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Author Topic: Team v Irish  (Read 3386 times)

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Donuts

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Team v Irish
« on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:00* »
HEAD OF RUGBY PAUL GUSTARD HAS NAMED THE HARLEQUINS TEAM TO FACE LONDON IRISH AT THE STOOP THIS WEDNESDAY (SEPTEMBER 9, KICK-OFF 19:45), WITH FULLBACK AARON MORRIS SET TO MAKE HIS 50TH APPEARANCE IN THE QUARTERS.

Gustard makes eleven changes to the starting line-up that played in front of 3500 at The Stoop last weekend as the Club hosted Premiership Rugby’s first DCMS pilot event allowing fans back within stadiums. Among the team changes this week and set to make their full Harlequins debuts from the bench, new Springbok signing Andre Esterhuizen and England U20 second row George Hammond are named in the matchday 23 as Harlequins look to bounce back from defeat to Bath last week.

Returning to the starting XV, fly-half Marcus Smith will look to surpass 500 Gallagher Premiership points, with the young playmaker currently sitting on 491 points to date. Only former England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson will have reached this Premiership milestone at a younger age, while Smith would become only the third Harlequin of all time to score 500 points in the Premiership.

Commenting on this week’s team announcement, Gustard said: “We are looking for a positive response to the game at the weekend where we didn’t maximise or convert the opportunities we created. We’ve reflected on the game honestly and openly in training this week and have picked a team we feel are motivated and determined to perform against a strong Irish side.

“We are immensely pleased to name academy product George Hammond for his first Premiership appearance amongst our Game Changers alongside new signing Andre Esterhuizen who is also in line to make his first appearance.”

Harlequins starting XV:
1. Santiago Garcia Botta (21)
2. Scott Baldwin (17)
3. Simon Kerrod (26)
4. Dino Lamb (31)
5. Stephan Lewies (19)
6. Tom Lawday (17)
7. Chris Robshaw (298) - Captain
8. James Chisholm (94)
9. Scott Steele (5)
10. Marcus Smith (83)
11. Nathan Earle (29)
12. James Lang (66)
13. Luke Northmore (5)
14. Cadan Murley (32)
15. Aaron Morris (49)

Game Changers:
16. Joe Gray (160)
17. Marc Thomas (1)
18. Will Collier (175)
19. George Hammond (0)
20. Archie White (28)
21. Martin Landajo (19)
22. Andre Esterhuizen (0)
23. Ross Chisholm (119)

Unavailable for selection:
Wilco Louw, Tyrone Green

Unavailable due to injury:
Jordan Els, Craig Trenier, Joe Marler, Matt Symons, Paul Lasike, Chris Ashton, Michele Campagnaro

Donuts

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:02* »
Interesting to see Andre E on the bench

WellingQuin

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:05* »
London Irish:
15 James Stokes
14 Dan Norton
13 Ross Neal
12 Phil Cokanasiga
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins
10 Jacob Atkins
9 Ben Meehan

1 Allan Dell
2 Matt Cornish
3 Ollie Hoskins
4 Ben Donnell
5 Chunya Munga
6 Jack Cooke (c)
7 Josh Smart
8 Isaac Curtis-Harris

Replacements:
16 Ben Atkins, 17 Harry Elrington, 18 Lovejoy Chawatama, 19 George Nott, 20 Izaiha Moore-Aiono, 21 Caolan Englefield, 22 Brendan Macken, 23 Tom Homer

SiB

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:06* »
Really odd statement


Commenting on this week’s team announcement, Gustard said: “We are looking for a positive response to the game at the weekend where we didn’t maximise or convert the opportunities we created. We’ve reflected on the game honestly and openly in training this week and have picked a team we feel are motivated and determined to perform against a strong Irish side.

WellingQuin

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:07* »
Marler, Symons, Lasike and Ashton all added to the injury list. Hoping nothing serious for any of them.

Liverpoolquin

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:12* »
Looking forward to seeing Hammond and Esterhuizen off the bench,  hopefully Hammond can provide some competition with Young and Cuvabati for the third choice spot. Irish have gone for a pretty young team and look to have rested a lot of their first choice players. Judging on the two teams this should be a good game for Quins but who knows.

never sleep

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:20* »
Looking at this team, I am guessing that the view is that the fly halves are Smith and Herron and that Lang is only considered as a centre.

Echo WellingQuin's comment re injuries. Hope none of them are too bad.

Actually looking forward to seeing Dan Norton play - he is seriously quick (40m in 4.78 seconds)  What do they put into the water at Gloucester for them to produce so many flyers?

Narbia

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:21* »
That's a very young team from Irish, with the front row (and its bench) experienced.  The Irish captain is what, 20 years old, and first game in charge.

I expect Quins will win it, but I want to see lots of running rugby from Irish. Enjoy  :)

TomBuckQuin

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 12:53* »
Looking at this team, I am guessing that the view is that the fly halves are Smith and Herron and that Lang is only considered as a centre.

I think Lang is seen primarily as a centre, but he provides flexibility to move to 10 later in games, or can be replacement 10 off the bench. Hence Esterhuizen takes 22 shirt and no Herron on the bench. I think we'll see him move between 10 and centre.

Annoyingly, Lang's best games for me came when he played at 13 (think Marchant was injured) - I think last season. Marchant is a nailed on starter when fit and I suspect Esterhuizen is expected to start at 12 more often than not when fit too given his marquee player status. Basically, Lang is the perfect back up utility centre/fly half but I do wonder if he'll get frustrated when he is benched more and more. Good problem to have, just tricky to keep all parties happy long term.

And with Lasike, Campagnaro, Taps, Northmore, Anyanwu in behind, at centre we have the kind of depth we DESPERATELY need in other areas of the squad. I think we'll probably see at least Taps and Campagnaro move on at the end of their current contracts - and even then, we'd still have really good depth.

poorfour

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #9 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 13:00* »
I tend to think of Lang as being similar in style of play to Farrell - but just short of the heft and aggression that enables Farrell to play 12 at a high level. I agree I'd rather see him at 13 than 12.

Worrying that Lasike, Symons, Marler and Ashton are injured - they've been among the more consistent performers so hope it's short term stuff.

poorfour

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 13:01* »
Also, do we get a double time allowance for the Robshaws?

T-Bone

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #11 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 13:29* »
Decent team. Not much to play for for the rest of the season other than pride. I know we need to finished top 8 but that really should be more or less guaranteed. It would be good to see some players trying to play for a starting position next season, not just accepting back up status

Neil Quinnock

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #12 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 13:53* »
Odd selection by Irish. I'd have thought they'd have targetted this game as a possible win given Quins current form. Unless they're confident their young tyros can rip us to shreds.

KentQuin

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #13 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 14:04* »
Lang (and Gustard's use of him) is an interesting one. I don't see him as a 13. He has lots of qualities but real gas isn't one of them.

Gustard has chopped and changed between him and Lasike at 12 and they're polar opposites in terms of style. I've often thought that he needs to make up his mind as to whether he wants his 12 to be a second playmaker or crash ball gain line merchant.  With Esterheuizen's arrival, it looks like he's decided on the latter. Looking forward to seeing big Andre at work. He's a unit but has a good all round game.

I'd like to see Lang used primarily as an out and out FH and putting pressue on Smith, and as an option at 12 if conditiins dictate a kick fest or route one isn't working.

Based on the line ups we should see off Irish relatively comfortably (famous last words!). I think Declan Kidney is using the remaining games to run the rule over his options for next season, which is sensible forward planning.
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never sleep

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Re: Team v Irish
« Reply #14 on: Tuesday 08-Sep-2020, 14:22* »
Decent team. Not much to play for for the rest of the season other than pride. I know we need to finished top 8 but that really should be more or less guaranteed. It would be good to see some players trying to play for a starting position next season, not just accepting back up status

Not sure I agree about this.
We need to finish top 8.  We are currently 8th. We are due to play the team in 9th. If we get 0 points and they get 5 points, then we will have a challenging end to the season. I doubt that we will beat Glos away.
I think that we have to win or draw this one, or even lose with 2 BPs. otherwise, we will be looking over our shoulder.
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