Quins Miss Out On The Spring Sales

Another season and I find myself heading up the M6 for the annual match away versus Sale Sharks. Gave myself an extra hour for the journey to cater for the normal motorway delays only to find myself parked and eating a sandwich 90 minutes before kick-off, better that than getting to game late. Really not sure what to expect this year with all the doom and gloom from some of the fans, is COS saying he is leaving at the end of the season such a big deal, how about the increasing number of injuries with Swiel and Stanley both out for the rest of the season adding to the list and of course the loss of the 6 Nations players? The bottom line is we just have to get through it, the amazing thing is that despite the run of losses, we are still well in touch of a top four spot. Interesting to note that the last team to win away at Sale in the premiership was Quins last season but worryingly Sharks have beaten Wasps, Exeter and Tigers since the start of the year as well as a drawn game with Sarries. 

Good to see Tim Visser in the team as well as the return of Nick Easter but I have to say I always feel a bit nervous when I see Matt Hopper in the line up, never quite sure what sort of game he is going to have although that is probably being unfair. Not a bad looking Quins team on paper and the weather not anything like as bad as it could have been, it is all down to finding a performance. After a lot of thought, otherwise known as guesswork, I posted my prediction, Sale 25, Quins 21.

From the kick off Merrick gathered the ball and Quins straightaway showed their intent to play the ball in hand but Sinkler eventually penalised for blocking a good run from Ross Chisholm. Ben Botica eventually had to resort to one of those aimless kicks into the Sharks half only to allow fullback Haley to run the ball straight back. Compare that to the Sarries kick and chase game where there are invariably a couple of players chasing and waiting to challenge the fielder once he has caught the ball. The first points went to Sharks from a Joe Ford penalty 35 metres out following Nick Easter being penalised for kicking the ball out of Cussiters hands, 3 - 0 after 4 minutes. Quins chased the short kick off and were immediately onto the attack with some penetrating runs at one time getting within 10m of the Sharks line. Eventually the Sharks hooker Briggs was penalised for not rolling away to allow Ben Botica a shot at goal from 25m out, kick made to look easy, 3 - 3 after 9 minutes. Ford kicked the restart straight into touch and Quins opted for a scrum centre field which they hooked but were then shoved off the ball before Nick Easter could do anything with it. Sharks hacked the ball on and were eventually awarded a scrum 25m closer to the Quins line. Sinkler penalised at the scrum, penalty Sharks and another 3 points from the boot of Ford, 6 - 3 after 14 minutes. Sharks gathered the ball from the restart and eventually kicked up field for Botica to take who slipped the ball to Matt Luamanu who took the ball up to half way before a neat pass to Tim Visser. Visser ran the ball 30m into the Sharks 22 but not enough support when he was brought down and Sharks cleared the ball to touch.

Quins lost the lineout but eventually got the ball back and again had a good attacking period but Sharks number 5 eventually penalised for killing the ball on the Sharks 10m line. Botica kicked the ball into the Sharks 22 and Quins set up a driving maul that was eventually brought down by the other Easter on the field 5m out for another penalty to Quins, bit surprised there was no yellow card there. Botica kicked to touch and the throw was too long but Tebaldi managed to gather it leading to sustained pressure from the Quins forwads who got within half a metre from the try line. A wayward pass to the backs from Tebaldi which left Matt Hopper no option to go to ground with ball which was eventually turned over. Sharks found touch on their 10m line but this time Quins eventually came away with the ball and good handling from Chisholm to Botica to Yarde to Visser to Hopper who dropped the ball. After just one scrum reset Sharks were again on the attack when Easter was penalised, a high tackle I think, and Sharks awarded a penalty 40m from the Quins line. Ford produced another good kick to bring the score to 9 - 3 after 27 minutes. A bit against the run of play in my undoubted slightly biased view. A period of scrappy play followed with both teams appearing to try too hard. Quins awarded a penalty 40m out after Ioane tackled the man without the ball, kick by Botica duly converted, 9 - 6 after 32 minutes. A poor clearance kick from Sharks found the ball with Botica who neatly slipped the ball to Tim Visser on half way who sprinted down the touch line to score the first try of the match. Ben Botica added the extra 2 points with a good kick to bring the score to 9 - 13 after 38 minutes. No more points were added before the half time whistle and I thought Quins were good value for their lead at the break.

No changes to either side for the start of the second half and Quins spend the first few minutes holding onto the ball but not making too many inroads into Sharks territory and then lose the ball for side entry into the ruck by Mark Lambert. The weather has now turned nasty with heavy sleet as Sharks kick their penalty to touch on the halfway line. Sharks lose the ball from the lineout but regain it and Quins are penalised for bringing down the maul. Sharks kick to touch to within 10m of the Quins line, set up the driving maul which is stopped illegally by Horwell and Sharks once again elect to kick to touch, this time only 5m out. Sharks once again set up the driving maul, and Quins who had been warned of a possible yellow card had little option to allow Ioane to go over the line for Sharks first try of the match. A fairly straightforward conversion by Ford to bring the score to 16 - 13 after 50 minutes seemed to bring Quins to life but the attack ended after a high tackle on Marland Yarde by Seymour. Yarde stayed down for several minutes and it seemed as though he must have fallen badly as he had to be escorted off the field holding his arm and obviously in some pain. Yarde was replaced by Charlie Walker while Botica kicked a penalty from 48m to bring the scores level at 16 points each on 52 minutes. A bit of aerial ping pong resulted in Botica catching the ball inside the Quins 22 but sliding into touch after calling a mark although I am not sure too many Sharks fans believed him.

A few minutes later a scrum was awarded to Quins which appeared to be a cue for Sharks to change their entire front row with Taylor, Harrisson and Corbilas replacing Lewis-Roberts, Briggs and Mujati. Quins win the ball after one scrum reset and great offloading brought play into the Sharks 22 before the ball is ripped away from Tebaldi but Quins hold the player up to win the scrum. Play is stopped for a head injury to Chris Cussiter who got his head in the wrong position while tackling Visser, must say he looked very groggy walking off. The everlasting Peter Skinner came on as replacement with the sun now shining. From the scrum Quins once again made no real progress being held 10m out from the Sharks line and were eventually penalised for holding on in the tackle. Ford cleared the penalty kick to touch which was the signal for him to be replaced by Danny Cipriani and Cameron Nield on for Mark Easter with 23 minutes of the match left. Quins are penalised at the lineout and another penalty brings Sharks into the Quins half. Charlie Matthews and Will Collier replaced George Merrick and Kyle Sinkler respectively. Another penalty awarded to Sharks against an unhappy Dave Ward and this time Cipriani elects to kick for the points. Unfortunately, unlike last week, Cipriani is wearing his kicking boots and adds the 3 points, 19 - 16 after 60 minutes. From the kick off, some good play from by Sharks resulted in a very well taken try by winger Addison after a deft offload from Sam James set him up for a 40m dash to the tryline. Cipriani added the 2 points and all of a sudden the game has gone away from Quins, 26 -16 after 63 minutes.

Quins mount another attack with a good break by Walker down the right wing but he is eventually bundled into touch to give Sharks a lineout just inside their 22. Sharks clear the ball to the 10m line and following the lineout the ball is kicked into the Quins 22 where Luke Wallace cleans up but Matt Hopper is penalised for going to ground. Sharks kick to the corner and Quins penalised for pulling down in the lineout to give Cipriani another kick for a goal. Score now 29 - 16 with time running out for Quins. Mills on for Sharks to replace Ostirkov with 11 minutes remaining. Quins upping the pace again but a combination of good defence from Sharks and silly mistakes is stopping any real progress. Somewhere Joe Marchant came on for Hopper followed by Sam Edgerton for Tito Tebaldi as well as Jennings replacing Haley for Sharks. Quins looking a bit desperate but win a penalty which they kick to touch with less than 4 minutes to go. The ball is won again and Sharks are penalised and Botica kicks right into the corner to give Quins a 5m lineout, no prizes for guessing the plan here. Quins catch the ball and make very slow progress towards the Sharks line but get close enough for Sam Edgerton to make a dummy pass before diving over the line and stretching to score. Botica makes a very good conversion to bring Quins into losing bonus point territory with just over a minute left on the clock. Quins now go looking for the win with Sharks beginning to look somewhat uneasy but the ball is eventually lost and Skinner kicks the ball into touch to end the contest. Final score Sale Sharks 29, Harlequins 23.

I think the turning point of the game was the introduction of Cipriani and to a slightly lesser extent Skinner into the Sale back line as Sale were fairly mediocre up to that point. The loss sees Quins slip into eighth place in the table, but surprisingly still only 5 points off of a playoff position. This really piles on the pressure for the up coming games against Bath and Worcester in the next two weeks. With Marland Yarde joining the injury list and Tim Visser likely to be in the Scotland squad it makes you wonder what sort of team we will be able to field especially with Botica not looking 100% after the game.

What about performances? I thought that the Quins back row played well with some massive hits and line breaks by Matt Luamanu who now seems to be getting his fitness back. Tebaldi is looking better game after game and Ben Botica is beginning show signs of the sort of performances he was putting on when he first joined Quins. Overall, the forwards held their own and Mark Lambert worked like a trojan for the full 80 minutes. Good performance Ross Chisholm but I am afraid that the jury is still out on Matt Hopper.

7562 souls watched the game and it was good to see so many young families in attendance, must be good news for Sharks future. Just to round off the day got soaked walking back to the car after the game, c`est la vie.