This report does summarise the games played in February, before concentrating on what became a memorable March. In the Premiership games our tally for February makes woeful reading and most of us would not wish to be reminded. We continued to loose on the road at Newcastle, despite some dedicated away support, by a group of stalwarts who were not going to let a little bit of snow spoil their weekend … and then of course there was the “surrender at the Stoop”

Points For: 17 Points Against: 77. Won 0 Lost 2

During the week in between a friendly match against the real Sharks from Natal. Although this was another game lost BUT the team that night should some real character
In the Zurich Premiership

February 1st Newcastle v Quins L 32--17
Man of the Match as voted by CAW Viliame Satala

“Another Away Loss”

To quote a footballing cliché a game of two halves. AlanQuin sums up the game “it is very difficult to understand how a team that spent most of the first half playing pretty well against opponents whom they have beaten easily earlier in the season, could produce a dire performance in the second half.”

It is difficult to determine why we lost by such a large margin, after such a good start. Whether it was the spectre of the away game, the delayed and protracted travel North due to the weather or maybe it was because Newcastle were determined that we were not going to spoil their day/ season as a loss would almost certainly have condemned them for the drop.

Determined Newcastle (Binky)

Quins started with great pressure going for early points but were unable to convert. We were dominant in early lineouts with Codling winning good ball each time. Burke and Wilkinson traded kicks. Just over half way through the first half Fuga charged down an attacking kick and ran 30 metres to score a try which Burke duly converted, but the lead was short lived. Quins pressure was kept up with numerous rucks and mauls.

Greenwood was replaced by Bell at half time but his performance could not match him and this perhaps is when the performance began to suffer. It was suggested that this left the defence without Greenwood’s direction. However, Satala, who had made continuous progress in his performance since the start of the year continued to threaten, and eventually had his best game of the year. As the game drew to a close Quins continued to push for points and eventually Fuga scored a late try. Bemand also had a gutsy performance with a number of strong tackles, but his lack of speed when passing the ball put additional pressure on Burke and Williams.

February 4th Quins v Natal Sharks L 19-32

Man of the Match as voted by CAW Simon Miall

“Quins Let The Sharks Bite Back”

Many have questioned the wisdom of such a match, sandwiched between two critical ZP games. In reality this game was scheduled long before we knew what our ZP performance would be like.

The quote that sums up this match” … we were so absorbed by a tremendous spectacle whilst every Quins player seemed to be playing his heart out.” I was unable to go to the match, but, I was struck by the number of my work colleagues, who came up to me the following morning, to tell me of a gutsy Quins display the night before.

Yes it was another game of two halves, with the tactical substitutions being made by the Sharks in the second half seemed to take control over the battle weary Quins.

Simon Miall won 50% of the MotM vote for this match, with Nathan Williams a runner up at 28% Simon did have an awesome game, but Williams too played very well making excellent kicks gaining important territory as well as putting some important defensive tackles and a scoring a try. Dawson and Luke GYHC Sherriff also put in a creditable performances.

Another loss, yes but this was a friendly match and Quins were ahead for most of the match. Definitely a moral victory to Quins.

February 8th Quins v Sale L 0-45
Man of the Match as voted by CAW Andre Vos

“Surrender in the South East”

Just another protest vote, with only 37 votes? Or just not knowing who played the best sums up the CAW poll for this match. A low turnout but certainly Andre Vos and Jason Leonard who was close behind seemed to be the only two players who turned up that afternoon.

Quite simply the worst performance we have seen for a long, long time. My sons’ German exchange student came along to the match. Before the game, the rules were explained, this is Fortress Stoop etc etc, and then we sit through the match, in silence, ten minutes into the second half, “ Why haven t your team scored? Well what can you say! Sale just blew us away, they completely outplayed us, and their defence was rock solid. Even though on the day they did not have to do much better than Quins. The tactic of pitch width reduction signalled the type of game we wanted to play, and Sale adjusted to that far better than we did.

Maybe we were missing Williams who was out through injury, but we just about held on in the first half, going in 13-0 at the break but five minutes into the second half our game began to fall apart. Burkes kicking was not good all day. The try gifted to Bond by Satala who went from Hero to Zero in the space of a week, was the beginning of the end and even a mass substitution on 55 minutes had no effect. The heroes from the Natal Sharks game, Miall, Sherrif ( GYHC), Evans and Powell were brought on but by them the game was effectively lost. We were reduced to Jason Leonard taking the line outs after realizing there were no more hookers on the field, interestingly he was probably more successful with the throws than Fuga and the sin binned Tiatia, and he certainly had the appreciation of the crowd by not giving up.

