Playing their first game at the newly rechristened Twickenham Stoop, and in front of a magnificent new West Stand, NEC Harlequins eventually ran out easy 52-13 winners against a committed Newbury, but not before an entirely unforgettable first half which they somehow contrived to lose 10-13, conceding a comedy try to rank that’ll interest Denis Norden if a tape is ever made public.

An impressive 8,017 fans filed into the Stoop to check out the two ND1 newcomers, and the bean-counters behind the scenes at Quins must have heaved a large sigh of relief and surprise at this healthy turnout: some 200 more than watched the first game of last season (against Northampton, 11/9/2004).

Any spectators fresh in from Mars, and unaware of relegation would have struggled to notice any significant difference at the ND1 experience: spectators thronged the walkways around the ground enjoying the sunshine; the bars, invisible as always behind vast throngs of thirsty fans were as hopeless as ever (half of lager, and a half of bitter….in the same glass!), Max Max burbled away, and even the magnificent new West Stand could almost go unnoticed: it’s so ‘right’, and so familiar, it already feels as if it’s been there forever.

The Quins team were buzzing as the game started. For the old-timers in the team, after two weeks on the road it must have been good to be home. For a significant few it was their first time for the 1^st at the ground. The Stand Opening, and the unveiling of Nick Duncombe’s poignant statue pumped up the adrenalin further, and perhaps it was no surprise when Mehrtens started the game with a crafty wrong-way kick to Ugo, and perhaps no surprise either when it didn’t work out.

The first half really didn’t go very well, did it? Maybe it was a bit of emotion in the team, maybe it was that inexplicable lethargy that comes over Quins sides from time to time, but really: it was hard to escape a slightly sinking, here we go again feeling as it progressed. There were some good moments – a little flip-on from the classy Mehrtens, a growing feeling that young prop Alex Rogers was getting the better of his opposite number in the scrum - and a warm glow when he became one three Quins to score debut 1st XV tries at the Stoop.

But there were also some pretty poor moments: when will we cure ourselves of these long, long elaborately worked backs moves that simply move the ball laterally, while committing none of the defence? Subtlety, elaboration and surprise most certainly has its place in the beautiful Union game, but at some point in the move someone has to drop his shoulder and run straight at ‘em. Individually the backs all know this, and in open play they’ll do it time after time, it’s the moves that don’t seem to work.

Although Quins got first blood, they were soon 3-6 down as an impressive, determined and ambitious Newbury team got in their faces, and got the best of their first half. Most eye-catching was their tall centre at 13 – Mark Ireland if the programme was correct – who showed on several occasions he could penetrate the Quins defence, and many of the best sequences revolved around him. The whole team were uncowed by Quins glamour and played there socks off. Winning their second kickable penalty 20 minutes in they even contemplated eschewing the kick at goal, before regaining their senses and collecting the three points.

Quins regained the lead with simple catch-and-drive from an attacking lineout, and nearly scored a second time being denied by old-boy Chris Cracknell who spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for his pains.

With Newbury down to 14 Quins began to dominate, but couldn’t turn the advantage into points, and on the stroke of half-time Newbury snatched one back when Ireland broke through, made 30m, stopped and threw the most outrageous dummy, bought by two defenders, and made another 10m collecting three more. Holding up the ball wonderfully in contact, he found Chris Cracknell coming through at speed to take the ball and crash over the line. Two Newbury players had beaten beat six defenders and with the conversion they were 10-13 ahead. “Deano’s gonna kill you lot at half time” yelled a fan near me, and I fear he was right.

The second half was much better!

A different team seemed to take the pitch in the second half. They upped the tempo, and played simpler rugby, with the forwards taking up the ball, and the backs playing simpler more instinctive moves. It was delightful, and the tries didn’t take long to come.

Nick Easter was first to strike with a simple pick-up from the scrum to be driven over, one of a well-deserved brace for this player on top form. Revelling in the freedoms offered at No8 he turned up again and again through the game, carrying the ball well, always looking for the half-break, controlling his scrum and formidable in defence. I reckon his performance in this game might have cemented him as first-choice number-eight.

Another forward on form was Simon Miall, who had an excellent line-out game, especially on the Newbury ball where he stole and disrupted all afternoon, while in the front row the ageless Tani Fuga looked like the pro he is. With long bullocking runs and fierce tackles. The peerless Vos was reliable as ever.

