Preview: Saracens v Harlequins
By Wydnej
March 30 2012
So the BIG game is upon us once again, as Wembley stadium prepares to cope with the biggest rugby crowd in England to date. The fixture makers couldn’t have dreamed up a better scenario, top of the league plays second, and there’s only 3 points in it. Epic stuff boys and girls.
Looking at the teams we have polar opposites in regards of momentum. Harlequins started... and maintained a freight train like assault on the Premiership, winning their first 13 games, a feat never before accomplished. However over the past couple of months the train has started to resemble British Rail of old... Defeats against Sarries, Leicester and minnows like Connaught (where Quins tumbled out of the Heineken Cup after starting so well) have indicated a tired squad, potentially burnt out from tremendous early season efforts. Fair play to Quins though they have ploughed out some tough wins whilst not playing well, normally the mark of champions.
Saracens have been another matter, having kept in touch with Harlequins throughout the season they have come on strong in the past few months, and have had the benefit of the England team further developing their set of talented youngsters, not to mention the resurgence of Charlie Hodgson who now has the backs playing as a unit to compliment their South African based pack. Crushing Sale only last weekend by running in 5 tries looks ominous for any Harlequins fans who hoped that the traditional Saracens tight play would allow them leeway to attack out wide.
There are some crucial match ups all around the park, individually I think you have to say Saracens are stronger, however you can’t take anything away from the team ethic of Harlequins, especially as they welcome back captain Chris Robshaw, who was sent on a week long holiday after his captaincy exploits for England during the 6Nations.
The back row will be well contested, although with Berger and Brown out who are normally so devastating Quins can be seen to have the upper hand. Robshaw will be looking to marshal a strong pack which will have Conor O’Shea choosing between tyro Luke Wallace, so impressive since debuting this season (although his haircut will make him less obvious around the field!) or old hand Will Skinner at openside flanker. This should be an area where Quins can take the advantage with the unfortunate news that Andy Saul has been ruled out with a nasty dislocated knee for Sarries.
At the coal face it will be an interesting meeting between fellow England players, Matt Stevens and the young Quins prop Joe Marler. Marler didn’t get a look in at the 6 Nations as Stevens was predominantly selected for his flexibility in being able to cover both positions at prop. A fantastic opportunity for Marler to impress newly installed permanent England boss, Stuart Lancaster. He will just have to hope that the referee is as lenient on his comrade James Johnston’s binding as Wayne Barnes was when he played Bath last weekend or all his good work will be undone on the other side of the pack.
In the back line, Saracens look formidable, with the England trio of Charlie Hodgson, Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt calling the shots, looking out to the wings they have David Strettle, also back from England duty and Fijian sensation Michael Tagicakibau. In response Harlequins back line has been lacking in dynamism in recent games, with only George Lowe and probably substitute Matt Hooper (he of the suspect defence) offering spark as opposed to the honest toil of Jordan Turner-Hall.
The other perplexing thing for Quins is the form of Nick Evans, for the past few seasons quite easily the best No10 in the country. How the All Blacks must have wished they could select him when Dan Carter went down in the World Cup. However since the turn of the year his form has been less than acceptable for a player of his standard, almost seems as if he is trying to infuriate Quins fans as he has been slotting extremely difficult kicks and missing regulation efforts. He needs to come good if Quins are to have any hope of causing what would be a minor upset here.
All in all, the weather looks good and this is set for a humdinger...
COME ON YOU QUINS¬!!!!!!!!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:03:30:10:38:16 by The Prof.
"So the BIG game is upon us once again, as Wembley stadium prepares to cope with the biggest rugby crowd in England to date.
The fixture makers couldn’t have dreamed up a better scenario, top of the league plays second, and there’s only 3 points in it. Epic stuff boys and girls.
Looking at the teams we have polar opposites in regards of momentum. Harlequins started... and maintained a freight train like assault on the Premiership, winning their first 13 games, a feat never before accomplished. However over the past couple of months the train has started to resemble British Rail of old... Defeats against Sarries, Leicester and minnows like Connaught (where Quins tumbled out of the Heineken Cup after starting so well) have indicated a tired squad, potentially burnt out from tremendous early season efforts. Fair play to Quins though they have ploughed out some tough wins whilst not playing well, normally the mark of champions.
