History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

Mirror work early May / late April

Mike Catt looks to write history and tame Leicester Tigers – just don’t mention retirement

Back in 2003, when he was 32-years old, Mike Catt helped England make history when – against the odds – his team defeated Australia in Sydney to lift the World Cup for the first, and last, time. Tomorrow the evergreen fly-half will be looking to rewrite the record books again, when he steps out at Twickenham in the Guinness Premiership Final.

South African-born Catt moved to London Irish five years ago, having been labelled a has-been after over decade at Bath. And, under the guidance of first Brian Smith – now England’s backs coach – and Toby Booth, Irish have become a force to be reckoned with. Catt has very much been at the centre of this new-found success.

Last Saturday the 37-year-old made one try and scored another in the 17-0 win over Harlequins at the Stoop in the Guinness Premiership semi-final. That victory earned the Exiles their first Guinness Premiership final in their long history – and now they are playing the most formidable opponents possible, in Leicester Tigers.

Leicester, who finished top of the tree in the domestic season and have a Heineken Cup Final to play against Leinster next Saturday, have made it to the Guinness Premiership Final day in each of the past five years.

To many observers it looks as though it will be slingshots against giants, but that does not faze Catt. He says: “We are playing against the most experienced, streetwise side in the Premiership – they have been in the final every year for the past five years. All those players have been involved in big Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership final games – they know how to win games.

“But so do we, as we have proved this season. We have been consistent throughout – and the Guinness Premiership Final is our just rewards. The most we have lost a game by is six points in the whole season. We have got points irrespective of who we are playing. We have put ourselves in a very good position. It has been a fantastic season. We have scored more tries than anybody else and defensively we have bullied sides.

“The difference for us this season has been our fitness, power and pace. In the past two or three years we have been bullied by teams but now we are standing toe-to-toe with them. That is great for our confidence. We have not changed much from what Brian Smith brought to the table. We have the players and we know the game we really want to play. All we have done is tried to cut out those small individual errors.

“It is about us playing our way and making sure that we don’t make unforced errors. We need to be very technical in what we do. We are a very emotional side, London Irish, so we just have to make sure that we are not too emotionally charged up. Moreover, the guys have just got to enjoy the moment.”

Irish, who name an unchanged team from last week’s win – including centre Seilala Mapusua, the man named Players’ Player of the Year on Wednesday, England second row Nick Kennedy and captain Bob Casey, all of who were doubtful – have the ability to tame the Tigers. With a decent set-piece line-out, in particular, and game-changing athletes in Delon and Steffon Armitage, tomorrow’s game could go right to the wire.

And when asked whether it would provide a fitting stage for his final bow in a glittering career, Catt – who turns 38 in September – hints that he may be around for another season, yet. “I’ve always been of the mindset, never say never,” he continues. “Leaving Bath was a massive gut-wrenching thing for me to do, having achieved so much in my 11 years there. For them to discard me in the way that they did was very hard to take.

“But it opened another door for me. The first year was very tough as I did not play much rugby. But then Brian Smith turned up and we based the game around playing. Since then we have developed and every year we have got better and better. And it has been great fun doing it.

“I’m passionate about the game and I love playing. London Irish’s man-management of me has been fantastic over the past three or four years – if I can’t train a couple of days a week they let me take time out. Then, if I don’t perform on a Saturday they can drop me. But they way that it has worked out it has definitely helped – and meant that I can still play at the age I am.

“If I announce my retirement now then it would take something away from what London Irish have achieved this season. I have no interest in doing that, first of all. I think this will only be my fifteenth game of the season – whereas some of the other guys have played nearer 30 games. I’m not going to announce my retirement before a big game – it’s not all about me. It is about London Irish.

“I will make a decision over the summer in my time off. But we have brought in two fly-halves – Ryan Lamb, who is a great catch for us, and Chris Malone. They have both picked up serious injuries, and we will know, in a few months time when pre-season starts, whether these guys are going to be OK for the start of the season. If not, then I will do a pre-season and do the start of the season. When they are fit and healthy and raring to go then can just take a back seat. That is the way I am thinking at the moment.”


Stephen Jones on banishing his Lions demons

Mike Catt overcomes flu to inspire London Irish to victory over Harlequins in the Guinness Premiership semi-final

Ugo Monye previews that semi-final and speaks about his Lions selection

A profile of Franck Ribery, who Manchester United want - and are willing to pay a reported £63m for

And 10 things you need to know about the departing Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia

Labels: bath, British Lions, franck ribery, Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, London Irish, Manchester United, mike catt, stephen jones

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:51 pm | Permalink | Comments

EVANS IN HUNT FOR SILVERWARE AT QUINS

Nick Evans has already had a memorable first season in England, having inspired London Harlequins to their best ever run in Europe’s premium competition, the Heineken Cup. Also Quins topped the Guinness Premiership last month for the first time since 2003 and, with the play-off semi-finals to be contested on May 9, look set for their best finish in the domestic league for years. But is has not all been plain sailing for the All Black stand-off.

