With his restructuring of the playing side and his efforts at developing our Academy system we have a great deal to thank him for and I for one am proud to say I have met him, shaken his hand and would happily do so again.

 

 

Sir Jason Leonard

 

Nobody deserves the recognition more than this man. I have met and chatted to him several times. On one occasion he was running up the stands towards the Hospitality Box behind me when I offered my hand in greeting. He stopped in his tracks, smiled and shook my hand warmly, saying "hi, deadly, how's it going...?"

 

Ok that last bit isnt true but the rest of it is. He always attended things like the pre season bbq's and all my family have been photographed with him at one time or another. We also have that picture of Sir Jason and Shaggy with the Trophy on Manly Beach too.

 

I cannot add anything about his playing career which was just truly outstanding and has been very well documented. Both as a player and a man he is different class.

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Top 3 Players and Why?
Discussion started by ComeAllWithin.co.uk , 08/08/2014 10:43
ComeAllWithin.co.uk
08/08/2014 10:43
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T-Bone
08/08/2014 11:53
Very hard this one, especially as some choices would be influenced by how the player played for England and even their subsequent work.

For example, I don't think I'd have Greenwood in my top 3 purely on his Quins performances, especially as he went toff to Tigers then came back again, but he is one of my favourite rugby players based on Quins, England, punditry and SOHK.

It's similar with Leonard too.

Mine would probably have to be:

Darren O'Leary, just because he was one of the players I remember from first watching Quins both on TV and at the Stoop and most young fans probably like the guy who runs in the tries.

Tani Fuga, just because he was a legend and seems to outlive his competition for the place when that competition often came with a much more impressive reputation

Mike Brown just because he is consistently excellent for Quins

Honourable mentions to Leonard, Greenwood, Easter, Guest, Mo, Nev and Tiatia (for entertainment value)

SiBolton
08/08/2014 13:22
Difficult one this

Think Jason is a given, a true legend of the club

We all have our own reasons I would have to go for Mick the munch in mine, just loved his attitude

tani would also be in there


Could we make it a top ten, be a lot easier

Harleys Evil Step Mum
08/08/2014 13:41
For me it would be Sir Jase, NeV and possibly Will Greenwood/Mike Brown

TitusQuin
08/08/2014 15:36
Mine would be

Vos: think his attitude rubbed off on a lot of the younger players-some who are still
Playinh(CR etc) and that was an attitude of true professionalism and being a part of the club.

Easter: for a number of years was our only England representative and an ever present for over ten seasons that cannot be ignored at the current level of play and players in the country. Never seems to have a bad game and a warrior throughout

Evans: sheer star dust and his individual moments(ie kicking from tee or drop) have defined a number of important games for the club. Turned down offers from elsewhere and taken Quins into his heart.

Honourable mentions:brown,Robshaw,Fuga very close and Care for his interaction off field aswell as play on it

Nev's Left Boot
08/08/2014 17:50
Will Greenwood - just an amazing talent to watch.

David Wilson - half a season before injury cut his career short, but the impact he had was immense, added steel and determination and led from the front.

Nick Evans - a genuine star, who was not past his best before date when he arrived.

Hard to leave out: lacroix, Jim staples, robshaw...

marsho
08/08/2014 18:43
Nick Evans pure and simple the most talented quins player of the past 25 years IMHO

Peter winterbottom - fav quins player of all time

Mike brown - heart and soul of the club

Very honourable mentions to .. Robshaw Easter Harriman and vos

FatQuin
09/08/2014 10:33
Nev - class

Sir Jason - everything good about our spirit

Will - great player and pundit unlike some (you listening Moore?)

Babs
09/08/2014 10:36
3 is just too hard.
I'd struggle to keep it down to 30!

Obviously Sir Jase leads the way, but who to drop from Andre,SK, Jonesy, Rossy, Tani, Danger, Roy, Dunners, Gav, Burkey, Ben, Jim, Robbo, NEv, Mehrts,
Alex Rogers. Dan, Woody, Frodo, Sebby J, Gomers, Ugo, Percy, Mike Worsley, Minty, Danny, Ace, and so many more.

We have been truly blessed with many amazing players but even more by the multitude of great gentlemen who have made us love them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:08:09:10:38:53 by Babs.

DOK.
09/08/2014 11:12
Let's see:

Andrew Harriman: First name out the box and an easy one. Harriman was so gifted (and lazy) he'd often not turn up to training mid week, just turn up for the game on Saturday. It wasn't until I saw Jason Robinson in his pomp that I saw a player like Harriman again.

Chris Sheasby: Another easy one. The archtypical combination of bon vviveur and rugby player. 1970s Ford Mustang, a scandal in the sun and NOTW over women, a lazy, easy going charm (from what I saw on TV). On the pitch, someone who never gave up. Part of the 1993 sevens squad the won the inaugral Rugby World Cup Sevens under Harriman's captaincy. Fell out with Zinzan Brooke over the way Harlequins was being managed and left for London Irish - we'd have been better off sacking ZZB!

