By Worried of Whitton
December 4 2009

An early start to the Rugby Weekend sees Quins up at Headingly to play Leeds Carnegie, kick off is at 7.30pm on FRIDAY.  Such is the timing of this match that there will be very little away support so we are all relying on our on the spot reporter HarleyQuin to provide a comprehensive match report- no pressure! I'm sure that there will be a lot of banter & oneupmanship between the two scrum-halfs!

Well what a match, what a revelation last Saturday at the Stoop, 7 tries and sixty three points scored, and  a superb  bonus point win for Harlequins 35 – 29 against Gloucester. The result saw Quins rise to seventh place in the table As BRW so eloquently wrote “That is how rugby can be played under the horrible defence favouring new breakdown rules and with players missing. Both sides went at it with gusto and precision, choosing to run where possible rather than kick, and when they did kick, the kicks were well placed “.

Despite this the game is still in turmoil.  The IRB decided earlier this week to stick with  their controversial ruling on the breakdown, with the RFU worried about it’s effect on the spectacle having an adverse affect in spectator numbers. Rob Andrew said yesterday that “ It seems now that a team is better off without the ball, and that is not what the game is striving for. You can also see piles of bodies at the breakdown. From a game spectacle point of view that was not intended by this law.”

Harlequins will be targeting this game as anther win and also the bonus point. Leeds away is not an easy game, and on a weekday night away from home with little support, and we can still remember that fateful evening on April 2005 that sealed Quins fate that season. On their last visit to Headingly in April 2008 Quins came away with a try bonus point victory 6-32.  Leeds have succombed to three successive defeats in all competition since their surprise 28-17 victory over Leicester in the LV= cup. Leeds have won just one Premiership game this season but more worrying for Leeds fans is that there team have not won at home in the Guinness Premiership since March 2008. Harlequins have won four out of their six.

Leeds Carnegie look set to be will be without back rowers Hendre Fourie and Alfie To'oala for game and also will be without winger Henry Fa’afili who has been suspended for three weeks after being sent off for Samoa against Italy.  Fourie has an infected cut on his foot, To'oala has a leg muscle injury. In addition  fly-half Ceiron Thomas is alos doubtful with an injured hip. "We are not having the best of luck with injuries at the moment," head coach Neil Back told BBC Radio Leeds. “they are all key players for us, so it's hitting us hard. but all the lads that have come in as cover have done great and we just have to move on."  In addition leeds new signing Andy Titterrell  the former England Hooker. He will have to wait at least three weeks to make his Leeds debut, this weeks match has come too soon and he is not registered to play in Leeds' upcoming two European Challenge Cup games.

With a Friday night game Quins have announced their team early and with a strong line up and equally powerful bench. The team however, need to come out and play like they did last weekend against Gloucester. They also need to be a lot more ruthless in their approach and ensure that they can finish moves to get that ball over the try line. Unlike Bath, the woes of last summer now seem to be banished and  the team can concentrate on letting their rugby do the talking

The teams are;

Harlequins

15. Mike Brown, 14. David Strettle, 13. George Lowe, 12. Nils Mordt, 11. Tom Williams, 10. Nick Evans, 9. Danny Care, 1. Ceri Jones, 2. Tani Fuga, 3. John Andress, 4. James Percival, 5. George Robson, 6. Tom Guest, 7. Chris Robshaw, 8. Nick Easter (capt)
Replacements: 16. Chris Brooker, 17. Aston Croall, 18. Mark Lambert, 19. Lewis Stevenson, 20. Will Skinner, 21. Karl Dickson, 22. Rory Clegg, 23. Gonzalo Tiesi

Leeds

15. Leigh Hinton, 14. Richard Welding, 13. Seru Rabeni, 12. Scott Barrow, 11. Lee Blackett, 10. Joe Ford, 9. Andy Gomarsall, 1. Gareth Hardy, 2. Vili Ma'asi, 3. Juan Gomez, 4. Erik Lund, 5. Marco Wentzel (C), 6. Kearnan Myall, 7. Calum Clark, 8. Rhys Oakley
Replacements: 16. Phil Nilsen, 17. Tommy McGee, 18. Mike MacDonald, 19. Tom Denton, 20. Jon Pendlebury, 21. Scott Mathie, 22. Jason Strange, 23. Jonny Hepworth
 

Come on You Quins!