On Easter Sunday Evans, who moved from the Highlanders last June, was crocked in Quins’ Heineken Cup quarter-final against Brian O’Driscoll’s Leinster – and his team lost out 6-5. The 28-year-old, who hyper extended his right leg in a first-half tackle, crunching his knee, was called back off the bench for the remaining five minutes of the bruising encounter, after two other fly-halves had hobbled off needing treatment.

Heavily strapped and in obvious pain, Evans was found by England scrum-half Danny Care in the pocket, and – through gritted teeth – he used all of his energy to unleash a drop-kick that would have taken his new team to the final four of the Heineken Cup for the first time in their history. Earlier in the season he had attempted a similar feat and laced the winning kick – “the ugliest I have ever taken!” – to inflict a superb double over French giants Stade Francais that made the rugby world jolt up and take notice.

But this time lady luck shunned him and the Heineken Cup fairytale ended. “The kick had the distance to go over but it just faded to the left,” says Evans. “I gave it everything. My knee was really sore, but it wasn’t the running around, it was the kicking; that’s pretty crucial for a fly-half. I came on in the last few minutes when Deano (coach Dean Richards) gave me the nod, and I gave it a crack. I was fortunate enough to get a chance – but it wasn’t to be.”

Evans hopes he can return in time for Quins’ Guinness Premiership semi-final, having had four weeks to ready his knee, and help his team challenge for the Guinness Premiership, a title that has so far eluded them. And with the young team bristling with self-belief, Evans believes that even if this year does not finish with silverware, it will not be far away and Harlequins will prove they have come of age – and he very much wants to remain at the heart of that.

He continues: “The game against Leinster provided a good learning curve for the club – now we know we can do it and compete against Europe’s best. We were unlucky, but sometimes that happens. It was new territory for the club and the players. We are growing up as a team and next time we will be wiser.

“Now we have to focus on the Guinness Premiership and securing our play-off place. We could not dwell too much on the Leinster defeat. There is every chance that my knee will settle down and I’m available for the semi-final.”

Musing on the two victories against Stade Francais, which he calls two of the best matches he has ever been a part of, Evans says: “Those sensational games feel even more special now – when I said that they were up there with the top five that I have ever played in, that was straight after the match.

“And now I have spoken to many of the fans and they have told me those games are two of the biggest in the club’s history – that has made it even more special. Hopefully we can kick on from those results and know that in big situations we can pull it out if we need to.”

In early December, in front of 76,000 partisan Stade Francais supporters, Evans laced five points in a shock 15-10 win. A week later, in much more inclement weather, Quins were losing 17-16 when, with normal time elapsed and after an amazing 29 phases, they battled their way into the French team’s 22 and gave Evans the opportunity to drop the winning goal – and he duly did.

He continues: “Those 29 phases were unbelievable – it was bizarre rugby. I’ve never been involved in anything like that before. And that’s what rugby is all about – that’s why people watch and love the game. It was a tough game and the weather was pretty awful but the crowd were sensational.

“It’s funny, those moments are what you play for – it was special. Initially those moments wash over you. First of all I was pleased that we had won those back-to-back games. It’s only when the fans come up to you and show their emotions – that’s when you see how special it really is.”

And after ten months in the capital, the former Auckland Blues stand-off is fully settled into London life, though he does miss his fishing off the coast of New Zealand. Away from rugby Evans relaxes by going to West End musicals – “the Lion King and Mama Mia were great, and helped broaden my cultural horizons!” – and catching Premier League football matches. “But I do miss the coast of New Zealand,” he concedes. “I would take a boat and go around the island off the coast, and completely relax away from rugby. But now I am fully settled here and I’m loving it.”

Evans is determined to win Quins trophies, and adds: “I’ve signed for three years and I am very happy at Quins. We have a young team but I think we have exceeded our goals this year. If we can keep going over the next few years hopefully we can pick up a trophy – that would be amazing.”

Labels: Guinness Premiership, Heineken Cup, London Harlequins, New Zealand, Nick Evans

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 1:04 pm | Permalink | Comments

EVANS HOPING QUINS CAN MAKE IT THIRD TIME LUCKY

Harlequins are hoping to make it third time lucky when they host Irish giants Leinster in the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup on Easter Sunday. It is the first time in 11 years that the Londoners have reached the final eight of the competition – and they lost their last two quarter-finals to Leicester Tigers, who defeated them 23-13 in 1997, and Toulouse, 51-10 a year later.

But in All Black fly-half Nick Evans they have a genuine match winner, as evidenced by his performances in Quins’ superb double over Stade Francais in the group stages of the competition. The 28-year-old, who will run out at the Stoop having recovered from an ankle knock, is in confident mood and has urged his team-mates not to let history weigh down on them.

Auckland-born Evans, who joined Quins in the summer, said: “I hope I can help make it third time lucky. But we have a new, young team who don’t pay too much to history. We have already beaten teams that we supposedly shouldn’t have beaten – so for us the history book has been thrown out of the window.

“Leinster have internationals all over the field and we know it is going to be tough. But we are backing ourselves – we are here to win. We are motivated and our thought process has to be positive – we are not here to make up the numbers.

