Preview: Bristol Rugby v Harlequins

A relatively quiet weekend in Premiership Rugby, with three Teams playing in the EDF semi finals in Cardiff on Saturday,. There are just three premiership games scheduled this week with Harlequins travelling down to the West Country to meet Bristol Rugby, in what will be their fifth fixture between the two clubs this season, Kick off at the Memorial Stadium is at 15.00 on Easter Sunday March 23rd

Withthree Guinness Premiership teams playing down in Cardiff, in the Anglo, Anglo,Anglo-Welsh Cup semi finals, and their Round 17 games already having beenplayed, we have only three fixtures this weekend, spread across three days ofthe holiday. By Sunday night it had been planned that all clubs would be on thesame number of games played but following two weather postponed matches Sale,Newcastle and Wasps (twice) will still be playing catch up, for the rest of theseason, and certainly Quins supporters will have a “weather eye” open on Saleand Wasps both of whom can affect Quins final position in this seasonspremiership. Those Wasps are such a nuisance.

 * Bristol Rugby deductedone point for fielding an ineligible player 

As has been reported,the blustery conditions played a part in Harlequins victory over second placedBath last weekend, earning the team some temporary “respect” from allBristolians, until Sunday at least. This was Quins fourth win in five matches,which has seen them beat both the 1^st and the then 2^ndplaced teams in successive home wins. A total of seventeen point out of amaximum of twenty five have been picked up over the past month, their onlydefeat coming against Wasps, which after just watching ion DVD left mefrustrated and disappointed that we were not able to come a way with a win fromthat match. The Telegraph reported that “ That the Wind never faded at TheStoop and neither did Harlequins storming home to their victory”  Quins were of course aided by their ownStorm Force 8, 9 and 10 in the form of Guest,  and the skills of Care and Jarvis, who between them securedall the points. Much maligned by a number is supporters I will be sorry to seeJarvis leave at the end of the season to join Bristol, after following hisprogression through the seconds on a Monday night at The Stoop. He has been inform these past few weeks and we can expect him to show the crowd at theMemorial Ground what to expect next season in the same way as Luscombe showedthe traveling Warriors at The Stoop the other week

Sundaysmatch will be the fifth meeting of the clubs this season. Bristol have the upperhand after winning the pre season friendly at The Stoop at the start ofSeptember, and both les of the Heineken cup back in December. When they met inthe Premiership back in October it was Quins who won a fairly close match24-18, a result which saw Quins temporarily top the Premiership that daypending the result of Gloucester’s game. The win against Bath propelled Quinsback up to fifth place ensuring a top six place for the 16^th timethis season. With Sale not playing this weekend the incentive to win will beeven greater as it will result in Quins moving up to fourth, and back into theplay off places. A drawn match will also move then up one place, anything lessas we remain in fifth. It is certainly tight at the top of the Premiership, andin the positions between 4th and 7^th. Every point could proveprecious as we begin the run in to the end of the season

Thereis no doubt this will be just as difficult a match as they always are away toBristol, where Quins do not have particularly good record, Harlequins have loston their last seven visits to the Memorial Stadium, including a 20-7 loss therein the Heineken Cup in December. Ironically a year ago Bristol were at the topof the Premiership and their 8 and 9 partnership in Ward Smith and Perry weretipped for accolades with the England squad at the World cup. Yet followinginjury it  was the Quins 8-9partnership of Easter and Gommarsal that prevailed, and now the future Englandscrum half Danny Care has made himself first choice at No 9. On their currentform both teams will feel confident. Bristol Rugby have won back to backmatches, after their 28 -8 demolition of Newcastle last weekend and are goingfor a third successive victory for the first time for eleven months.Bristol lost their last “home” game at Ashton Gate but have been defeated justonce at Memorial Stadium in the Premiership this season 13-26 by Leicester inSeptember. Bristol are currently in ninth position, and almost “mathematicallysafe”. Many of their supporters are hoping that they can push in these finalweeks of the season to attain a finish in seventh and hopefully gain a crucialHeineken place if either Wasps or Leicester win that trophy. Seventh isrealistic for Bristol with Saracens on the slide and with indifferent form fromLondon Irish who are away at Bath on Saturday. If Bath win they will close thegap and could go top, but will need a high points difference or winning bonuspoint. Harlequins are the second best side in the Guinness Premiership oncurrent form having picked up 19 league points from their last six matches,with their only loss in their last five encounters was 25-29 at Wasps two weeksago.

Thisis hard match to predict and it will be tight. The tide seems to be turning inQuins favour, as we saw against Saracens a few weeks ago. This was another awayvenue wear Quins had not won for a number of years.  I’ve got to go with a Quins win but Bristol will pick up abonus point. The London Evening Standard on Thursday has the match down as aloss for Harlequins, just as they have done for the last six weeks!

HappyEaster, and we certainly hope he will be by 5.00pm on Sunday afternoon!

You’ve not seennothing like the

Mighty Quins!

Other matches this weekend:

 * Round 16 for Newcastle