Lineout fracas (Binky)

All in all a bad day and one we would all like to forget, and as we all know the news could not have got any worse at the end of that week, with the announcement that Nick Duncombe had tragically died, whilst on holiday.

After a frenzy of activity on the transfer market, at the end of February, Harlequins were able to announce three new Signings;

At Centre Mel Deane, from Sale on loan until the end of this season but followed by a one-year contract.

Prop Ceri Jones on loan from Newport, until the end of the season to cover for Leonard and Gomez,

and at scrum half Billy Fulton , again on loan until the end of the season from Wellington ( NZ).

After the debacle that was the Sale game, Quins were effectively being written off as favourites to be relegated , but there was still a long time to go before the end of the season. With these “inspired new signings” March finally brought a change in our fortunes

Points For: 57 Points Against: 54. Won 1 Lost 1

League Position at end of March , was 7^th

March 2nd Bristol v Quins L 48 - 41
Man of the Match as voted by CAW Mel Deane

“Harlequins come Second in 89 Point Dog Fight”

Another huge match for us with a lot at stake. Both sides desperately needed to win, to take them away from the lower echelons of the table. There was a lot of emotion at the start of this match, with a minutes silence being observed, and the whole team turning out with Duncombe’s name on the back of their shirts. The No. 9 shirt had been retired for the rest of the season.

It was a very entertaining game. Everything was set; it was a lovely bright, sunny Spring day, with a large following of away supporters.

Sunnny Day (Barquin Mad)

However Quins made an horrendous start, it was clear that the team were still very much affected by the tragedy, and after just twenty minutes they were down 21-3. Then the spark of a spirited fight back began with came a chip from Burke, a fumbled catch by ex Quins Jamie Williams and Luger was in for a try. However we gave away a couple of penalties and a further try Bristol went in 29-10 at the break.

At the start of the second half Quins pressured the Bristol defence “our man Williams “ caught the ball and went to kick our of defence, the ball rebounded of his own defender and into the hands of Greenwood who was standing behind the posts, and touched down. Burke knocked over the conversion before the referee had a chance to ponder what had happened. Probably the most bizarre try you'll see this year.

Deane made a very impressive start to his Quins career. He had perhaps even sharper forward thinking than Greenwood, when he went in and tacked Rees … but he d been well and truly sold a dummy. Bristol capitalised on this sin binning extending their lead to 41 –17. But Quins were resilient to this and on came Tony Diprose who put in a “talismanic performance” by scoring in the corner, another conversion and then Gollings went over soon after to score a fourth try and a bonus point. Could we score any more and win this match? Some poor defending let in Pichot to extend Bristols lead. Nathan Williams responded restoring the gap to 10 points. With Spreadbury’s watch ticking slowly away Burke went for a drop goal which hit the post, however the linesman’s flag was up for an infringement and Burke had a second attempt by slotting over a penalty from the half way line, and giving us a second bonus point the whistle blew for full time. Another away loss but we did achieve 2 bonus points for four tries and loosing by seven or less points, and the away supporters were jubilant. Bristol felt robbed but the result was a fair one on the day.

Mel Deane was voted CAW Man of the Match, but Billy Fulton too had an excellent game with plenty of quick ball in what was a frantic game. Ceri Jones, who came on midway through the second half, was also strong in the scrum.

Fulton in action (Keith Jenner)

Both Tani Fuga and Ace Tiatia also put in very creditable performances that day too.

March 16th London Irish v Quins W 6 - 16
Man of the Match as voted by CAW Andre Vos

“Records broken as Quins win away in the ZP”

This was the match that every one was looking forward to ever since the fixture was announced last August, London Irish away on St Patrick’s’ weekend. Fate had also decreed that this was to be a match both teams desperately needed to win to keep away from the bottom of the premiership table. The day did not disappoint, if you were wearing a multicoloured shirt. A day that saw Roy Winters

The Irish came out fighting and put the pressure on Quins for the first ten minutes, but strong defending by Jones, Fuga, Dawson, Vos and Tiatia kept the Irish at bay . Missed drop goals were traded, before Everitt kicked a penalty to put the Irish ahead after 10 minutes. Quins continued to be strong in their defence but had poor ball control. However the Irish were unable to capitalise on our failings. Our defence held and a penalty was won but Burke missed the kick at goal. During this phase of the game our retention of the ball in the line was also poor.

One we won... (DOK)

On 28 minutes Fuga charged down the ball and Quins won a 5-metre scrum. Winters pulled the ball out to Fulton, who passed to Deane to Tiatia who passed to Greenwood who turned and spun through two tackles and scored besides the posts. Burke duly converted.