“We are safe to make the Heineken Cup for next year (confirmed by next week?) so we can have a really good crack at it this year. There is no reason why we can’t – we have exceeded all expectations already this year. No one thought we would get this far – it is massive for the club. There is a big buzz around the place and people have not been part of this for a long time.”

Evans picked out Irish centre and captain Brian O’Driscoll as the man Quins have to stop if they want to reach the semi-finals where they will face either Munster or Ospreys in early May. The 15-cap All Black continued: “I thought he had a fantastic Six Nations and showed what class he has, especially when the chips are down. In big games Brian delivers – we will have to concentrate on stopping him.

“He is one of those players who always gives 100 per cent – and New Zealanders look up to players like that and give them the kudos they deserve. He puts his body on the line and brings his A-game most of the time.”

Home advantage, Evans believes, will also play a significant part – Quins have only lost twice this season at the Stoop, both times to London Irish. “We have turned the Stoop into a fortress,” he said. “Leinster will have to play better than us to win – and if that happens we will take it on the chin, because we are at home we should go into the game with confidence.

“Even against a Leinster team who have fantastic players we should not be afraid of them. Though they have lost away a couple of times (to Wasps and Castres) they are a side who have been in this situation before. It’s new for us but we will just play the style of rugby that we know we can. Hopefully we can keep their fans fairly quiet and get our fans up."

Musing on the two victories against Stade Francais, Evans continued: “Those sensational games feel even more special now – when I said that they were up there with the top five that I have ever played in, that was straight after the match. And now I have spoken to many of the fans and they have told me those games are two of the biggest in the club’s history – that has made it even more special. Hopefully we can kick on from those results and know that in big situations we can pull it out if we need to. That belief will help us on Sunday.”

And after nine months in the capital, the former Auckland Blues stand-off is fully settled into London life, though he does miss his fishing. Away from rugby Evans relaxes by going to West End musicals – “the Lion King and Mamma Mia were great, and helped broaden my cultural horizons!” – and catching Premier League football matches.


But he determined to win Quins trophies, and added: “I’ve signed for three years and am very settled and very happy at Quins. We have a young team but I think we have exceeded our goals this year. If we can keep going over the next few years hopefully we can pick up a trophy – that would be amazing. If we win against Leinster we will be one step closer to achieving that – I hope we can play the game we want to play and get the result.”

Labels: Heineken Cup, Leinster, London Harlequins, Nick Evans

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:07 pm | Permalink | Comments

BROWN: QUINS CAN STAY IN PLAY-OFF BERTH

Harlequins moved up to fourth in the Guinness Premiership with a bonus-point victory over play-off rivals Sale Sharks on Sunday at the Stoop. Dean Richards’s side bounced back from defeat by Newcastle Falcons the previous weekend to win 38-20 thanks, in particular, to an outstanding second-half performance.

With home fly half Chris Malone, in for the injured Nick Evans, and Sale stand off Charlie Hodgson trading penalties in a error-strewn first half, the score reached 12-12 at the interval. But Quins shifted gears after the break and began to play expansive, attractive rugby, and reaped the rewards for some bold decisions – notably kicking for the corner rather than punting for three points.

South African hooker Gary Botha barged over for the first try of Quins’ tries soon after half-time, and when the ball was shipped through numerous backs’ hands a score from 19-year-old winger Seb Stegmann soon followed.

With England trio Nick Easter, Danny Care and Ugo Monye part of the 11,592 watching on, No8 Tom Guest broke from a scrum and crashed over to put the result beyond doubt. And centre De Wet Barry’s interception and 50 metre dash sealed the bonus-point. Though Hodgson scored a breakaway try and another penalty, Quins, with four games remaining, are confident of remaining in the top four.

“The boys did really well,” said full back Mike Brown. “In the first-half I think the teams were feeling each other out and there were a lot of penalties given. But in the second-half it opened up which was good for us because we could play the game we want to play.

“We improved our discipline in the second-half and that killed them. We go to Sale in a couple of weeks and this win will set the tone for that match. We have got to stay up in the top four now – it is so tight between one and six but we are definitely confident we can do it and make the play-offs.”

Labels: Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Mike Brown, Sale Sharks

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:01 pm | Permalink | Comments

SKINNER WARY OF HURT SARACENS

Harlequins host Saracens on Saturday April 7 and Will Skinner and his team-mates
are wary that a number of their opponents are playing for their futures.
Last weekend Eddie Jones's side edged out high-flying Sale Sharks at
Vicarage Road following the announcement by their South African owners
that 15 players, including a raft of first-teamers, would be free to
leave at the end of the season in order to make way for a new batch of
personnel.

Glen Jackson, the Saracens' fly-half currently leading the Guinness
Premiership point scorers table, laced 14 points in the 24-23 win over
the Sharks - and he has warned Dean Richards's team that the hurt of
rejection has made the players more determined to prove their worth.

"Something like this actually brings a close team like us together,"
said the 33-year-old named player of the year by his fellow
professionals in 2007. "When you know that half the players in the team
you will never play with again, it can pull you tighter.

"Being told you are not wanted is what happens in life. Clubs normally
get rid of their players at the end of the season - so it is a strange
situation to be in when they announce they don't want you when you are
only half-way through.

