ComeAllWithin.co.uk (CAW): I was reading recently that the Parker Pen Challenge Cup is the only trophy you have ever won, is that really true?

Andre Vos (AV): Yes, it’s true. I don’t really know how it’s happened, I’ve been to a lot of semis and finals but never won any of them. I really did enjoy the Parker Pen, it was a great opportunity to win something and to get to know what it feels like to go into a competition, go through the whole thing and come out on top.

CAW: What do you think of the Parker Pen as a competition, a lot of people look down on it as a much weaker competition?

AV: I think there were some really good sides in it last season. It was only really the first round when we felt we didn’t have to put out strongest side out but other than that it was really tough, there were some very good French sides in there and some very good English sides too, like Bath. It’s a breeding ground for the Heineken Cup which is the competition that everyone wants to be involved in.

 

CAW: What do you think of our chances in the Heineken Cup?

AV: You always have to back yourselves and that’s what we’ll be doing. It’s hard to decide how we will approach games and say ‘we’ll beat this side here and that side there’, you really do just take one match at a time and each of those games will be tough. So we’ll just stand up and give it our best every time. We are not just there to make up the numbers, we are very determined to make an impact on the competition. 

 

CAW: This is your last definite contracted season at Quins, what will you do then?

AV: I do have the option of another year after that, and I’ll see what Mark says and how things are going.

 

CAW: And if it was just up to you will you carry on?

AV: I think it’s a little too early to start making decisions yet, Form is important to me, you want to play and make a contribution to the side, experience is one thing but your performance has to be right up there too. I was fairly happy with the way things went last year with my form, but obviously this is a new year and I’ll see how things go, but I can’t really think about next year yet, I’ll reassess that at the end of this season.

 

CAW: Are you thinking of going into coaching more?

AV: I haven’t really thought about that too much, to be honest with you, things over the last few months have been very busy with the preparation for the new season, but as I said it’s too early for me to be making these sorts of decisions.

 

CAW: How did the trip to Belfast go in your opinion?

AV: I enjoyed it a lot, I thought the guys did fantastically well especially in the match against Ulster, it was always going to be a tough game and what was good to see was how the guys fought right up until the last minute. Last season we showed how we could win games in the last five minutes, and to win the game there in the last minute was outstanding. It was great to see that the spirit, drive and commitment of last season has continued where it left off.

 

CAW: Were there any of the new players that you thought did particularly well in Belfast?

AV: All of the new guys made a very good contribution, a few of them have been a bit unlucky and have picked up a few minor injuries, and it must be quite frustrating for them. I really thought Steven So’oialo did very well, he brings a lot of experience to the position, the way he organises the pack has been great. I’m very excited to see what he can do for us.

 

CAW: There has been a lot of talk about needing to sign an enforcer for the second row but in the game against Belfast Harlequins it was Jeremy Staunton and Gavin Duffy that got involved in a couple of scraps, do you think they will be able to fill that position? J

AV: He he, I think the whole pack has a role to play and step up to the mark, it’s a tough game and we all have to play our part. Our job as a pack of forwards is to take the ball over the advantage line and to cause some damage, so that role falls squarely on all our shoulders.

 

CAW: Do you think they style of forward play has changed over the years you have been here?

AV: I think we have tried to work on having a very mobile pack that move round the park and handle the ball well and a pack that can defend well. I definitely think we have achieved that but one place we have to work on is to be more intimidating to the opposition, it is something that we are working on at the moment.

 

Vos pleads to go on against Ulster ©Prof

 

CAW: In the Ulster game it really showed that you wanted to get on to the pitch near the end…

AV: I was pretty keen to get on, I had picked up a little strain in my hamstring and Mark was very wise in his decision not to let me play. It was all happening out there and I was very keen to get on but Mark made a good call there.

 

CAW: There seems to be a lot more strength in depth to the squad this season, with the likes of Sherriff, Horstmann, Cracknell and Guest all pushing for starting places in the first XV, does that give you more opportunity to play in another position in the back row, you have been playing at openside but would you like to move to number eight?

AV: Oh mate I don’t mind, I’ll play anywhere in the back row, I’ll play anywhere I’m needed. It is really exciting to see how competitive the squad is this season, it keeps everyone on their toes and it means you have to be on the top of your game week in week out to secure your position in the side. We all know it’s a long season and if you pick up an injury the next guy in the squad will be able to fit in straight away.

 

CAW: With the likes of Jase leaving and some of the people on the social committee like Jeweller leaving does it give a different feeling to the squad this season?

AV: No not really, we’re obviously going to miss those guys a lot but the guys in the squad who were involved last season know what it was like and what was important to us last year and we have tried to recreate that. We spent some really good time together when we were away in Belfast.

 

CAW: Has anyone bought Ugo an atlas so he knows the difference between Italy and Spain when he books the next restaurant for a squad outing?

AV: We’ll have to have a word with him about that, his role as social secretary is in danger (no,  I’m just joking). He and Kai are doing a really good job organising things, they know what the guys enjoy.

The interview with the club captain was over was over, he tried to escape while the press were all interviewing Will, the next target was to be new boy Jeremy Staunton, but that’s for another report which will be coming to this site soon …

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