Further pressure by Irish and huge tackling by Quins lead by Vos and Dawson with Fuga and Greenwood also playing their part in the defence. Winters and Deane combined to make a move just before half time, which came to naught.

Quins came for the second half putting the Irish under pressure, and more scrappy play was rewarded with the Irish winning another penalty, which Everitt missed. After a fine contribution, Winters was replaced by Diprose. Yet another period poor play followed with Burke having to be replaced after he received a dead leg. Quins were awarded a penalty which Williams duly kicked deputising for the injured Burke. Quins were beginning to edge ahead. Satala then came on to replace Burke and the multi talented Greenwood moved to fly half.

Feeling the pressure (Simon Jones)

Another penalty to Quins, some 40 metres out was attempted by Williams, unfortunately the ball hit the upright and back into play. However a second chance was granted a minute later this time much closer in and the Quins lead was extended to 10 points. With just 5 minutes of normal time remaining. The clocked ticked down and when Satala was penalised for not rolling away Mapletoft duly kicked the penalty to close the gap to 6-13 and give the Irish the chance of a bonus point. Quins maintained their pressure to the end and a fine rolling maul set up by Miall made a 15 yard gain before the Irish were penalised again for offside at the maul. Williams was to kick for touch, but Greenwood persuaded him to go for goal to deny the Irish the points. The final whistle went and the first premiership away victory for two years was Quins reward. The Quins crowd went wild with pleasure and the players duly saluted them.

Not a pretty game but a remarkable team performance considering the three new signings in their second game, plus the return of Roy Winters for his first game and Miall s first start of the season. Sheer determination lead us to win, to win away, to win away at London Irish, live on Sky and in front of 18,500 people.

A large vote , by our standards, for CAW man of the match, of 107 saw Vos gain 42% of the vote, the runner up being Sky’s man of the match Simon Miall on 21% Vos played a Captains’ role throughout the game

Miall Sky man of the match (Simon Jones)

My nominations for Harlequins Player of the Month are;

• Andre Vos - Two times winner , Man of the Match v Sale and against London Irish

• Simon Miall – Man of the Match v Natal Sharks and the Sky Man of the Match v London Irish

• Mel Deane - Man of the Match v Bristol

• Will Greenwood – putting in sterling performances against London Irish and Bristol
• Jason Leonard - for not giving up against Sale
• Billy Fulton - another Billy Whizz! Very swift ball out of the scrum

I believe that the voting will be between Andre Vos and Simon Miall

As a post script I feel it is right to add a brief note about the performances of Will Greenwood, Dan Luger, Jason Leonard and Paul Burke in the recent RBS Six Nations Championship.

Obviously the opening match of the Competition was a very difficult one for all of them. Being Jason’s 100^th cap, it was very disappointing for Jason to come off with a hamstring injury, but all credit to him to fight his way back to fitness and straight back into the team for caps 101 and 102, and then show how to play at centre is there no end to is abilities?

Will did not disappoint either with a number tries in the championship, he had an excellent game in Dublin, with that pass to Tindall for his try and that interception from Murphy, Although in comparison Dan had a quieter six Nations he still made his mark, with a try at Lansdowne Road.

Paul Burke was also in the Irish squad for their first two matches, and came on to win a cap when he replaced Humphries very, very late in the game in Rome.

I must not forget Ugos’ performance in the winning England Sevens team in Hong Kong. After the Bristol game, I watched him practice his sprinting, his acceleration was electric. He is certainly one to watch for the future. Joe Lydon, the England Sevens coach, described the win as "very special" and spoke of how the team drew inspiration from the memory of Nick Duncombe.

“Before the day we spoke about absent friends,” he said “We had Nick’s name embroidered on our shirts and wore black armbands. Nick epitomised everything that is good about sport and what’s good about rugby and it inspired us.”

So now the Six Nations is complete and we have the run in to the end of the ZP season. As at the end of March we have just five games to go, two at home and three away. We are back in seventh place with 35 points. Mark Evans suggesting 37 is the safety zone. Interesting to note that since our away win at London Irish, we have stopped being linked with any drop. With the three new signings and injured players coming back to form, we should be able to pick up more than the required number points from our remaining matches. Our home form overall is good, We can beat Leicester at home and we always seem to do well on the rare occasions we play on a Friday night. We have also proven we can still win away, although Gloucester is maybe is out of reach this year! !

He is looking to an exciting and less worrying end to our season.

kwin adds 

The results of the poll were
Andre Vos 38%
Simon Miall 17%
Mel Deane 19%
Will Greenwood 13%
Jason Leonard 4%
Billy Fulton 9%
 

So the March Player of the Month was Andre Vos