"Hopefully as we are professional sportsmen we will do the job on the
field. It would shame if we were to move away from trying to play rugby
and not play for Eddie or each other."

Flanker Skinner acknowledges that Quins will be playing a team whose
pride is wounded - but insists that Harlequins, who moved up to fourth
after Ugo Monye's last-gasp try turned defeat in to victory last Sunday,
will try to remain focussed on their game plan.

"We know Saracens will be hurt and playing for each other," said the
25-year-old skipper. "We are trying not to let their situation affect
our game plan. Whether people are being let go or staying, what has gone
on there will, if anything, make them stronger. They had a great result
against Sale at the weekend."

The Saxons star is hopeful that Quins will improve on their narrow win
over Bristol last weekend. The bottom-placed side stifled and frustrated
their opponents but lost 17-14. Skinner continued: "We came away with
four points so we were happy. Bristol showed they are a good team and
they have a lot of good players. They are fighting for a lot down
there. We did well to come back in the last 10 minutes and get that
all-important try. We were pleased on the bus coming back.

"As the attacking team we felt we were getting penalised quite a bit. It
was frustrating - we didn't play the type of game we wanted to play.
Bristol were playing well - they closed us down well at the breakdown.

"And we moved up to fourth so things are going well. The top six is so
tight at the moment and Sarries are coming up into that group, too.
Anybody could be in the top four and Saracens are fighting. Their
half-back pairing of Justin Marshall and Glen Jackson is very strong.
Adam Powell in the centre played well against us at the start of the
season. He is a very strong, powerful runner who picks good lines. All
three of them need to be closed down very quickly."

Jackson said of Skinner and his back-row partners in crime, Chris
Robshaw and Tom Guest: "Hopefully I will stay out of their way! The
older I get the less I take it to the line. They are a dogged back three
and I think the reason that they are playing so well is because of those
three.

"Both teams like to use the ball and with the conditions getting a bit
warmer and the tracks getting harder, there should be a lot of running
and it should be a good game. Quins are going well, though they were
nearly beaten last week but they might get a bit of a caning in training
and we might face their backlash. They are definitely a form side and it
is going to be a tough one, especially away."

Labels: Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Saracens, Will Skinner

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:54 pm | Permalink | Comments

SEYMOUR HOPING TO REMEDY SARRIES TURMOIL

There may be turmoil off the field at Vicarage Road, but Saracens flanker David Seymour is hoping to put an end to the problems on the pitch by defeating play-off rivals Bath at home on Sunday in the Guinness Premiership.

If they fail to win this weekend, director of rugby Eddie Jones, and the 15 players – including Seymour – who will be exiting with him in May, can kiss goodbye the chance of winning silverware in Sarries colours. They currently sit in seventh on 37 points – 10 behind fourth-placed Sale – with six games to play.

The 24-year-old Seymour, who made his Saracens bow in 2003 and is back in the team after overcoming a knee injury he sustained at the start of the season, admits that since the club’s South African owners announced their intentions to wield the axe three weeks ago, it has been difficult for the players to focus on their on-field jobs.

“The last couple of weeks have been interesting to say the least,” says the blond England Sevens star, who chopped off his trademark ponytail before the season began. “But we are professionals and our job until the end of the season is to finish well and to reach our goals.

“Our main focus is to pick up some wins in the next couple of weeks against the sides that are vying for a top four play-off place, too. We've really got to start to put things to one side and concentrate on our rugby – it's tough but it's got to be done.”

Seymour played in last weekend’s 21-15 loss to Harlequins at the Stoop, a game after which Jones said he had been “very concerned” by his team’s lack of cohesion. “The first forty minutes were a bit flat, really,” concedes Seymour. “In the second half we managed to pick it up a bit, but it was not enough. We've lost quite a few close games like that. That's a frustrating point that we're losing such close games.

“There have been a few games recently that we've been leading at half time but just haven't been able to finish off in the second-half – and last week it went the opposite way around. We're looking forward to putting that right at the weekend against Bath – it is going to be a massive game for the club.

“For the rest of the season we are playing teams who are all above us, bar Worcester, so every one is an important game. If we lose against Bath it is going to make things a whole lot harder, that’s for sure.

“We haven't made easier for ourselves by losing to teams in the last few weeks but we're confident we can pick up a win here and move on and push for that top four.”

Seymour’s team have lost only once in eight games in the league at home – to Gloucester back in November – and he hopes that that record will mean something on Sunday. But he knows with Bath, with South African international Butch James pulling the strings at fly-half, will be in confident mood after burying local rivals Bristol 45-8 last weekend.

He said of the team on equal points as second-placed Leicester Tigers: “Bath are not at the top of the table for nothing – they've been strong and they're obviously on a high after the Bristol result.

“As it stands our record away from home is poor, but we seem to be doing OK at home. And we are in front of our own crowd on Sunday and we want to have a good win for them as much as ourselves. So it's important that for the rest of the season we win all our home games and try and pick points up along the road.

“With James at No10, and with their extremely strong back row pack it's going to be a big challenge against Bath. It’s definitely going to be a tough game but if we can get a win from that, then we're moving in the right direction.”

Labels: Dave Seymour, Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Saracens

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:34 pm | Permalink | Comments

RICHARDS RECOMMENDS COACHING YEAR ABROAD

Come May, when Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan is expected to step down, and if his opposite man at Gloucester, Dean Ryan, relinquishes his role, too, Dean Richards of Harlequins will be longest-serving coach in the Guinness Premiership. The 45-year-old former England No8 points to a sojourn in a small city at the foot of the Alps to explain his durability – and suggests that other coaches, including Martin Johnson, do the same.

Richards, who made 48 appearances for the Red Rose and won six Lions caps, moved upstairs at Leicester Tigers in February 1998 after his playing career finished. With Johnson as his captain, Richards’s team won four consecutive Premiership titles and the first Zürich Championship play-offs, as well as back-to-back Heineken Cups in 2001 and 2002. They are still the only side to have managed that feat. However, in 2004, Richards was shown the door at Welford Road as his side, shorn of its internationals, slipped to 11th in the table.

It was an acrimonious split between the Tigers and a man who had spent 20 years at the club, but Richards moved over to southeast France – and he believes it was his year in Grenoble, in spite of it not being a failure in terms of results, that re-energised his coaching career. And he has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

“After being at Leicester Tigers for seven years I spent a fantastic year in France,” he says. “It showed me a different culture, a different way of life and a different style of and attitude to rugby, too. Even though we didn’t do particularly well, it reinvigorated me. What I saw over there I brought back and it changed my attitude to rugby.

“Because of the intensity of the Guinness Premiership you have to be like an international manager – it is not like the Super 14, when it is intense for very short periods of time. There is very little respite in England – you are going pretty much from the beginning of July right to the end of May.

“You can understand why you do need a change, and that change makes a massive difference. But rugby is something that I grew up with and has been a part of my life since the age of ten or 11. I’m entrenched in rugby, it is my passion and it is why I am still here.”

After taking the reins at Harlequins in 2005, following their relegation, Richards has carefully moulded a young team who don’t look out of place at third in the table. In Newcastle this Sunday they could make it six wins on the bounce for the first time in their Guinness Premiership history.

“We are pleased with the five wins in a row – and though I am not interested in records, I am keen to keep on winning,” Richards continues. “It doesn’t matter how many wins we get, because once we get the momentum going, the winning habit is a difficult one to break. But we have some tough games, starting with Newcastle away at the weekend.”

Labels: Dean Richards, Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Martin Johnson

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BOTHA HOPING FOR A MOTHER OF A GAME

Harlequins welcome Sale Sharks to the Stoop on Sunday and Springboks hooker Gary Botha believes his side can put last weekend’s disappointment in Newcastle behind them and defeat their play-off rivals in what promises to be a mother of a game. Botha’s young family will be watching on from the stands and he hopes he can show his wife and children something special on Mothering Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who moved from the Blue Bulls in 2007, has won 12 Springbok caps – but he is very happy to be part of the Quins revolution in the capital; more so if the sun deigns to show itself.

“I’m really enjoying London, especially when the sun is out, and am pleased to have gotten over the spell of injuries I had,” says Botha, whose side are fifth in the Guinness Premiership on 47 points, equal with sixth-placed Sale with five games in the normal season to play.

“My little girl is turning three in May and my little boy is turning one in May – we have a busy household and my wife has to put up with me, because I am a big baby too! They all always come along to watch and hopefully Quins will get a win against Sale on Sunday and our mummy will be happy!”

On the rugby front he continues: “There has been a shift in attitude since I have arrived – we are all going forward now. We have a bunch of young guys who are doing awesomely well now and we have great self-confidence. We see that anything is possible if we put the hard work in.

“That self-belief happens because of the hard work and training. People are understanding – both inside and outside the camp – and coming to terms with the fact that we are a good team, because of the work we do. We are going to get more pressure on us every game now – we are not just another team in the Guinness Premiership anymore. That is great for the Quins players and brings a spark to the squad, which I really like.”

However, at Kingston Park last Sunday, Newcastle Falcons halted Quins’ five-game winning streak. And Botha is positive his “wounded” team can soon get back on track by notching a W against Kingsley Jones’s side, who they play at Edgeley Park on April 17 and were thumped 38-3 by Northampton Saints last weekend.

“There was a bit of frustration,” the hooker says of the 24-16 loss in the north-east. “We did not get as much of the ball as we would have liked. We are a side that likes to have a bit of a crack at the try-line a lot of the time. The most disappointing thing was going up there and not getting any points at all, especially when Sale lost. But it is not that we are looking at the table – we have to concentrate on what we are doing now.

“We will take the loss on the chin and regroup. We had a good run and we have to learn from this. We would like to get a win and get back some of the momentum we had, and build on it once again. Both Sale and Quins will be like wounded animals. Sale will have been very disappointed but they have been up at the top of the table for a reason. They have not been in the leading pack at the end of the last few seasons by accident – they are a top side.

“At this stage of the season all the teams are in a predicament – you have to run your own race now. You can’t expect other teams to help you out and do a job on others. You have to focus on your own race. The game has so many way of throwing in curveballs and that is what makes it so interesting and exciting.”

