Christmas came early... Harlequins 51:18  Leeds Carnegie

The score line says it all – we scored 7 tries and they scored two (why we let them in, I don’t know - they didn’t deserve any tries – but even so they were no consolation for poor Leeds). To go down by 33 points, their worst loss of the season was as depressing for them, as it was up lifting for us.

However, before kick off,  I had sat there in splendid, freezing, isolation, watching the clouds of steam rising in the air from hot and sweaty rugby players, wondering why we were languishing in 9^th place, and why was I watching a team with un exploited potential ( again), under achieving ( again ) and how did they get a sweat on in that temperature?

My cold cynical brain was chewing over cold cynical facts and I was fed up with my conclusion.

My conclusion was , that I was fed up with watching what amounts to mediocre rugby - as judged by results and position in the table - for yet another year.

….  I admit as THE Founder of the Q-GOMC, I am prone to being very grumpy, ranging from thoughts about the teams performance to the intellectual depths regarding the quality of that dead caterpillar on Duncan’s upper lip.

Oh Alex, how can you sleep with a caterpillar in the bed?

… but it is for a very good cause, so lie back and think of England while caterpillars crawl all over you ….

………..ughhhhhh

but I digress ….

…. on the other hand while I have your attention

1. Why are the Love Girls getting younger ?
2. Are they cheating and wearing flesh coloured body stockings?
3. Why are bald heads so popular – although the steam coming off Robson’s head was quite fascinating, it sort of came off like a cap – equal density all over – fascinating but weird.
4. I am also very p****d o** at getting older than old – there, its been said
   I can’t talk about playing any more – it’s the same as my wars – I feel the same generation as Wellington.

MarkE, before you leave we deserve answers!

…. But back to the game – as I have intimated I was feeling grumpy – so much so, that I ignored Neil Back sitting behind me - in fact I ignored him all game, and he ignored me.

In fact I didn’t hear a whisper from him all game.

Unlike Mike Catt or even better Phillip St Andre.

Mike Catt apologised for profanity and P St A never stopped running up and down twittering in French.

I never did understand how Sale played so well; they didn’t understand a word he said.

On the other hand Backy didn’t have much to get excited about – it was as though he expected the drubbing they got, and what a drubbing.

Honestly, I was shocked.

I can’t remember a worse team performance at the Stoop (unless it was us, in that awful game against Worchester these many years ago)

BUT Leeds did score first and there was suddenly that Q-GOMC moment.

However, after tries by Robshaw, Dickson, Snapper, Guest, BrownM, Chisholm and Brooker that Q-GOMC moment was finally denied me.

Quins’ supporters were left savouring some fine moments of creative rugby from every quarter.

None finer, absolutely none finer, than the astonishing sprint and I mean SPRINT by a prop.

Not with standing he is 20 years old and has a very streamlined head he is still a PROP.

Sir Jace couldn’t run that fast to the bar – but they have things in common.

Enormous heart, enormous talent and enormous commitment.

Joe Marler, my man of the match.

Our young players came of age in this game.

Leeds were terrible but they still have the capacity to spoil and they tried hard to spoil our parade.

Leeds were not a pretty sight. Looking more like a RL team with bodies spread all over the field, initially as a strategy, finally because they were run ragged and were in a mess.

Leeds have good players but their team ethic seemed none existent – even Blackett’s tries were a bit of a ‘sod its cold and the job is done’ type of try.

Weak consolation tries are never very satisfying – unless they bring a losing bonus point.

…. I do seem to becoming quite good humoured at this point, but that’s what happens when our team behave as they should.

Against a significantly demoralised opposition, they did not drop down to their level, they raised the bar and put the boot in – the result was 5 very valuable points.

Happy Christmas Quins – but there are no more presents under the tree.

On On Quins – the fans expect

PS – Why are we still only 8^th in the League?

I feel a Q-GOMC moment coming on!

You are only as good as your last game