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Fans Premiership Roadmap 2015-16


By Bedfordshire Boy
August 10 2015

Always good to open the season at home although the down side is a Friday night match but not unexpected with that other rugby event in full swing across the road. This is a real opportunity to get the season off to a winning start against our old rivals Wasps who have been a real thorn in the side in recent games. This will be an early indicator of how well Quins have prepared for the new season without up to half a dozen regular first teamers.

Second game up, an away trip to Welford Road, always enjoy my visits here where we have had some real success in recent years. With some real shocking early season form from the Tigers in the recent past, this is probably a good time to be playing them. Great stadium - have watched matches from all of the stands over the years as well as mixing it on the terraces.  Always sure of a good reception from the Tigers fans apart the occasional one-eyed variety, although I guess we have enough of those of our own! This journey is a bit further than the one to The Stoop for me but not too bad given the uncertainties of the M25. I normally park on Welford Road these days with a 10 to 15 minute walk to the ground which really helps getting away at the end of the game. It appears that BT Sport are covering this game so we have a 2pm kick off on the Sunday, could be a lot worse although it is on the same day as the second RWC semi final.

With any luck, Bath will have a depleted team for our third match of the season and that Quins go into the game with a better balanced team than we fielded last season;, sitting in the rain on a cold Friday night on the end of a good thumping was not one of my fondest memories of the 2014-15 season! I look forward to the day when The Rec affords a bit of protection from the elements but the openness of the stadium is offset somewhat by the location. Always nice to meander through the streets of Bath although this year we are far too early for the Christmas market. As it is always a nightmare to drive or park in Bath we have for many years used the Park & Ride to the north of the city at Lansdown; very easy to get to from the M4 and just a 10 minute bus ride into Bath centre. Kicking off for this one is at 2pm with the RWC Final starting at 4pm!!

Back to The Stoop for the fourth match of the campaign with the visit of Sale Sharks - cannot imagine that any members of the (victorious) England RWC team will be back for this game. Another Friday night game being shown on BT Sports so will be surprised if we see many Sharks fans making the trip.

I haven`t been to any of the home grounds of the opposition in the European games so looking forward to three new trips.

No easy games in the premiership these days, and as if to prove the point, round 5 sees us on the long trip down to Exeter where we have had mixed fortunes over the years. It will be to visit a revamped Sandy Park this year following the stadium makeover for the couple RWC games being played there. Although it is a long trip it is always well worth the effort, win or lose, as you are always in for a warm welcome. It is great to hear the crowd in full voice with the Tomahawk Chop. Each time we have ventured out west we have headed for The Blue Ball Inn situated just across the M5 from the ground where you can park for a fiver. Pub has a good selection of food and drink and is just a 10 minute walk to the stadium. A Saturday 3pm kick off for this game certainly makes the planning easier.

Prior to the second pair of European matches Quins entertain London Irish at The Stoop, normally considered a win for the home team but with a new coach and the addition of Andy Goode, who knows? Another Saturday 3pm kick off, not sure that I can cope with this.

This takes us to the latest Big Game, once again held on my birthday.  This year our visitors are Gloucester, always an open high scoring game with our west country friends, ideal for the wide open spaces of HQ.

More west country opponents for our round 8 with a visit to newly promoted Worcester as the new year game. I seem to recall that my very first visit here many years ago was at this time of the year with an evening kick off and we stayed over for the night; later visits have always been a day trip. Not the easiest of journeys but the ground is easy enough to find once you get there being adjacent to Junction 6 of the M5. Normally easy enough to find parking in the surrounding industrial areas which might set you back a fiver. Have enjoyed every trip here in the past bar one, the season following "B" when both the team and the fans received a pretty hostile reception.  Will be interesting to see how Worcester fare now that the team has a successful season behind them and Dean Ryan has his "own team".

Quins host Saracens for the Round 9 game, surely we are due a home win against them?

We have the final pair of matches in the European competition in the middle of January before we head north for the very long trek to Newcastle who did a job on an out of sorts Quins team in the corresponding fixture last time out. Easy enough journey for me being straight up the A1 with a pre-match meal to look forward to in The Twin Farms pub which is very conveniently situated a few hundred metres from Kingston Park. Despite the long journey this is well worth the visit unless the game is played on a Friday evening, in which case I probably won`t bother. One thing is for sure, if you do make the trip, you will get a very warm welcome

Into February and we have a home match against Northampton Saints to whet the appetite. Had some close games recently with Saints getting the better of us both home and away for the last two seasons so let us hope for a home win here - the availability of International players likely to be crucial for both sides. 