And Botha believes that the Stoop, where Quins have lost only twice all season – both times to London Irish – will play a major part on Sunday. He adds: “Playing at the Stoop is a big factor for us. It is easier to motivate ourselves to work harder in front of such a great crowd. The most promising thing is that the younger guys in the group are realising how awesome it is playing at the Stoop – they know they have the backing of the crowd. But if you don’t do the hard yards, nothing is easy.”

Labels: Gary Botha, Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Sale Sharks

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:28 pm | Permalink | Comments

QUINS EARN BONUS-POINT WIN OVER SALE

Harlequins moved up to fourth in the Guinness Premiership with a bonus-point victory over play-off rivals Sale Sharks on Sunday at the Stoop. Dean Richards’s side bounced back from defeat by Newcastle Falcons the previous weekend to win 38-20 thanks, in particular, to an outstanding second-half performance.

With home fly half Chris Malone, in for the injured Nick Evans, and Sale stand off Charlie Hodgson trading penalties in a error-strewn first half, the score reached 12-12 at the interval. But Quins shifted gears after the break and began to play expansive, attractive rugby, and reaped the rewards for some bold decisions – notably kicking for the corner rather than punting for three points.

South African hooker Gary Botha barged over for the first try of Quins’ tries soon after half-time, and when the ball was shipped through numerous backs’ hands a score from 19-year-old winger Seb Stegmann soon followed.

With England trio Nick Easter, Danny Care and Ugo Monye part of the 11,592 watching on, No8 Tom Guest broke from a scrum and crashed over to put the result beyond doubt. And centre De Wet Barry’s interception and 50 metre dash sealed the bonus-point. Though Hodgson scored a breakaway try and another penalty, Quins, with four games remaining, are confident of remaining in the top four.

“The boys did really well,” said full back Mike Brown. “In the first-half I think the teams were feeling each other out and there were a lot of penalties given. But in the second-half it opened up which was good for us because we could play the game we want to play.

“We improved our discipline in the second-half and that killed them. We go to Sale in a couple of weeks and this win will set the tone for that match. We have got to stay up in the top four now – it is so tight between one and six but we are definitely confident we can do it and make the play-offs.”

Labels: Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, Sale Sharks

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IRISH SLIP UP AGAINST QUINS

London Irish slipped up at home in the Guinness Premiership to Harlequins, after hooker David Paice was dismissed after only 22 minutes.

Irish lost 9-14 and dropped to third, but took the lead after Peter Hewet's penalty in the 11th minute.

Quins' fly-half Nick Evans replied with a penalty before Paice was show the red card for scrapping in the front row and backchat to referee Tim Wigglesworth.

Evans slotted the resulting penalty and Hewet levelled again, before he hobbled off with medial ligament damage five minutes before the interval.

Irish went ahead after 43 minutes when Alfredo Lalanne kicked another penalty.

But visiting prop Ceri Jones scored the decisive try to make It 11-9 with 30 minutes remaining. Evans kicked a penalty with four minutes left and his team moved up to fifth.

"We disrupted them and the sending off disrupted them," said Quins coach Dean Richards. "Their defence was pretty strong even though they only had 14 men. I was very pleased with the performance. We deserved the victory."

Irish coach Toby Booth said: "Playing 60 minutes with 14 people is not easy. We knew that we would not have the ball for long periods of time but I am proud with the way they stuck at it."

Teams

London Irish: 15. Peter Hewat 14. Adam Thompstone 13. Elvis Seveali'i 12. Seilala Mapusua 11. Topsy Ojo 10. Mike Catt 9. Alfredo Lalanne 1. Clarke Dermody 2. David Paice 3. Tonga Lea'aetoa 4. Gary Johnson 5. James Hudson 6. Richard Thorpe 7. Steffon Armitage 8. Chris Hala'ufia

Replacements: 16. Alex Corbisiero 17. James Buckland 18. Matt Garvey 19. Jon Fisher 20. Charlie Gower 21. Warren Fury 22. James Bailey

Penalties: Hewet 2, Lalanne

Harlequins: 15. Mike Brown 14. Tom Williams 13. Gonzalo Tiesi 12. Jordan Turner-Hall 11. Ugo Monye 10. Nick Evans 9. Andy Gomarsall 1. Ceri Jones 2. Gary Botha 3. Mark Lambert 4. Ollie Kohn 5. George Robson 6. Chris Robshaw 7. Will Skinner 8. Tom Guest

Replacements: 16. Chris Brooker 17. Peter Bracken 18. Jim Evans 19. Neil McMillan 20. Junior Poluleuligaga 21. Waisea Luveniyali 22. David Strettle

Try: Jones
Penalties: Evans 3

Labels: Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, London Irish

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JONES HOPING QUINS “BUILD A HEAD OF STEAM”

Having already qualified for the quarter-final of the Heineken Cup, the pressure has decreased for Harlequins ahead of their final Pool Four game against Llanelli Scarlets on Saturday at The Stoop. But Welsh prop Ceri Jones knows that if the London club are march further in the competition, it is important to defeat the Welsh region and gain a home advantage for the last eight – especially after a run of four games in all competitions without a win.

