Biarritz vs Quins

http://www.bo-pb.com/index.php/saison/articles-l-affiche/bopb-quins/bopb-harlequins/21907

La composition du BOPB qui affrontera les Harlequins ce vendredi à 21 h au stade Aguiléra sera la suivante, comme l'a confirmé le staff du BOPB lors de la mise en place ce jeudi. Sur le banc, Talalelei Gray effectue son retour dans le groupe. La charnière Yachvili-Barraque confirmée.

(Approximately-- The managing staff confirmed at a press conference on Thursday that the composition of the Biarritz Team that will confront Harlequins this Friday at 9pm in the stade Aguiléra will be the following. On the bench, Talalelei Gray returns into the pack. The Yachvili-Barraque axis has been confirmed.

1- Barcella
2- Heguy
3- Broster
4- Dubarry
5- Taele
6- Lauret
7- Lakafia
8- Harinordoquy (c.)
9- Yachvili
10- Barraque
11- Brew
12- Traille
13- Baby
14- Ngwenya
15- Balshaw

16- Genevois
17- Synaeghel
18- Van Staden
19- Lund E.
20- Gray
21- Lesgourgues
22- Peyrelongue
23- Burotu


http://www.quins.co.uk/news/6833.php
Brown makes 200th appearance against Biarritz
Harlequins has announced the squad to face Biarritz tomorrow night at the Parc Des Sports Aguilera, in the final round of the Heineken Cup pool stages, kick-off 9.00pm local time (8.00pm GMT, live on Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm).
Mike Brown starts at full-back and will make his 200th appearance for the club. Jordan Turner-Hall and George Lowe renew their centre partnership for the first time since mid-November.

Among the forwards, there is one change as Tom Guest starts at number eight and is joined in the back row with Maurie Fa'asavalu and captain, Chris Robshaw.

Luke Wallace is named among the replacements, while Ollie Lindsay-Hague will look to make his first appearance in the Heineken Cup.


Harlequins team

15. Mike Brown
14. Tom Williams
13. George Lowe
12. Jordan Turner-Hall
11. Ugo Monye
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler
2. Joe Gray
3. James Johnston
4. Olly Kohn
5. George Robson
6. Maurie Fa'asavalu
7. Chris Robshaw (C)
8. Tom Guest

16. Rob Buchanan
17. Mark Lambert
18. Will Collier
19. Charlie Matthews
20. Luke Wallace
21. Karl Dickson
22. Ben Botica
23. Ollie Lindsay-Hague

Very happy to see even though we have little to play for we are still respecting Biarritz and avoiding sending a weakened side. Good to see LOH and Wallace and Matthews bench. Good to see Easter rested for Guest. Good to see we are basically rotating centre partnerships, both are so close in quality!

Biarritz, despite their fall in form, is still one of the hardest places to visit in rugby, so a win here would be a great boost and though they are loath to use them they have a lethal back 3, as well as a brutal pack and Yachvilli pulling the strings. Quins keep up the great record and win by 2

Also, good luck to Brown on the 200th cap, hope he can do an Ugo and score. Hard to believe he has played so many matches at the Club!, should still have 5+ years of club rugby left too!

Hopefully a big game for Lowe in at centre- cracking player and wouldn't mind seeing him in the EPS at some point.

As you say CJ, great to see Wallace on the bench too.

I second all of CJ's thoughts.

Great looking Quins team, brilliant to see so much strength in depth at some positions, nice to know COS is willing to trust in the new boys away in Europe too.

Lowe is still on his way back from injury so I don't think we'll see too much, to be honest though if we're to win we'll need NEV at his best to counter the tactical kicking of Yachvili.

If the pack can get good ball to our backs though i'm confident we have a bit more about us to win. Especially with OLH and Botica to come on.

We need the set piece to really be top notch this match. Take that away from them and Biarritz are easier to handle but if Yachvilli is kicking well and their lineout is working that when the pressure will come onto Quins

Collier's working his way up quite well isn't he? Saw him last week against Connacht and carries the ball very well.

very strong Biarritz backrow - at least on paper - all made or will make (Lauret) the french team.

