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SAUNDERS SIGNS A NEW CONTRACT WITH HARLEQUINS
Friday, 1st February 2019 @ 15:00

SCRUM-HALF HAS LEARNED FROM LEGEND DANNY CARE AND NOW WANTS TO EMULATE HIS SUCCESS AT THE CLUB

Harlequins is pleased to confirm that Niall Saunders has signed a new contract with the Club.

The 21-year-old Scrum-half, who played for Harlequins U18s and has been a key part of the Academy for the past two seasons, has featured in the first team several times this season as Harlequins have enjoyed an excellent start, rising to third in the Gallagher Premiership and reaching the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup.

Saunders, a product of Epsom College and Cobham RFC, has represented Ireland at U18, U19 and U20 levels, following in his father Rob’s footsteps who captained and played Scrum-half for Ireland.

Saunders has been fortunate to have trained under the eye of Club legend Danny Care for the past couple of seasons and Head of Rugby Paul Gustard said that the young Scrum-half has an excellent future at the Club.

“Niall is a brilliant competitor and his willingness to learn and improve his game makes him a great re-signing for us," said Gustard. "He has shown the desperation and perseverance in his life - never mind his career - to demonstrate how much excelling at rugby means to him.

“He has been side-lined with a few injuries this year which has been frustrating but I was very excited about Niall in pre-season with his approach to training and his competitive desire.

“He has a cannon of a left foot, a lightning pass and is exceptionally quick. He has the raw ingredients to become a very good player for us and I am sure we will see this growth happen quickly as he is very coachable.

“He, of course, comes from good stock being son of Rob Saunders and clearly has plenty of his father’s competitiveness.

“Niall is a great presence and personality  to have around the squad and he has contributed well to the momentum we are building at the Club right now. I am really pleased Niall sees his future with us and I am confident in our coaching staff and training programme that we can maximise his precocious talent and help him fulfil his potential and his ambition.”

Saunders said: “I have learned so much through training and playing for the first team here at Harlequins and I am thrilled to be re-signing with the Club.

“There is such a positive attitude running through the whole organisation right now and we are incredibly ambitious with a desire to bring trophies to the Club. It is a great place to be and I am very excited about the future here at The Stoop.”

So pleased with this. Big one for the future hopefully. He really suits our attacking style play.

Happy with this. Mind you, Care will be a huge loss when he retires. None of our other 9s come close.

Good news. But no mention of "fun"? :)

...yet. Saunders definitely has a similar sniping/ quick-footed verve about his play. Maybe not the all-court footballing ability and vision yet. Care is the fulcrum of our play and has been for quite some time but he does have weaknesses and can go missing for large parts of or even whole games when things aren't quite going his way. Just like any 9 really. Scrum half does feel like one position on a rugby field where you can have really differing styles of player fighting for the shirt. Saunders is definitely in the Care mould. Waters looks like more of your classic 9 - and is also absolutely rapid. I have a feeling we'll be okay with those two developing under Danny's tutorship the next couple of years...

Yes but Care is in a league of his own when it comes to game management and dictating play.

I'm talking in the context of Quins, not world rugby!

PDJ. The exception that proves the rule?   

True but he has supported Harlequins as a young boy so that puts us back in a good place in his heart if IRFU do knock