A Case of The Stoop To Conquer?

By Chris Chaplin
April 17 2003

After the excitement of last weekend Tigers head South needing to lift themselves following their departure from the Heineken Cup.

Tigers have an urgent need to regroup as they head back to the less rarefied atmosphere of the Premiership and the absolute requirement of securing the top three place needed to feature in the play-offs.

Quins came very close to a rare away victory when they played Leeds in front of a small Friday night crowd a fortnight ago (these Friday evening fixtures are such a good idea don’t you know and so popular with the supporters) losing by a single point in the fourth minute of the injury time decided upon by Cheltenham based referee Chris White. A valuable point nevertheless, for although the spangled ones are well away from the Championship play-offs they’re also safe from relegation with a game in hand over Sarries who are four points below them. However it’s very possible that they could get into the Zurich Wildcard competition (yes another competition) at the season’s end and by winning it qualify for the HEC. So they’ve also still got something to play for.

Tigers disappointing departure from the HEC may be fresh and raw in the player’s hearts and minds but they cannot afford to lose this away fixture if they are to retain any hope of securing a place in the play-offs. Wasps do not have a game this weekend so a five point win by Tigers would put them just two points behind the Adams Family. Wasps then have away fixtures at Bristol and Sale before the final game at home to Quins. I reckon there’s a chance of them slipping up at Sale, who will be fighting to keep in the top three especially if they’ve earlier succumbed to Glaws the previous week. Leeds are two points behind us but have still to play at Welford Road whereas Saints, seven points adrift of Tigers, have a game in hand but are away to Falcons and Quins and also have far from easy home fixtures with Sale and Leeds.

Either way Tigers must not lose at the Stoop if holding on to the League Champions’ pot for a fifth successive year remains a goal that is of interest to them.

Should Tigers fail at Quins then it’s all up I guess and it‘ll be down to the sole achievement this season of securing the Orange Cup and hopefully scraping into the HEC for next year, either by finishing fourth or putting even more of their fate into the hands of Wasps by hoping that they win the Parker Pen, as a consequence of which even fifth place in the Premiership gets a lowly seeded spot in the premier European competition next year.

By all accounts Quins can count themselves pretty unfortunate to have lost by that solitary point up at Headingly. It’s true to say that Paul Burke was again the main source of points for Quins notching up 17 of their 22 via four penalties, a drop goal and the conversion of Luger’s well taken try in the opening minutes of the second half, when the England winner shot through the centre of the Leeds defence. Unusually for Leeds their win came courtesy not just of van Straaten’s boot but via tries from wingers Chris Hall and Diego Albanese, the Sale bound Springbok points machine limiting himself to thirteen of the twenty-two scored by his side.

As we know Quins have not been as easy a nut to crack when at home as when they are on the road this season, with Tigers one of the few teams to have won in the shadow of HQ.

Against Leeds Samoan Ace TiaTia was preferred at hooker to his countryman Tani Fuga. Tigers have recent experience of both gentlemen TiaTia having started when Quins visited Welford Road in the early part of the season with Fuga starting in the cup game. The new and all improved Big Jase will be on one side of the hooker of the day and doubtless try to demonstrate his newly found abilities as a centre which appeared again against Leeds. Welshman Ceri Jones, signed from Newport on loan in February, was on the other side of the scrum at Headingly, however with Jon Dawson selected for the subsequent “Extras” game against Glaws, where the London side this time won by the odd point, he could well start against Tigers. In the second row, with Codling and Davison missing young ex Glaws lock Karl Rudzki partnered ex Oxford University player Simon Miall and while they seemingly did OK they are clearly lacking the experience of arch ball stealer Codling and Davison.

The Quins back-row has recently been strengthened by the return of Winters following a long, long absence with a ruptured Achilles tendon. An England A player he will presumably team up with the skilful Tony Diprose who, while no longer seemingly in the England reckoning, remains an exceptionally gifted footballer, especially in the loose. Of course the key to the quality of the back-row play that Quins have been able at times to show this term reflects the presence of 33 time capped Springbok Andre Vos who is first class at taking the ball up, with Diprose at his shoulder making the most of the holes that the South African can punch in the most resolute of defences. Like all good back-rows this trio quite rightly play on the edge (and over it if they can) and are exceptionally dangerous.

The pack is obviously light on experience at lock at present, although with Dawson back at prop the rest of the pack is experienced and has some real pearls of talent.