Saracens have been another matter, having kept in touch with Harlequins throughout the season they have come on strong in the past few months, and have had the benefit of the England team further developing their set of talented youngsters, not to mention the resurgence of Charlie Hodgson who now has the backs playing as a unit to compliment their South African based pack. Crushing Sale only last weekend by running in 5 tries looks ominous for any Harlequins fans who hoped that the traditional Saracens tight play would allow them leeway to attack out wide.
There are some crucial match ups all around the park, individually I think you have to say Saracens are stronger, however you can’t take anything away from the team ethic of Harlequins, especially as they welcome back captain Chris Robshaw, who was sent on a week long holiday after his captaincy exploits for England during the 6Nations.
The back row will be well contested, although with Berger and Brown out who are normally so devastating Quins can be seen to have the upper hand. Robshaw will be looking to marshal a strong pack which will have Conor O’Shea choosing between tyro Luke Wallace, so impressive since debuting this season (although his haircut will make him less obvious around the field!) or old hand Will Skinner at openside flanker. This should be an area where Quins can take the advantage with the unfortunate news that Andy Saul has been ruled out with a nasty dislocated knee for Sarries.
At the coal face it will be an interesting meeting between fellow England players, Matt Stevens and the young Quins prop Joe Marler. Marler didn’t get a look in at the 6 Nations as Stevens was predominantly selected for his flexibility in being able to cover both positions at prop. A fantastic opportunity for Marler to impress newly installed permanent England boss, Stuart Lancaster. He will just have to hope that the referee is as lenient on his comrade James Johnston’s binding as Wayne Barnes was when he played Bath last weekend or all his good work will be undone on the other side of the pack.
In the back line, Saracens look formidable, with the England trio of Charlie Hodgson, Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt calling the shots, looking out to the wings they have David Strettle, also back from England duty and Fijian sensation Michael Tagicakibau. In response Harlequins back line has been lacking in dynamism in recent games, with only George Lowe and probably substitute Matt Hooper (he of the suspect defence) offering spark as opposed to the honest toil of Jordan Turner-Hall.
The other perplexing thing for Quins is the form of Nick Evans, for the past few seasons quite easily the best No10 in the country. How the All Blacks must have wished they could select him when Dan Carter went down in the World Cup. However since the turn of the year his form has been less than acceptable for a player of his standard, almost seems as if he is trying to infuriate Quins fans as he has been slotting extremely difficult kicks and missing regulation efforts. He needs to come good if Quins are to have any hope of causing what would be a minor upset here.
All in all, the weather looks good and this is set for a humdinger...
COME ON YOU QUINS¬!!!!!!!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:03:30:09:09:51 by Wydnej.
Just one thing you might want to edit. I think you mean back line rather than back row for the start of the penultimate paragraph.
Cheers
........................................
One of the founder members of the Q-GOMC (promoted to Major Grump) – and proud of it - Bah!
They also have problems in the front row. Carstens returned home at Christmas, Smit is injured, as is Gill. The promising youngster Jared Saunders has also been out for the season, although Mako Vunipola has returned from injury.
Whatever the outcome tomorrow, I hope everyone has a great day in the capital.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
Quote:Monte
Can't wait to see who the first person is to charge through Hodgson!
Nobody managed to charge through him during the 6Ns.
Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered?
As Mo was cited for the Bath game is he still eligible to play on Saturday?
And who's this NickB character you talk of? Is he some level headed realist with a flair for jingoistic optimism too?
Wyddy
Quote:As Mo was cited for the Bath game is he still eligible to play on Saturday?
I think so. I have a feeling ERC citings prevent a player from playing again before the hearing but not AP.
BB
My memory's not so good these days but didn't CoS make a remark to the effect that Nick had to get over the World Cup? Certainly, his dip in form started just after the NZ win.
I think as the pitches harden up again he'll come back to his best.
Lets hope the kick to touch against Bath that went dead is as bad as it gets and it's the road back from here on in...
Wyddy
Sarries by 5 ? maybe
