Preview: Nottingham (a) (Powergen Trophy)

By Worried of Whitton
March 4 2006

This weekend NEC Harlequins head north once again to Nottingham for the semi final of the Powergen Trophy. The match kicks off at Ireland Avenue, Beeston at the early time of 2.15pm on Sunday March 5th. This will be their penultimate road trip this season.

Apart from an excursion down to Cornwall, all remaining matches are to be played within the boundaries and the comfort zone of the TW postcode, which after last weeks wobble, is comforting.

A lot has been written and discussed about Quins performance last week, with some extra mileage being taken in the press. It appears that Exeter have now dropped the “Chiefs” and become “Exeter, the first team to beat Harlequins in National League One this season”.  It is possible that both teams could meet again at Twickenham on April 9^th, in the Powergen Trophy Final. Whilst Nottingham host Harlequins in one semi final the other match pitches last weeks winners, Exeter at home to Bedford. Ironically Bedford were away to Nottingham last weekend and lost, thus saving some of Quins blushes. In a nutshell I understand that Andrew Mehrtens was affected by wind, too many pasties?, Quins were unable to change their tactics and the Exeter defence was rock solid.

The dream of an unbeaten season has now gone, but the dream of “the Treble” is still very much alive. Quins championship race remained on track, as 2^nd placed Bedford also faltered last weekend, and on Monday the “A” s demolished London Irish down at Imber Court and are top of the southern league with every chance of winning it and setting up a mouth watering final against Leicester Which brings us to Sunday’s semi final match. The squad need show their mettle and bounce back after last weekend against an in form Nottingham side. The two teams met just a few weeks ago at The Stoop and although Quins had a great start to that match they began to loose their way and struggled to close the game early.  This was a game that is remembered more for the “50 second replacement” and Nottingham’s inability in the scrum. With premiership referee Chris White officiating Nottingham will have to sort out their binding issues. I thought at the time that the Quins performance was a probably a cunning tactical move ahead of this weekend match. Nottingham will not be underestimated. In recent weeks they have beaten two of the top three ND 1, a waning Cornish Pirates and last weekend Bedford, the team will ensure that they don t d take a Quins scalp this weekend, but it will be tough.

Nottingham are relishing the return of Harlequins, and are making a party of the day. The gates open at 11am. Amongst the feast of entertainment NRFC have promised an appearance of the Black Thunder Girls from 96 Trent FM and a bouncy castle. Ticket sales have been brisk and about 2,500 have been sold, the capacity is 4,950.

Team news is yet to be confirmed but Nottingham have announced that Will Bowley is back on loan from Worcester for the remained of their season. Bowley who is equally useful in the second and back row, is likely ti play on Sunday as Mark Easter and Mark Soden have both returned to recent Premiership strugglers Northampton. A number of Nottingham’s first team players have signed new contracts they include centres Molenaar and Kirk and back row Wilks. Morely and Jackson have also signed new contracts.  Former forwards coach Glenn Delaney has helped Nottingham to return to prominence in recent seasons, and this is his first senior coaching role. Delaney learned his rugby in Christchurch, and played for Canterbury Bs. It has been rumoured that another former Canterbury player Daryl Gibson has been at Ireland Avenue this week helping to set the tactics for Sunday’s match.

As has been reported the “curse of the injured hooker” has once more afflicted Harlequins have a with  Tani Fuga’s injured shoulder and James Hayter breaking a bone in his foot to add to his long list of injury troubles this season, leaving Jimmy Richards as the first choice hooker with Aston Croall as back up. So the Harlequins have signed to Argentinean, Agustín Costa Repetto who is just breaking into the Argentine team at the age of 23, and has played alongside fellow countryman and Quin Pablo Bouza.

Scotty has announced that“with this weekend’s game being played on Sunday, we will not be confirming the team until Friday morning before traveling to Nottingham on Saturday afternoon. We are expecting a very difficult game, but one if we play to the standards that the players have set for themselves we should win” Let’s hope he is right.

Statistics:

If you are thinking of traveling to the match there are a couple of tickets with coach travel available from John Hartley  please e-mail him on   john@quinssa.org.uk

Come on you Quins!.

 

NEC Harlequins:
15. Tom Williams, 14. Ugo Monye, 13. Will Greenwood, 12. Gavin Duffy, 11. Simon Keogh, 10. Adrian Jarvis, 9. Steve So’oialo, 1. Ceri Jones, 2. Jimmy Richards, 3. Lorne Ward, 4. Kevin Burke, 5. Simon Miall, 6. Luke Sherriff, 7. Andre Vos (Capt.), 8. Nick Easter
Replacements: TBC

Nottingham:
to be announced

Match Officials:
Referee: Chris White
Touch judges: Alan Hughes, Steve Makinson