Geezers in the Trews with Diamonds

By BrianC
April 12 2004

This Sunday finds us hosting our former SW London neighbours and landlords Harlequins. Last season they managed a double over us including a defeat in our Saint Patrick's game, a LI performance that was generally regarded as one of our more inept of last season.

The long standing rivalry between our two clubs goes back way before my time as a London Irish supporter. My understanding is that it started in pre-league days. When we were going through one of our not infrequent bad patches Quins, alone amongst the top clubs, decided we were not good enough to be their opponents and dropped us from their fixture list.

No doubt the fact that we were a long time local rivals, the Stoop and Sunbury being only six miles apart, has played an element in things as well. In the 99/00 season we ground shared with them at the Stoop. It was originally meant to be a two year deal but was terminated by Quins, as they had a right to do, a year early. During this season their gates fell as ours rose. Things came to a head when the Sunday Times ran an article entitled something 'Quins put to Shame as Craic Team Takes Over The Stoop'. It compared the match day experience of the two teams, Quins did not come out well. With the benefit of hindsight our early eviction from The Stoop and subsequent reluctant move to The Madejski was one of the best things that has happened to our club, Quins did us a favour. It didn't feel like it at the time.

I have to say that I have always liked Quins. As with any club, indeed perhaps a tad more than most, they have their traditionalist wing. You know the sort, blazers in the clubhouse pre-match, polite applause only during the game, committee members to a tee. This branch of Quins support has been the butt of some of my attempts at humour down the years in the Quins r Fab series of articles. Once regarded as an 'Establishment' club, partly because of The Stoop's location, they have done very well shaking off that reputation. Full credit here should go to the 'Diamond Geezers', a loose group of supporters who refused to be taken too seriously and started wearing multi-coloured chefs trousers to games. Those of you who have been to the Stoop will know that, whilst a bit small for professional rugby at present, it is a lovely ground with one of the best bars in the country. I also admire the fact that on match days Quins go out of their way to be child friendly, even to the extent of making the supporters suffer 'Charlies Angels' at half time.

Our last game against Quins was at The Stoop back in September, in this they beat us 15 - 10. Whilst it was disappointing to lose this game we took consolation in the bonus point and the fact that we were at that stage the first club to have tamed their new star winger Ugo Moyne. We would do well to remember what a potent force he can be.

Like us Quins have had a bright start to the season but have tailed off somewhat. Like us they are sitting mid-table having recently narrowly lost some games they could and should have won. Like us they see this weekends game as crucial to any chance of Heineken Cup qualification although they do have an alternative route via the PPS.

This is a close one to call. Given how well we've performed in our two recent games against Bath, the fact that Quins are also suffering a losing streak and home advantage we might just shade this.