Harlequins vs Gloucester- Saturday at the Stoop at 5.15 pm

First topic message reminder :

Quins have announced their team:

"Harlequins have named the team that will play Gloucester Rugby in round 8 of the Aviva Premiership at the Twickenham Stoop tomorrow evening, kick-off 5.15pm.
With three players being released back to the club from the England squad, Mike Brown starts at full-back while George Robson takes his usual place in the second row.

Jordan Turner-Hall has also been released and following consultation with the England management, the centre will undergo a rehabilitation and conditioning programme to allow his knee to settle further, as a result Tom Casson continues at inside centre with Matt Hopper outside him.

Sam Smith replaces Ugo Monye on the wing, while Nick Evans, who signed a new three year contract with the club this week, returns from injury to join Karl Dickson in the half backs.

Mark Lambert starts at loose head prop while Joe Gray returns from injury to start at hooker. Luke Wallace comes into the back row with Maurie Fa'asavalu and captain, Nick Easter.

Among the replacements, Academy scrum-half Jordan Burns will look to make his first senior appearance.

Harlequins Team
15. Mike Brown
14. Tom Williams
13. Matt Hopper
12. Tom Casson
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Karl Dickson

1. Mark Lambert
2. Joe Gray
3. James Johnston
4. Olly Kohn
5. George Robson
6. MaurieFa'asavalu
7. Luke Wallace
8. Nick Easter (C)

16. Rob Buchanan
17. Darryl Marfo
18. Will Collier
19. Charlie Matthews
20. Tom Guest
21. Jordan Burns
22. Ben Botica
23. Seb Stegmann"

as have Gloucester:

Gloucester Rugby:

Martyn Thomas; Shane Monahan, Mike Tindall (capt), Billy Twelvetrees, James Simpson-Daniel; Freddie Burns, Jimmy Cowan; Dan Murphy, Huia Edmonds, Rupert Harden; Tom Savage, Will James; Matt Cox, Akapusi Qera, Ben Morgan

Replacements:

Tommaso d'Apice, Nick Wood, Dario Chistolini, Peter Buxton, Gareth Evans, Dan Robson, Tim Molenaar, Rob Cook

I can't wait for what should be a good match full of attacking rugby and English talent

CJ, that actually looks a great side!

EnglishReign wrote:Easter was better yesterday, but Morgan outplayed Waldrom last week and let's be honest, it's between those two.

Qera outperformed Waldrom as both were at 7.

Waldrom should not be playing for England but he did outperform Morgan in SA.


As to Cowan - he acted like a complete git lasw week as well. Constantly doing nasty, niggly things off the ball.

Poorfour wrote:

Hood83 wrote:Does anyone else think Cowan was absolutely awful? In the games I've seen him he's ponderous, his pass is very average both in accuracy and speed and he seems to make poor choices.

People have praised his professionalism and what Robson and others can learn from him, but i think he's a vastly overrated player. Normally i'm pretty deferential to ABs, but i can't fathom how he ever played for them!

He's certainly an unpleasant little so-and-so. Not impressed by the trip on Brown at all.

Yeah, that was not on. How that 'play' was missed by both line judges and barnes was surprising. I would have thought that was an instant penalty. It's shame when a player pops up on the radar for all the wrong reasons.

Edmunds got barged off the ball as he was chasing his own kick, that led to the interception try, when it was blatant cynical play! Not entirely sure what the touch judge was looking at.

I would despise Cowan playing against my side, but I'm loving him and his WUM ways in the Cherry & White of Glaws!

EnglishReign wrote:Edmunds got barged off the ball as he was chasing his own kick, that led to the interception try

Was that Wallace 'blocking' the channel? yeah, that was either a very good play on his behalf or borderline cynicalplay. Gamesmanship either way; that or his hair band failed him at just the right time :p

Thought he had a better game than against the Tigers. Very ponderous at the ruck - I think he will get pinged on the 5 second law.

He looked knackered when he was taken off. To be fair though you can criticise his performance but his commitment was total.

I watched the Wallace incident a couple of times. He doesn't vary his own line, just keeps running straight but slowly, and Edmonds definitely reacts and milks it by pulling Wallace over. Right up to the limit of the law, but nowhere near as cynical or dangerous as a trip.

Poorfour wrote:I watched the Wallace incident a couple of times. He doesn't vary his own line, just keeps running straight but slowly, and Edmonds definitely reacts and milks it by pulling Wallace over. Right up to the limit of the law, but nowhere near as cynical or dangerous as a trip.

He obviously decided to run straight off the pitch then! Cowan's trip was clearly a foul, but it was as clear as Wallsce's block.

Just a bit of a irritating game really! lots of niggle and a combination of Quins trying to shoot themselves in the foot by running everything from the worst positions (and often going backwards) and Barnes going loony with the whistle meant the second half was incredibly patchy.