Quins only need a LBP right?

whocares wrote:very strong Biarritz backrow - at least on paper - all made or will make (Lauret) the french team.

Quins only need a LBP right?

No, we already got the home QF when Tigers didn't beat Ospreys, now we are playing for seeding

ChequeredJersey wrote:

whocares wrote:very strong Biarritz backrow - at least on paper - all made or will make (Lauret) the french team.

Quins only need a LBP right?

No, we already got the home QF when Tigers didn't beat Ospreys, now we are playing for seeding

you mean to be in the 1st pot for next year HC draw or the actual QF seedings as this could turn out to be a big lottery (say win and get leinster vs lose and get Montpelier, just as an example, dunno if its actually possible)

Playing for QF seeding, which as you say doesn't mean much as we can't realistically Clermont or Toulon no matter what happens and beyond that any of the teams are hard but not terrifying

Toulon scare me more than Clermont. It is a bit of a hobson's choice though :p

Feck it. If we face them in the semis (assuming we get there...) we face them and if we win it won't have been the first upset Quins have ever caused

10-3 to us ATM, i'll take any win though!

Harsh yellow for Marler but understandable.

Never seen such a water logged pitch. Quins doing well to be in the lead at half time.

I thought Marler had sorted this aspect of his game out a bit!?

Did you see connacht's match here?

Interesting match, few issues I have though...

Firstly not every winger for Biaritz is Ngwenya, Brew has done a lot of decent things tonight but is taking a lot of Ngwenyas flak, if Brew gets called Ngwenya once more...

Secondly Hari has been aggressive but awfull, hope he makes the French team and is made captain, this is the third time Ive seen him this season for Biaritz and he's been awfull on every occasion!

Care and Evans - should be doing far better IMHO, the pack is dominating the breakdown and set peice yet Care looks like a Ferrari scortching with the handbrake on. He just needs to relax a touch, normally I'm all for quickness from a 9 but Care really needs some of Phillips control and sargeant like behaviour 2nd half!

Hari didnt make the french squad

majesticimperialman wrote:Never seen such a water logged pitch. Quins doing well to be in the lead at half time.

As Chequered said above - Connacht game here was more akin to water polo.

Did Hari not make it? I havn't seen the french squad yet but have to say I am not surprised at all.

This pitch is an almighty mess! Ref has been good at diffusing situatoons. Not sure what the last scrum pen was for though

Job done professionally by Quins.

Better in the set piece & Biarritz are nullified.

Score?

9-16

Have to say, in a mud-bath, I was impressed with Quins' overall game control.

Fairly far removed from both sides' ideal, Quins just did everything more-or-less right.

Marler was outstanding apart from his minor temperament issues and did all that gruelling dog-work where the sun don't shine.

Great performance on shocking conditions. Can Quins go all the way?

Possibly george but history tends to portend that a couple of years of late failure in the competition is required. My money would be on ASM as clear favourites.

Good win by Quins, but lets ignore Sky's hype for the moment, this year its probably between Clermont or Toulon unless something crazy happens. Ill be pleased with Quins to just make the semi's.

Really impressed by Guest, thought his reactions were great throughout the match clearing up for other players and took his try well. Good to see Lowe looking more confident post injury, some very impressive tackling. And a brilliant kicking display by Evans who had one of his chilled games, just made everything look comfy.

The pack seems to be getting better in every game, Marler got through so much hard work and was unlucky to be yellowed, Collier as well looked better then I've seen lately. Still not sure how we'll replace JJ though, especially if Kohn is ever injured.

Having said that yappy, Marler was fortunate not to be yellowed earlier.

I agree with your assessment of Guest. But the entire pack was outstanding last evening.

Imonol should not be making any plans for next week. He might get a sudden invitation to attend a meeting somewhere.

Yea him and the other gent as well could both be paying a trip to the commissioner