By Leipziger
March 10 2005

Our final away game before Paris is a visit to the Stoop to take on relegation-threatened Harlequins. The Londoners are involved in yet another fight against the drop, and currently stand 10th in the Premiership.

Harlequins have 30 points so far, 3 more than Northampton and 4 above Leeds, the bottom side, and will be looking to take maximum points from their home games, including this weekend.  We, on the other hand, have 40 points but are in 7^th place, and need four points at the Stoop to keep the pressure on for Heineken Cup requalification through the league.

 

The Quins are making a fight of it at the bottom, having lost their first 8 Premiership games of the season, including a 22-21 reverse at Kingston Park on a dour afternoon in September.  Their last outing two weeks ago was a 15-17 victory at the Rec over Bath, challenging at the top of the table.  Tries by Ugo Monye and Dafydd James were supplemented by two conversions and a penalty from Jeremy Staunton’s boot.

 

Their last match at home was less impressive, a 9-15 defeat by fellow strugglers Worcester, but two weeks prior to that Gloucester were downed 38-9 by Harlequins in a 4-try destruction of the side we drew 27-27 all with two weeks ago.

 

Quins have been relatively untouched by international call-ups during the Six Nations, their England star Will Greenwood being injured, and while we will be missing Jamie Noon and Stuart Grimes, our opponents will be able to call on England international Mike Worsley and Welshman Dafydd James.  Other Quins of particular quality wing Ugo Monye, former England back rower Tony Diprose, their South African captain Andre Vos, experienced flanker Roy Winters and Wales fly half Arwel Thomas.

 

Jonny Wilkinson is looking to make his return for us on the bench, but unfortunately Matt Burke and Colin Charvis are still unfit.  Phil Dowson and Mathew Tait are available after Sevens duty, and David Walder and Joe Shaw should start after returning to fitness.  Galo Alvarez Quinones looks to make his Falcons debut at prop.

 

This match is another vital one to win if we are to get back into the European Cup through the Premiership (and help out Northampton in the relegation fight! – Mark).  The Falcons have only won 3 out of 11 visits to the Stoop, but one was most important – it secured our Championship victory in 1998!  Any sort of win, such as the 15-12 scraping of a victory in January 2000, would be welcome this weekend.

 

24/2/79	North Road	John Player Cup 2nd round	W9-3
8/3/80	The Stoop	John Player Cup QF	L3-9
24/1/83	The Stoop	John Player Cup 3rd round	L15-24
2/10/93	Kingston Park	Courage League Division 1	L3-22
12/2/94	The Stoop	Courage League Division 1	L6-12
10/2/96	Kingston Park	Pilkington Cup 5th round	L22-44
15/2/98	Kingston Park	Allied Dunbar Premiership 1	W43-15
17/5/98	The Stoop	Allied Dunbar Premiership 1	W44-20
7/11/98	The Stoop	Allied Dunbar Premiership 1	L20-25
11/5/99	Kingston Park	Allied Dunbar Premiership 1	W33-23
5/12/99	Kingston Park	Allied Dunbar Premiership 1	L15-16
22/1/00	The Stoop	Allied Dunbar Premiership 1	W15-12
30/9/00	The Stoop	Zurich Premiership	W20-18
24/2/01	Twickenham	Tetley’s Bitter Cup Final	W30-27
6/3/01	Kingston Park	Zurich Premiership	L22-24
22/4/01	Headingley	European Shield Semi Final	L12-17
16/9/01	Kingston Park	Zurich Premiership	D6-6
16/3/02	The Stoop	Zurich Premiership	L19-33
5/10/02	The Stoop	Zurich Premiership	L23-47
1/2/03	Kingston Park	Zurich Premiership	W32-17
11/10/03	The Stoop	Zurich Premiership	L11-18
4/1/04	Kingston Park	Zurich Premiership	L25-29
19/9/04	Kingston Park	Zurich Premiership	W22-21

 

Total:	P23	W9	D1	L13	F450	A482
Home:	P11	W5	D1	L5	F232	A220
Away:	P12	W4	D0	L8	F218	A262