Last Saturday Quins lost 21-10 to Ulster at Ravenhill, in conditions that the coach Dean Richards described as the worst he has ever seen. Jones agrees, saying: “It was pretty difficult in those treacherous conditions, particularly in the second half – the crosswind was virtually unplayable. But Ulster played well and we did have opportunities to get back in the game.

“We have had some tough games in the last month – against Bath, Leicester, Wasps and a good Northampton side. It has not been easy. But I think we are playing well and are perfectly in place to push on from here.

“I think this is a perfect weekend for us, because the pressure is off and it is not all dependent upon qualification – we have already done that. We have a big game against the Scarlets to see if we can do an even better job of qualifying – we are hoping to get a home draw.

“But no matter who you play in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup it is going to be a tough game. They were saying that if the results stayed as they were we could play [reigning champions] Munster at Thomond Park, which most people were thinking would be a tough game – but I think it is an exciting prospect.”

Jones, who won two caps for his county in 2007, signed for Quins in February 2003, initially on loan as cover for injured props Jason Leonard, Laurent Gomez and Bruce Starr. After impressing he put pen to paper on a permanent deal and has play over 150 times for the club – through relegation-battles, in National League Division One, and now in Europe.

“It’s brilliant,” says the 31-year-old, “I’ve gone full circus at Quins. Since I have been here I have seen everything you can see in rugby. It’s been a real roller-coaster ride, but at the same time it has been very enjoyable. Quins are a great club to be part of and the way things are going, with the team constantly developing, there are exciting times ahead.

“We are only two wins off top spot in the Guinness Premiership, and whoever we play in the last eight of the Heineken Cup we are going to go out there and give it our very best. And who knows? We could play very well and get to the semi-final, and perhaps even further. You can’t help but get drawn in by these exciting times.”

Scarlets pulled off a terrific 36-17 win over Stade Francais at their new ground, Parc y Scarlets, last weekend. And Jones expects the game will be far from a foregone conclusion, especially with some of the players the Llanelli side have at their disposal.

“Regan King is a fantastic ball player and he is on top form – we will have to watch him carefully,” he adds. “His partnership in the centre with Jonathan Davies is really flourishing. Steven Jones is a class No10 – he can do it all. And even with the injuries they have got they have some very exciting backs and experienced forwards. They are a class team and, after their performance against Stade, I’m sure they are going to come out with much more confidence and wanting to do a job against us.

“We are very excited about the game, too. We don’t want to go into the quarter-finals on a defeat – we want a win and to get as many points from our group as possible. We want to go through to the last eight with a head of steam.”

Labels: Ceri Jones, Heineken Cup, Llanelli Scarlets, London Harlequins, Ulster

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WASPS HOPING NOT TO GET STUNG

London Wasps head to Castres next weekend hoping that Leinster, who they beat 19-12 at Twickenham on Saturday, slip up against Edinburgh, in order to qualify for the last eight of the Heineken Cup.

Though equal with Wasps on 16 points the Irish team will advance thanks to their 41-11 win over Wasps in October – but their losing bonus point could have been cancelled out had Wasps chosen to gamble for a try rather than let Dave Walder slot a penalty.

“There was a little bit of discussion – it’s one of those decisions,” said prop and captain Phil Vickery following the win in which Danny Cipriani also kicked 11 points and Serge Betsen crossed for a try. “Should you have gone for the corner or stuck it over, you could talk about it forever.

“You can go on about ifs and buts, but if we’d lost the ball we could easily have been talking about something different. I wouldn’t be surprised if Edinburgh beat Leinster. So we can’t worry about anyone else, it’s about what we do.”

Harlequins had their 100 per cent record halted by Ulster at Ravenhill. The Irish won 21-10, but Dean Richards’s team’s passage to the quarter-finals is assured.

Meanwhile, in the European Challenge Cup Saracens defeated Viadana 36-19 at Vicarage Road on Sunday to secure their advancement to the last eight. Similarly London Irish, for whom Peter Hewat scored five tries in a 75-5 win over Connacht, are also through.

Labels: Daniel Cipriani, Dean Richards, Edinburgh, Ian McGeechan, Leinster, London Harlequins, London Irish, London Wasps, Phil Vickery, Saracens, Serge Betsen

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BROWN HOPING TO PROVE QUINS' CANDIDACY

Mike Brown believes that if Harlequins can defeat Irish giants Ulster in their own backyard, at the intimidating Ravenhill, then it will further prove to the rugby world that he and his young team will have come of age. A victory on Saturday for the full-back and his pals would ensure passage to the quarter-finals of Europe’s biggest club competition, and a continuation of a sparkling campaign.

Quins go in to Saturday's match atop Heineken Cup Group Four, having achieved a memorable double over European behemoth Stade Francais – results that made doubters of the ability of Dean Richards’s team eat their words.

“People outside didn't really take us seriously before then,” says the 23-year-old, capped thrice for England, of Round three’s 15-10 win in Paris. “They still saw us a young Quins team who could win the odd big game but who were still progressing. That win showed everyone that we can do it on the biggest stage. The guys in the dressing room had belief beforehand that we could beat Stade - and that's what counted.

