STAFFORD SIGNS FOR QUINS

HARLEQUINS SIGN FORMER MUNSTER SCRUM-HALF JACK STAFFORD

Stafford, 23, joins Harlequins after departing Irish Pro14 side Munster earlier this year, adding further quality in depth in the nine jersey alongside 84-cap international duo Danny Care (England) and Martin Landajo (Argentina), and a fellow new arrival in former London Irish and Scotland U20 halfback Scott Steele.

Experienced with Munster in the Pro14 and British and Irish Cup and with the Ireland U20s, the talented young halfback signs for the Club for the remainder of the 2019/20 season and beyond after impressing during a two-week trial period.

Commenting on his move to The Stoop, Stafford said: “You get an opportunity like this, you’re dropped in at a top club like Harlequins and you’ve an opportunity to improve yourself, and that’s exactly what I want to do. I’m over the moon to be here, it’s brilliant.

“I’ve kinda been in limbo the last couple of months, trying to keep fit, hope for an opportunity, and when this opportunity came about I was delighted and ready to grab it. I’m delighted to be here.

“It’s a young, ambitious group here, which is great. There’s a real competitive edge, a desire to win. And then you’ve got crazy experience in the backline and all across the backline.”

Commenting on Stafford’s arrival, Head of Rugby Paul Gustard said: “In specialist positions you require strength depth to manage injury, illness and form - and there aren’t many positions more specialist than scrum-half. With the unexpected retirement of Niall Saunders we were left short in that position with only Martin and DC contracted with the Club.

“We were delighted to get Scotty [Scott Steele] in earlier this summer, a player we have admired for some time and who has been fantastic, but we felt we needed someone else to add to that group.

“Jerry [Flannery] knows Jack very well from Munster, he’s a tenacious, competitive, talkative nine with all the characteristics of what some would consider a typical Munster environment - he wants to compete, wants the challenge and he wants to win.

“As a person he has a great aptitude to learn and is very coachable. He’s got a decent core skillset and has a desire to improve his game.

“Welcome to the Club, Jack!"

Lots to be said for recruiting players of whom the coaches have first hand prior experience. Should avoid howlers like we've seen at times in the past.

I'm wondering if the current climate has led to players scrabbling around for short term contracts on lower money, and us taking advantage of that. It's a cheap way to get a good look at players before committing to them long term.

Maybe but doubt this is about that.

4 SH is very standard for a club I think