In the backs Mehrtens’ confidence, stability and ability to read the game shone. His reactions are lightening quick and his kicking from hand was superlative: especially one long pin-point kick to the corner, which had set up Easter’s first try, and setting up a break in the third quarter, offloading to a hungry Deane, with all the penetration and aggression you could ask for, to offload to Vass for try number three.

On the wings were the now established pair of Monye and Keogh, but it was Keogh who managed a try running a full 70m to the line in the dying minutes. Of the two I reckon Keogh’s top dog at the moment: his relatively small stature, is outweighed by a greater ball-sense. It was good to see some invention here though, with Monye popping up on the right wing on occasion.

If there was a weaker spot, it was Duffy who I felt had a colourless game, and I reckon Williams will fancy his chances of regaining the team when he recovers from injury.

Altogether Quins managed 41 unanswered points in the second half, and in the last 10 minutes the game finally became a bit of a romp with young Boris Johnson look-a-like Charlie Amsebury and Mel Deane, as well as Keogh’s run, all adding tries, which was slightly a shame for the brave Newbury part-timers.

Seven tries in all, and a winner’s bonus putting Quins ahead at the top of ND1, a position it’s difficult to see us relinquishing. Is an unbeaten season possible? It has to be a realistic aim.

After the game I made my way round to the resplendent West Stand media-room, for the post match press conference. It must have been the seventh or eighth one of these I’ve attended, but what a difference! Rather than a defensive, point-scoring, jousting and wise-cracking post-defeat Mark Evans seated behind a desk, here was a relaxed and informal Dean Richards, sitting in a circle of chairs with the assembled hacks, watched from the corner by Nick Melton. We didn’t actually join hands, but it was rather like one of the scenes in a prison movie where the cons are forced into focus groups to discuss their crimes and reveal their souls.

Dean was pleased with the result. “The boys calmed themselves down after the first half and came out and did exactly what they needed to do to win it. We played against a team who were totally committed and wanted to play rugby – it was very refreshing. They played an expansive and wide game, we had to be right on our game defensively. I was very pleased that we came away at the end of the game with seven tries – and you have to take your hat off to Newbury”

I asked Dean whether he had found his best back-row combination?

“Well, we’re still trying things out”, he said, “I thought Tom Guest came on and played very, very well and there’s still Tony Diprose, I’ve got a lot of time for Tony– he’s got a lot experience… and a huge amount to offer us so, no I don’t think I have found the back-row combination yet – I’m going to keep on having look and see.”

After the Press Conference I found my way to the Members Bar, and very smart it is too, with a carpet and real glass glasses for your keg IPA (no cask sir, all ran out). The mood amongst the familiar suspects was upbeat and optimistic. Hopefully this win has settled any ND1 nerves that might have been out there, and will be the first of many similar at the Twickenham Stoop this season

NEC Harlequins:
15. Gavin Duffy,14. Simon Keogh,13. Will Greenwood,12. Mel Deane,11. Ugo Monye, 10. Andrew Mehrtens,9. Ian Vass,1. Alex Rogers ,2. Tani Fuga,3. Ricky Nebbett, 4. Jim Evans,5. Simon Miall,6. Andre Vos (c.),7. Luke Sherriff, 8. Nick Easter
Replacements: 16. Jimmy Richards,17. Lorne Ward,18. Pablo Bouza,19. Tom Guest, 20. Adrian Jarvis ,21. Jordan Turner Hall.,22. Charlie Amesbury
Tries: Rogers, Easter 2, Vass, Amesbury, Keogh, Deane.
Cons: Mehrtens 5, Jarvis 2.
Pen: Mehrtens.


Newbury:
1. Faulkner, 2. Cooper, 3. Collins, 4. Smith, 5. Radbourne, 6. Damu Damu, 7. Cracknell, 8. Lubans, 9. Smaje, 10. Feeney, 11. Nutt, 12. Bell, 13. Irelandl 14. Bingham, 15. Roberts (c.)
Replacements: 16 Green, 17 Aiono, 18 Davies, 19 Carter, 20 Scothern, 21 Styles, 22 Gibson
Try: Cracknell.
Con: Feeney.
Pens: Feeney 2.

Attendance: 8,017.

Referee: G Ashton Jones.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon