Sale Send Quins Down

By Prof
May 4 2005

Well what a game and what an atmosphere, to the impartial observer it was a cracker – one team fighting for Premiership survival, the other looking to guarantee a place in the top three for the chance of being crowned champions.

The weather was glorious, the pitch was full of minis games before kick off, the back pitch had a Quins Ladies coaching session for girls on it. There was almost a carnival atmosphere, but there was also an edge to it.

Whilst greeting old friends in the bars handshakes were firmer, the look in the eye was steelier, the jaws set squarer. The fans at least seemed up for the fight, had they been ready to storm the walls of Harfleur they couldn’t have looked fiercer – their fair nature was certainly disguised with hard-favour’d rage.

Any idea that the team weren’t up to the challenge was quashed the minute they came out to warm up with the crowd getting behind them – the fierce look on Andre Vos’ face was something to behold - it was a noise that didn’t let up until the final whistle.

The first points on the board came from Jeremy Staunton, Nick ‘Minty’ Easter bashed the ball up in midfield, it was recycled quickly, So’oialo passed to Staunton who dummied a pass back inside to Mike Worsley and slipped though the defence untouched to score just to the right of the posts. He easily added the extra points.

On the quarter hour Duffy kicked for touch, Hayter (who had a storming game) threw accurately and a driving maul was set up, it crashed over the line and it took the loyal Quins support not time at all to spot what it took the video ref. a few minutes to work out – Hayter had scored. Staunton missed the tricky kick but Quins were 12-0 up.

Sale then got on the scoreboard with a powerful driving maul followed by some excellent recycling which sucked in defenders to create a huge overlap. Hanley dived over and Hodgson added the extras. Hodgson then closed the gap to two points with a penalty, 12-10.

But the scoring for the half wasn’t over, Cueto missed touch with a kick and Keogh ran it back across the pitch before passing to Harder who charged forward, offloading in the tackle to Duffy who was in support. Duffy ran under the posts unopposed to score, Staunton added the extras and Quins went in at half time with a nine point lead.

Staunton (1) and Hodgson (2) scored penalties in the second half before Sale scored their second try of the game through Cueto who showed great power and pace, first breaking a tackle from Greenwood and then outpacing Gavin Duffy, Sale were ahead for the first time in the match (22-23).

In the 75^th minute Staunton had the chance to put Quins back in the lead with a 40m+ penalty straight in front of the posts. He kicked the ball high and straight, the North Stand erupted as the ball went towards the posts but out of sight above the roof. Then reality dawned, the rest of the ground was silent, the kick had drifted just inches to the left of the uprights, Sale were still in the lead.

The pack tried to gain good possession and field positing to try to set up a last minute drop-goal attempt but Mr Pearson blew his whistle signaling the end of the game and signaling Harlequin FC’s last moment in the Premiership for a while.

The Quins contingent of the crowd was silenced for the first time, but then one by one everyone stood to clap both teams from the pitch in the time honoured fashion at rugby.

Mark Evans gave a dignified and heartfelt press conference for Sky before heading over to the press room.

What is your view on the game?

We had survival for seventy minutes then we missed a kick at goal and time ran out.

How confident were you at half time?

It doesn’t matter how I felt at half time, the result at full time was all that matters.

When you were 12-0 up do you think it was a bad decision to kick for the corner rather than kick for goal?

We had already scored tries from lineouts, if we had scored another it would have been seen as a good decision.

If you had shown that same aggression all season do you think you would have stayed up?

I thought we deserved to win today. We have been inconsistent along with five other teams this season. This is like a game of musical chairs, one time Bristol ended up with no seat this time it was us. If you look at who were the worst teams over the last eight games it would probably be Gloucester and Newcastle. Sale are starting to look like they might be one of the big three or four teams.

What would you have done if you had your time again?

I’d have probably gone into journalism.

And if you could have this season again?

I would have made the ref.’s whistle four seconds faster at Northampton and it would have been nice if our crowd could have given the penalty decision today rather than the touch judges. We got off to a very poor start this season but we looked like we had gotten out of it by game eighteen,

Are the people who were coming still coming?

I’m not going to answer that.

Do you think it just comes down to games like up at Newcastle when you were the better side but lost by one point?

We had a wobble up at Franklin’s Gardens and we had a wobble at 77 today. We thought the kick had gone over when the crowd roared – we couldn’t see from the dugout.

Do you have any regrets?

I regret we got relegated. There is no fate, nothing is pre-destined. The league table says we were the worst team this season. People in the know realise that the margins between 12^th and 5^th are minimal. You can tell now the sorts of teams that will be in the same place next season.

What is the dressing room like?

The dressing room is very down and there is a degree of disbelief. I told them I was very proud of them. From minute one they were energetic, well organised, I couldn’t have asked more of them. I thought the fans were fantastic from the warm up onwards. I am sure they’ll stick with us.

Do you think you’ll bounce straight back like Bristol?

You tell me at the end of next season that Bristol bounced straight back – Rotherham bounced straight back. Quins won’t go under, we’ll keep a lot of the same guys together. But don’t let anyone think that this isn’t a major blow both financially and on the playing side.

What will be different next season?

Well, we won’t see any of you lot next season.

What about that missed penalty?

It was the most expensive kick in British club rugby. The kid struck it real well, it just drifted past the left post.

Is your job on the line, do you feel under threat?

What responsibility do you have?

I have total responsibility – I’m the one in charge.

Is Dean Richards coming as Director of Rugby?

No comment, I said I would make announcements at the end of the season. There are two weekends left until the end of the season, more if you want to count Jonno’s testimonial match.. You’ll have to wait, then I’ll communicate with the press and fans.

Do you have any complaints at the result?

There is no point complaining about results. When it’s within a score you know it’s been a live ball-game.

Do you think you were wrong to mention 37 points as the target for teams to avoid relegation?

I think it will be very similar next year, but there may be different parties at the dance.

How confident are you that you’ll keep your senior players?

We have had a broad brush look already but we’ll start looking at details now.

Do you think the summer signings were the problem?

That’s difficult for me to answer that without looking like I’m pointing fingers which I won’t do. I thought the team were terrific today. Philippe came up to me after the game and said “you didn’t deserve to lose that”.

Did you do anything different this week to normal?

There wasn’t much time, we mainly looked at videos and how to counter their guys.

And that was the end of the press conference, I left the packed and stuffy press room to get on with the usual post-match routine of sharing a few beers with some of the opposition supporters and chatting about the game.

So that’s pretty much the end of our season, next year we will be travelling to see some new teams at some new grounds and to make some new friends. ND1 is an increasingly hard league to play in there are some good teams in it with fanatical supporters and big money backers.

Next year will be hard, very hard, and it is now that we all need to show our true colours.

Let’s hope the hacks who have denounced Harlequin FC as being a club with no heart, no passion, and have predictably wheeled out the old clichés of a ‘posh and arrogant club’ with no supporters, only people who ‘turn up in their vintage open-topped sports cars to be seen’ will start to realise that we are a rugby club first and foremost and that we are all bitterly disappointed to be relegated but that the club will pull together and strive to regain the glory years. Perhaps they might even bother to come down to the club and actually watch a game and share a pint in the bar afterwards….

I hope you all have a good summer, here’s to getting back to winning ways in National Division 1.