Gloucester vs Harlequins - tight at the top

Quins go to Gloucester for a hard match at a hard away venue between 2 teams with a lot of quality and early season promise (and still 3rd and 5th in the table) but both in awful AP form. Vital for both sides to win to try and build momentum for the tail end of the season where Gloucester will be pushing for a Playoff place and belief before they play French Giants Biarritz in the Amlin; Quins for a Home SF (but need to guarantee their play off place first) and some form before they take on the European Elite in the HEC.

Teams are now up:

"Director of Rugby Nigel Davies makes one change to his back line and four in the pack as Gloucester Rugby welcome Harlequins to Kingsholm for Friday evening's Aviva Premiership encounter (kick off 7:45pm).
Third in the Aviva Premiership table will play fifth as the race for top four places hots up, and the game at Kingsholm kicks off a weekend of key action.

The one change in the backs from the team that started against London Welsh last weekend, sees Henry Trinder replace Mike Tindall in the midfield as Gloucester continue to field an all English back line.

Up front, Koree Britton will make his first start in the Aviva Premiership at hooker, while Lua Lokotui returns to partner Jim Hamilton in the second row.

Meanwhile, Tom Savage and Akapusi Qera resume their usual positions as blindside and openside flanker respectively.

After three weeks without a game, Davies acknowledged that his team weren't initially at their best against London Welsh last weekend but will be looking for a more complete performance against Harlequins.

"We were probably a bit rusty, definitely didn't work to the patterns that we did earlier in the season, although we saw a bit of it towards the end of the game in the last 20 minutes when we opened it up again.

"What we've done this week is look within ourselves as a group, just refocus on what's important to us and look at the individuals that we have within the team and what we're capable of.

"It's all about how we perform on Friday night. It's a big game, against a tough opponent who have been trailblazing over the last two or three years in terms of their performances and results. So, it'll be a big test for us.

"But we're still very much in the fight. It's about seeing what we can do, and taking our game to the next level."

Gloucester Rugby:

Rob Cook;
Charlie Sharples,
Henry Trinder,
Billy Twelvetrees,
Jonny May;
Freddie Burns,
Dan Robson;
Dan Murphy,
Koree Britton,
Shaun Knight;
Lua Lokotui,
Jim Hamilton (capt);
Tom Savage,
Akapusi Qera,
Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements:

Huia Edmonds, Nick Wood, Dario Chistolini, Will James, Andy Hazell, Dave Lewis, Mike Tindall, Martyn Thomas"

"Harlequins have announced the team that will play Gloucester Rugby in Round 19 of the Aviva Premiership at Kingsholm, tomorrow evening, kick-off 7.45pm.
With just a five day turn around between the back to back away games, there are six changes to the starting line-up that lost to Saracens last Sunday.

Among the backs, Ross Chisholm comes in for Ugo Monye, while George Lowe and Tom Casson combine in the centres in place of Jordan Turner-Hall and Matt Hopper.

In the forwards, Rob Buchanan is named at hooker, with Olly Kohn returning from a hamstring injury to start in the second row.

With Chris Robshaw being rested for this fixture, Luke Wallace joins Tom Guest and Nick Easter, who captains the team, in the back-row.

Harlequins team

15. Mike Brown
14. Ross Chisholm
13. George Lowe
12. Tom Casson
11. Sam Smith
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler
2. Rob Buchanan
3. James Johnston
4. Olly Kohn
5. George Robson
6. Tom Guest
7. Luke Wallace
8. Nick Easter (C)

16. Joe Gray
17. Mark Lambert
18. Will Collier
19. Charlie Matthews
20. Joe Trayfoot
21. Karl Dickson
22. Ben Botica
23. Matt Hopper"

Both sides make 5 changes, neither at full strength but both sides that can and should play good rugby. The match is 7.45pm at Kingsholm, Gloucester on Friday 29th March. Weather is set to be dry and cloudy but chilly. Let's have a good game. COYQ

I like the changes Quins have made. Robshaw needs the break and I prefer Casson-Lowe to JTH-Hopper on form and balance. Kohn back will hopefully help our pack who were woeful last week. Brown was good and will want to show again what he can do at FB, but it is nice to see Chisholm at wing. He could be exploited by May but he is probably one of a few players with the pace to skin the entire Gloucester back 3 and his running is looking to be coming back to him after a lengthy injury. Care will want to make amends for last week and Nev needs to build some form. Luckily Burns is probably in even worse form!

Gloucester will come out hard to win at home against us, especially after a poor win against Welsh last week but good sides bounce back and take out their frustration at the last loss on their next opponents and I hope we will do this to Gloucester tomorrow, like the (Super Rugby) Sharks last week. We needed that kick up the arse against Sarries, I hope the team let it motivate them as when firing on all cylinders we should be a force to be reckoned with. Last week we were not.

Much prefer that team to last weeks.

Lowe and Casson is better pairing then Hopper with JTH. Hopefully the guys will come out and play like we know that they can.

Chisholm should have played last week, shame Williams still isn't fit but Smith, MB and MB2 has a lot of potential to it.

But, if the Gloucester backs get any ball, and Burns can find some form, then they could cause havoc if they click, the attacking potential there is enormous

Interestingly Quins are much better away than at home this season:

https://twitter.com/premrugby/status/316895882245181441/photo/1

ChequeredJersey wrote:Chisholm at wing. He could be exploited by May but he is probably one of a few players with the pace to skin the entire Gloucester back 3

Behave. I know he's quick but the day we see Jonny May or Charlie Sharples 'skinned' is the day Brian Moore praises the scrum laws.

Didn't Chisholm do exactly that for nearly the try of the season last season though?

yappysnap wrote:Didn't Chisholm do exactly that for nearly the try of the season last season though?

Pretty much though May's try was none too shabby either

Joseph skinned Sharples for a try in last game of last season

Every one skins sharples snick, I did it the other week! May's the real prize now!

Beaker yea May's was impressive, I think its his long bandy legs but he just never looks to be running that quickly!

yappysnap wrote:Every one skins sharples snick, I did it the other week!

Turned it into a jacket?

I believe May is 0.05 seconds quicker over 40 yards than Sharples. The major difference is May's footwork.

Quins may well be bringing the pain of a loss as motivation, but Glaws' last game was as good as a loss, so we should (hopefully) be equally fired up. Like Quins, the Glaws side looks far better, although I would've preferred Edmonds to start. As long as it's a good a game as the last few I'll have no complaints.

LondonTiger wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Every one skins sharples snick, I did it the other week!

Turned it into a jacket?

One of those fury hats with the fluffy bits to cover my ears, kept the head and tail as a little nod towards 17th century woodsmen chique. Class.

HongKongCherry wrote:I believe May is 0.05 seconds quicker over 40 yards than Sharples. The major difference is May's footwork.

Quins may well be bringing the pain of a loss as motivation, but Glaws' last game was as good as a loss, so we should (hopefully) be equally fired up. Like Quins, the Glaws side looks far better, although I would've preferred Edmonds to start. As long as it's a good a game as the last few I'll have no complaints.

No offence HKC but I pray to the rugby gods that you boys are dire this weekend, we neeeeeeeed this win!!

None taken yappy. But we really can't be that bad again... can we??

To be honest, we're not a top 4 team this year, so as long as we end up getting back into the HC I'll be happy and anything else is a bonus. I think our time will come in 2 years when the likes of Savage, Knight, Stooke and Kvesic will give us a feared pack to go with the fancy dan backs.

Great to see Trinder starting shows that Nigel Davies really wants us to attack the Quins back line.

EddieM wrote:Great to see Trinder starting shows that Nigel Davies really wants us to attack the Quins back line.

Welcome to 606v2 Eddie

Good to see another crusader amongst these heathens!

It is good to see Trinder back as I have been concerned this season has stilted his development due to his injuries and Tins' form. Trinder still has his defensive issues, but he offers so much in attack and hopefully he contributes to another Glas v Quins classic tonight.

Not long to go now, starting to get a bit nervy...

...Well you should be if you're a Glaws fan

decent start

Quins getting away with lazy runners in defence.

Trinders tackling has been poor. Quins defence strong so far.

Very attacking game from both sides at least. 3-5 now

and that's another try. Nice eye by Nev and Gloucester shouldn't have let that one through

close to a try for Sharples

Gloucester have been on top just been poor in defense and haven't had the finishing touch in attack. Complete opposite for Quins.

Gloucester playing at very high pace, which is admirable and suits their backs but I'm not sure they can keep it up. And it suits us. And they are making errors because they are forcing it a bit too much

Don't think Quins can survive 80 minutes like this.

Great game to watch. Trinder's pass was incredible, and May's feet beforehand. Some excellent attacking players...bit average defence though!

Hood83 wrote:Great game to watch. Trinder's pass was incredible, and May's feet beforehand. Some excellent attacking players...bit average defence though!

I think Harlequins defense has been pretty good to be fair. Gloucester's on the other hand has been pretty poor.

Glad Burns missed that. Think we can do this for 80 mins, it's MO.

Very nervous though

EddieM wrote:

Hood83 wrote:Great game to watch. Trinder's pass was incredible, and May's feet beforehand. Some excellent attacking players...bit average defence though!

I think Harlequins defense has been pretty good to be fair. Gloucester's on the other hand has been pretty poor.

Fair point. Actually Lowe's looked far better than I've seen in a while as well, picking some great lines. Great to watch two teams with some real pace in them.

Lowe's been injured tbf, hard to get back to full speed after a few longish spells out in the past season and a bit

Quins have done really well so far with limited possession and territory. Gloucester's defence has been too easily breached.

I think the guys brought in like Buchanan,Lowe and Wallace have made a big difference to Quins. The likes of Easter,Evans and care also seem a lot more comfortable. Quins like the way Gloucester are playing.

To beat Quins you must unsettle them. Gloucester aren't doing that in my opinion.

Score guys?

3-12

beshocked wrote:Quins have done really well so far with limited possession and territory. Gloucester's defence has been too easily breached.

I think the guys brought in like Buchanan,Lowe and Wallace have made a big difference to Quins. The likes of Easter,Evans and care also seem a lot more comfortable. Quins like the way Gloucester are playing.

To beat Quins you must unsettle them. Gloucester aren't doing that in my opinion.

+1

This. Gloucester's approach might work, as they have the players to pull it off, but even if it does I'm not sure it was the right one. You should believe in your plan and play to your strengths but you have to play the opposition too, and Quins are at their worst against Sarries, so the best way to beat us is to copy them, which relies on a pack performance and huge pressure from the back row

scary stuff

makes the game more interesting

important kick too

Chequered jersey I think it might well be the way to go for Gloucester but they need to turn possession into points. Being clinical is so important.

Not just Sarries, you have struggled vs Exeter too this season. Quins are a good side - not easy to beat.

Gloucester must play their way IMO. Their pack IMO isn't as big as yours so its tougher to beat you up front.

Gloucester try - just what they needed.

May is lethal, isn't he?

Might have a heart attack watching this match

At least we've found some form

Too many loose balls from us too. No need to ALWAYS go for the offload

looks to me like we are getting generous refereeing at the scrum

And we are really going for the BP! Either that or Nev reckons his kicking boots are at home

Got to kick this

Gloucester 10 - Quins 15

Big kick for Burns, does he have the legs?

Not been a good couple minutes for Burns