MARC THOMAS SIGNS FOR QUINS ON SHORT-TERM DEAL
Friday, 7th August 2020 @ 12:00

HARLEQUINS SIGN LOOSEHEAD PROP MARC THOMAS ON SHORT-TERM DEAL FOR REMAINDER OF 2019/20 SEASON

A former teammate of Harlequins coach Adam Jones at Welsh Pro14 side the Ospreys, experienced campaigner Thomas joins Harlequins, adding further depth to the Club’s options in the one jersey.

Thomas, 30, has previously played for the Ospreys, Jersey Reds, Cardiff Blues, Yorkshire Carnegie and Doncaster Knights. Having impressed the Club’s coaching staff during a two-week trial period, Thomas joins the Club for the remainder of the current season.

Commenting on his short-term deal with the Club, Thomas said: “I’m really enjoying it here and everyone has been really welcoming. When I left the Ospreys it was one of my goals three years ago to get to the Prem, and maybe it’s taken a little longer than I’d hoped, but if I get the opportunity now it would be something I’d be very proud of.

“To be honest it’s just getting better and better week by week, and I’m only here short term at the moment but hopefully I can prepare the team as well as I can, and get an opportunity.”

Commenting on Thomas’s arrival, Head of Rugby Paul Gustard said: “We have been looking for a fourth loosehead to add to the squad since we have no specialists in that position in our Academy pathway at the moment, and in such an attritional position we feel we needed another experienced player to add to the quality we have at the Club.

“We are delighted to add Chopper [Thomas] to join the calibre of Joe Marler, a British and Irish Lion, Santiago Garcia Botta, capped 34 times by Argentina, and the best loosehead in the Championship in Jordan Els, but we felt we needed some extra cover in that fourth loosehead slot.

“Marc is well known to Bomb having played at the Ospreys, he knows Scott Baldwin well, is a very good scrum technician and is a tough kid. He’s fitted into the group really well on a trial basis, really impressed us as a person and we felt it was important with coming in so late into the pre-season that he was someone the boys could really connect with. He’s got a great energy around him.

“We felt he thoroughly deserved the opportunity to have a crack and we’re delighted to have him for the next couple of months.

“I know all the Quins fans join me in welcoming Chopper, and his wife and child to the Club.”

Makes me wonder about George Head.  Started as a LH but played Hooker for the A Team.  I wonder if that is now a permanent switch for him

I still had George Head in my list as a LH. Thanks for for the clarification.

Yep. That plus Louw’s arrival is delayed and Trenier is injured.

Gussy is clearly a big fan of Els. I think he could leapfrog Garcia Botta quite quickly and from what I’ve seen he looks more like an Ellis Genge type of prop which would be good.

I wonder if Garcia is looking to retire soon? Not sure when his contract is up, but he's mid-thirties now.

SGB is actually 28.

My memory may be less than perfect here, but I think Head played Hooker through the England age groups. I always had him down as a Hooker who covered LH rather than the reverse.

Also, Marc Thomas does have a highlights video, but it’s proper potato-cam stuff, and this seems more fun;