Third one? A bit tougher. Better look to someone more recent or you'll think this is your Grandad telling you how much better it was in his day...

Then it's got to be Nick Easter. A man from the Chris Sheasby mould, lives by the work hard play hard rule. Gives his all in every game he plays, great little offloads and passes. Looks fitter every season. Intelligent positioning and intelligent play. Love to see his name on the team sheet.

Hon Mentions: Will Carling, Thierry LaCroix, Andre Vos (of course), David Wilson, Dan Luger, Jason Leonard, Will Skinner and of course Nick Duncombe.

Quinten Poulsen
09/08/2014 12:53
I'd choose 3 from Vos, Robshaw, Easter and Brown.

The Kid
09/08/2014 15:02
I don't know the players as human beings as much and know them more for how they are on the field and not sat around a pub table.

I am younger than most on here and only saw the tail end of Vos' career here, he'd still be on my list because of the precedent he set. Without Vos setting the tone of humility and hard work in that year (many internationals would have walked away from a season in ND1 as it was then, not him) in the wilderness, there would be no Robshaw as we know him. Only want to put one of the two in, so Vos shades it but Robshaw will one day exceed him. Maybe he already has, but I'm sentimental and the first Quins teams I watched were led out by Vos.

Mike Brown is my second. I have yet to see a player play the fullback position better than him for the opposition than he does for us. By no means the finished article when first stepping out for us, he has worked and has become class. A complete footballer, he never misses a high ball, might be a little petulant but in my opinion that helps his game and that streak is well under control now in the prime of his career. I remember thinking when he was only 23-24 "he could be a very good player if he were a little less selfish and checked the petulant streak". He did, and the rest is recent history and everyone knows now what we all knew 3 or 4 years ago.

My third choice is a little leftfield: George Robson. One of those players I have "grown with" and grown up watching. Not the most talented player we have produced, but one that has worked hard to buy into our style and philosophy under both dean and conor and one who embodies the attitude this club was re-built around post relegation; commitment, loyalty, belief. He is Harlequins' no5, The Goatman, the Harlequins' Harlequin. In the very best way, he is very much part of the furniture, what this club is about. He deserves to stand among the modern greats.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:08:09:15:04:18 by The Kid.

Robertquin
09/08/2014 21:21
David Pears was a big favourite of mine. He could change the flow of a match and drop goals. He was a brave and determined tackler but seemed to be very unlucky. Capped 4 times it might (ought!) have been more were it not for injuries and competing against Rob Andrew and Stuart Barnes for the no 10 jersey in the early 1990s.

Thierry Lacroix was also a player I enjoyed watching as he was so unpredictable. I remember one match at Loftus Road where he commented on the lack of space alongside the pitch by climbing into the first row of seats and starting his goal kick from there. I was horrified when he departed; to Saracens - he was definitely one of us in spirit.

Last but not least, Peter Mensah. A phenomenally powerful centre who once tackled an opposition player after he'd crossed our line and dislodged the ball from his grasp.

TheTorpedo
10/08/2014 19:05
Peter Winterbottom

I am surprised he's only had one mention so far. One of the the first England players to ever reach 50 caps AND he won 7 Lions caps against New Zealand! Every 4 years when the press do those 'greatest ever Lions XV' Winters usually owns the 7 shirt, sometimes they give it so Slattery, but still. On top of all that he was a club man who captained Quins to 3 Pilkington Cup finals, winning two. That was a big deal in the amateur days. Even Will Carling says he worshiped Winterbottom. One of the hardest men to ever play for Quins, England and the Lions.

Nick Evans,
Graham Henry must have been on Nevs answer phone all night long in the run up the 2011 RWC. How many other players, especially ABs at that time, would have stayed loyal to their newly adopted club on the other side of the world. He forfeited the silver fern for the Quins, there can't be many greater commitments to a club than that.

Mickey Skinner.
We've produced fitter faster players in the modern era but in the amateur era he more then held his own without much training. I can't remember anyone else wearing a Qunis waistcoat as a BBC commentator. Played in the '91 world cup final for England, won a Grand Slam in 92, and his tackle in Paris on Marc Cecillon is an all time great, But also a true club man on the pitch and at the bar!

Closer & Closer
12/08/2014 09:12
What a hard list to compile.

Others that could be considered - Simon Keo for his tenacity, Andy Gommersal for his connection with The Stoop crowd and his help in Danny's progress, Karl Dixon for never seeming to mind his backup tag and always bringing something to the team when he came on, Nick Greenstock...always admired his effort....Ugo for his class and team allegiance when he could have gone abroad

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