Always enjoy my trips to Gloucester even though winning is a rarity despite the "upset" of last season. These games tend to go to the home team so a couple of points from a high scoring close result would be a good outcome from a long journey. Normally manage to park without a problem but usually about 10 -15 minutes walk from Kingsholm Stadium. The natives are generally pretty friendly although I have not yet plucked up courage to join The Shed for a match.

The following weekend Quins host the Leicester Tigers, this match normally attracts the TV cameras so will be very surprised if this is a 3pm Saturday kick off. Apart from last season when Quins had (on paper at least) a comfortable win these games are usually decided by a handful of points, most latterly in Quins favour, so long may it continue.

The following week brings us Round 14 and a trip to The Ricoh Stadium to play Wasps. Our first game at this new venue last season was another very uncomfortable day out although I must admit I liked the stadium. It makes all the difference when playing in a large capacity stadium to have a decent size crowd, how very different to matches at Reading and what a change from their days at High Wycombe. Must say that Wasps have done a great job in attracting local support and I can see them going from strength to strength over the next few seasons. I certainly had my doubts when they first announced the move last season but credit where credit is due. Plenty of parking around the area although my choice had us walking down a very busy dual carriageway to the stadium, not ideal but I believe when parking at the stadium there are issues getting away after the match.

Another away match the following week takes us on the long journey to Salford where we are hosted by Sale Sharks. It was good to have an afternoon kick off for this game last season with Quins cruising to a four try dominant first half followed by some serious nail biting throughout the second. The second half of the journey along the M6 is always somewhat fraught as the traffic is always pretty dense and you always have the uneasy feeling of not getting there in time for the kick off. Have never had any issues with parking by using the airport just over the road from the stadium; yet another 10 - 15 minute walk from car to the game.

Two home matches for mid March bring us matches against Bath and Worcester for rounds 16 and 17 and  these matches should again test the strength of the Quins squad as we get towards the business end of the season.

The final match in March finds us at Franklins Gardens to take on Northampton Saints. Usually an easy journey for me depending upon the vagaries of the M1 as well as the kick off time, but never any problems with parking in the huge car park adjacent to the ground. I normally sit in the stand in the southwest corner where there is a block of seats allocated for the away fans but buy discounted tickets through the Saints ticket office, not an option that all clubs offer unfortunately.  I would like to think that we will be vying for a top four finish along with Saints so this match could be crucial.  Not our happiest hunting ground but we have been known to upset the locals on occasions who are a good bunch, win or lose. 

Next up is Falcons at home. Should be an interesting game, has Deano managed to keep up the momentum with his team still moving forward and what about Quins, are we where we want to be or has the renaissance not materialised?

The next premiership game away to Saracens is sandwiched between the European quarter and semi final rounds, let us hope we have more than a passing interest in these games. Wembley is not my favourite venue for rugby and I always vow never to go but always seem to end up at the match. Unfortunately I can see all future away games against Saracens being at Wembley as we are probably the once side guaranteed to boost the crowd and give Saracens their big pay day. Travel to and from the stadium is very easy if you are travelling from the west; car to Denham and then 20 minutes by rail directly to the stadium with none of the hassle faced by those travelling back to central London after the game. Seating at the stadium is great with a good view of the match action - it is just the completely flat atmosphere that spoils the day. Enough of the grumbling.

The end of April sees us on the relatively short trip to Reading and the Madejski Stadium to take on London Irish, this could be a tricky fixture. This is another game played at a football stadium capable of holding about 28000 spectators and with attendances rarely reaching 10000, there  is absolutely no atmosphere. Despite this, I always seem to get drawn in to attending. Fairly straightforward journey with the stadium being right on junction 11 of the M4 and you can park easily enough nearby at the cost of a fiver.

So, we come to the last game of the normal season with what is likely to be a very difficult game against Exeter Chiefs. This should be a very interesting match especially if we are both desperate for points to get into the top four playoff matches with the ultimate prize being an end of season jamboree at our second home.

I normally get to all of the home matches of the premiership in a season as well as about two thirds of the away games (the missed games usually governed by kick off time and/or day of the week), so no doubt will be adding to mileage on the car yet again, I cannot offer any advice on the quality of beer at any venues as I drive to all matches and the two do not mix too well.

So that will be it, another season will have come and gone but hopefully with a lot more success than last year and perhaps a bit of silverware to take with us into our 150 year celebration season. An absolute minimum requirement for the season is a place at the top table European competition - I can`t wait. Come On You Quins!

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Fans Premiership Roadmap 2015-16
Discussion started by ComeAllWithin.co.uk , 10/08/2015 21:39
ComeAllWithin.co.uk
10/08/2015 21:39
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