HARLEQUINS vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

GP: Saturday, 20^th February, 2010 – 3pm

THE TWICKENHAM STOOP

MATCH PREVIEW

or... "TO THE STOOP TO CONQUER?"

“If rugby be the food of love, give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken and be pinged for coming in at the side”. Like Jane Austen last week, old Bill Shakespeare knew his way around a rugby ball. A man of words, his works include the first known references to such gems as whirligig, scuffle, arouse, milf, scrummage and aerial ping-pong. Supporters of Northampton Saints are similarly in love with the game at present with their team attempting to play attractive rugby and generally prevailing in recent matches. Those hardy souls who follow Harlequins Rugby Club are in a somewhat blacker mood at present and, as Bill remarks in The Merchant of Venice, “all that glitters is not multi-coloured”.

Last weekend, the fortunes of the two teams who meet at The Stoop this coming Saturday were markedly different. At Franklin’s Gardens, try machine Chris Ashton was helping himself to two more scores as Saints saw off the threat of Newcastle Falcons in an entertaining encounter which strengthened their position in the Guinness Premiership top four. Meanwhile, playing away at Kingsholm, Harlequins imploded against a James Simpson-Daniel inspired Gloucester and shipped six tries in a 40 point reverse. Whilst the defeat doesn’t really drag Quins into a relegation scrap just yet they must being starting to look nervously over their shoulder at the results of the teams below.

Harlequins finished second in the GP last term but have had a troubled season to date. The loss of talented Director of Rugby Dean Richards in the wake of the “Bloodgate” affair has hit them hard and whilst coach John Kingston has obviously done enough in his tenure to earn an extended contract (signed in December), murmurs of discontent abound around The Stoop. It would appear that confidence is low in this part of Twickenham and it is easy to see why. Quins’ recent form is, quite frankly, woeful. Since they travelled to FG in November (and lost) Harlequins have played 11 competitive fixtures in all competitions and won just three times. To make matters worse, two of those successes were the first two games in that run and the third (away to London Irish) was a dead rubber in the LV= Cup.

In contrast, all seems worrying rosy in Saints-land. The Thomond Park defeat aside, Northampton are unbeaten in 14 matches and last season’s dismal away form has given way to more optimistic outlook on their travels. In 2008/9 Saints could only muster one win on the road but already this premiership season the team has prevailed at Gloucester, Newcastle and Worcester.

Looking at the likely line-ups, Harlequins are without their England trio of Nick Easter, Ugo Monye and Danny Care, all ordered to rest by Martin Johnson after England’s *ahem* "rampant" performance in Italy. They do however welcome back flanker Chris Robshaw who has been released from the National squad to play this weekend. Saints will be without the services of Dylan Hartley and Euan Murray, both rested in the Six Nations hiatus but they can call on Ben Foden who, along with Robshaw, spent last Sunday kicking his heels in Rome. Whether Foden will start is of course not yet known but he must be itching to take to the park with a point to prove to the England management. His partnership with Ashton has been sensational and Jim Mallinder must be tempted to pitch him straight back into the side. However, the resultant re-jigging of the back-line would probably see Paul Diggin dropping out which would be harsh on a player who has done little wrong since he returned to the first XV. Following the eye injury he picked up against Newcastle, Northampton are likely to be without back-row star Roger Wilson.

Possible line-ups:

HARLEQUINS: Brown, Strettle, Tiesi, Turner-Hall, Lowe, Evans, Dickson; Jones, Brooker, Johnson, Percival, Stevenson, Robshaw, McMillan, Guest.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Foden, Ashton, Clarke, Downey, Reihana, Myler, Dickson; Tonga’huia, Sharman, Mujati, Lawes, Kruger, Dowson, Best, Easter.

The referee is JP Doyle.

Harlequins will be smarting after being dismantled by Gloucester and can surely can’t play as poorly on Saturday. Saints will be without their “16^th man” that is the Franklin’s Gardens crowd but will journey down to London in optimistic mood. The weather forecast for Saturday is cold but dry so with the backs playing with such confidence I’ll take the Saints to notch up a fourth away win of the season. If the gloom and doom of the Harlequins supporters transfers to the pitch then it might be by a few. In closing, and to return to the Bard, Julius Caesar talks of “a dish fit for the gods”. Here’s to that sort of performance by Northampton Saints on Saturday afternoon!

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