With the sudden death of Nick Duncombe, Quins have had to regroup at scrum-half, to which end they’ve signed Kiwi Billy Fulton on a short term basis. I don’t know much about Fulton but they seem quite enamoured of him down in southwest London and with Super 12 experience and time at Wellington, North Harbour and Canterbury in his c.v he’s got a good pedigree. No prizes for who’ll be at 10! Burkey of course. He has been the saviour of Quins on so many occasions this season and those that preceded it and while he is not the most complete or creative of fly-halves, other than with the boot, he’s just the man to have on hand when banker points are needed.

At inside centre Quins have made the inspired on loan signing of Mel Deane, late of Sale. Deane is a cracking player. Strong, intelligent and with a good eye for a gap. Also available again is another fine international centre, Nick Greenstock, and it’s not going to be an easy choice for coach Evans as to which of these two will partner Will Greenwood, who has been on fire for England but doesn’t look at all the same when playing for his club, mind you with Greenstock or Deane inside him he should not be short of quality ball with which to weave his strange magic on the Tigers‘ defence. Is it me or is there really an almost eerie quality about the way he glides through defensive lines?

Luger will be on one wing and sadly for Tigers the England winger seems to be coming back to form at just the wrong time. Absolutely lethal with ball inside the opposition 22 but prone to get himself isolated and embroiled in the mid field morass when he attempts to run from further out. On the other wing there’s either Matt Moore, sevens expert Ben Gollings or Rob Jewell. Talk about spoilt for choice! For me Rob Jewell is the more complete player but Gollings speed may get him the nod and they‘ll have to take a chance with his sometimes suspect defensive capabilities.

Nathan Williams completes the back three. This ex Queensland Reds top try scorer is a real force in attack but can look uncertain if made to turn in defence however if he’s allowed to run onto the ball at pace he can be devastating and release all sorts of mayhem on opposing defences.

Tigers of course will have had a difficult week and the management will have had to try and get their confidence back. While an away trip to the Stoop hardly the best medicine, aTigers should console themselves with the thought that they have won on two of their last three visits.

Although West had a miserable time in the lineout against Munster I hope he retains his place and that Rowntree is fit to return and join Franck in a mobile front line which should be able to hold the Quins even if Freshwater is still in place. Ben Kay looked dejected when replaced last Sunday after a singularly unhappy afternoon but it’s now that we need our big game players to front up and if he starts with Johnno and Codling and Davison are still absent the lineout should be an area of key advantage to Tigers. If they’re back it could be something of a challenge for the England pair!

I also hope that a back row of Back, Corry and Josh starts as the Quins back row is very nippy and very experienced and this, for me, first choice Tigers back row will be needed to combat the Quins threat at the breakdown and in the loose.

The half back combination of Ellis and Vesty looked sharp when they came on against Munster and with Oz injured and Tierney out of sorts I wouldn’t be surprised to see the two youngsters start. As I say I don’t know much about Fulton but Burke should not represent such a threat coming forward as did O‘Gara potentially anyway. Burke will almost certainly follow his compatriot’s example and try to kick the ball down into the Tigers 22 at every opportunity. However if he does and our line-out is sound then at least the Quins centres should be denied ball close in.

Without doubt our woes continue in the centre and I really feel that if either or both Ollie or Kafer still are injured Gelderbloom must start at either 12, with Fred at 13, or with the South African at 13 if Rod is back. Of all the multifarious areas of worry this is the one that concerns me most against Quins for a combination of Greenwood and either Mel Deane or Nick Greenstock needs the top class opposition of an Ollie Smith and the professionalism and experience of a Rod Kafer if it is not to prosper.

On the wings ideally we’d have Geordan and Fred but if Fred is dragooned into the centre again then probably Leon is the best bet on the left wing with Booth coming on later. Luger and Gollings will both be a handful in attack and Leon has the better defence on his day.

Stimmo obviously had a nightmare on Sunday but that doesn’t make him a bad player so he will surely be retained at full-back where he will have to kick the points this time as is usually the case.

So will Tigers conquer at the Stoop? Well it all depends on whether they can get themselves together after last weekend’s disappointment in just five short days and whether the ongoing disruption through injuries can be compensated for somehow. It’s going to be a tough one to call or win. Another must win of course for Tigers and if the pack can gain the advantage they should and with Burke laying in wait be ultra disciplined, then Stimmo may win it for us. But it could easily be a second loss on the trot if the squad are not absolutely right and up for it.