“But now it puts it puts us in the position where we go away and teams really want to beat us because of what we have done to Stade. That puts a lot more pressure on us but I'm hopeful that we can live up to that and keep playing the way we have been.

“It was an amazing spectacle at Stade Francais, though I didn't get a chance to see any of the entertainment beforehand. It was quite difficult to block it all out as there was so much going on.

“It was very surreal for me as it felt so much like an international and I was there playing with my Harlequins mates. It was such a fast, physical game, and very strange for me. There were just under 80,000 people watching at Stade and that is very rare in club rugby. It was amazing for all the guys to get that experience.”

The star man on that day in France’s capital, and the following week when Quins eked out a 19-17 win, was All Black Nick Evans. The 28-year-old masterminded the Londoners’ attack, and – as he is also a handy No15 – Brown admits that he is learning a lot from the New Zealander.

He continues: “Nick is such a good player and when he is playing No10 it helps everyone in the back line because he does play an expansive game, as all Kiwis do, and he runs the game well. It is good for me – if I have some queries about playing full-back, because I am still learning, then he can help me as he has played at the top level in my position.

“He is always willing to help me out positionally, he has ideas in defence, knows when a full-back should come in to the line and when we are on the counter-attack he knows what to look for.”

When Ulster visited the Stoop back in October, a good first half showing from the home team paved the way for a convincing 42-21 victory. Brown crossed for a try – one of six so far this season – but he is expecting Ulster to be much less of a push over on home soil.

“We are not taking them lightly,” he says, “as we know they are a good team, especially at home. They would love a win over the English boys, too, so we know Ravenhill will be a hard place to go and play.

“I've only played there once before, on a sopping wet Friday night for the Saxons, so I know what to expect. The closest thing to the atmosphere we can expect is that found at Gloucester's Kingsholm. It will be very intimidating but the boys are very much looking forward to that.”

Quins fly to Dublin having not won since the heroics against Stade Francais – a draw with Leicester, defeats to Northampton and Wasps followed. And last weekend’s game over struggling Worcester was frozen off. So Brown is desperate to post a ‘W’ against Ulster.

“We are raring to go for this weekend,” he adds. “It was disappointing to have the game against Saracens called off, but on the plus side some guys who have played a lot of games get a rest.

“In our last game it was disappointing to lose to Wasps as we thought we would have a good chance of turning them over. But they came out firing and in the first half we were very poor. We were trying to force things too much. But the vibe inside the camp is good – all the boys are enjoying their rugby and we are still very confident in our ability.”

Labels: Heineken Cup, London Harlequins, Mike Brown, Ulster

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SKINNER READY FOR WORCESTER CHALLENGE

Will Skinner, the Harlequins captain, will relish the challenge of facing former team-mate Hal Luscombe, who is making his debut for Worcester Warriors today (SAT) having left the Stoop in the summer.

At the half-way stage of the season, 24-year-old Skinner knows that a win over Luscombe's side will propel Quins, currently sixth in the Guinness Premiership, towards a play-off place. Further, it will give them the confidence going in to their final Heineken Cup group games later in the month.

Centre Luscombe, 27, has won 16 caps for Wales and spent two years at Quins, but he has not played for the past nine months thanks to a knee injury.

And flanker Skinner, whose side have not won since achieving a memorable Heineken Cup double over Stade Francais last month, said: "It'll be Hal's first game for Worcester, and he'll be looking to stamp his authority - especially against his old team.

"It'll be good to go up against him, but we will have to watch him carefully as we all know what a good, physical player he is.

"Worcester are a good team and should be higher than tenth in the table. Towards the end of last season they started to play some really good, exciting rugby and they have some great players up there.

"They are also very good away from home - and they have shown that this season. They are definitely a team not to take lightly. We have got to be on top of our game to get the result we want."

The former Leicester No7 continued: "We have a good history against Worcester and more importantly we have to get our Premiership campaign back on track. We are definitely in touching distance of the top four.

"We are looking for an important win this weekend, a win that will give us confidence going in to our last two Heineken Cup group games against Ulster and Scarlets, which are also very tough matches and very important in our European campaign.


"Our next three games, starting with Worcester, are crucial to our season - both in the domestic league and in Europe. Harlequins have to put in good performances if want to progress in both competitions."

Labels: Guinness Premiership, Hal Luscombe, London Harlequins, Will Skinner, Worcester

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PALMER HOPING WASPS CAN STING QUINS

Tom Palmer knows that January could be the make or break month for London Wasps' season - both domestically and in Europe. In their first game of the New Year Wasps host capital rivals Harlequins who, thanks again to the boot of Kiwi fly-half Nick Evans, drew 26-26 with Leicester Tigers last Saturday at Twickenham and remain sixth in the Guinness Premiership, 10 points ahead of Wasps, the reigning champions.

The England prop was one of eight internationals forced to be rested by Shaun Edwards in the 31-3 Boxing Day defeat to Sale Sharks - a loss that brought an end to Wasps' winning run of four games and, in Edwards's view, caused them to lose all momentum.

Though Edwards deemed the Elite Performance Squad stipulation of forcibly dropping England players as "bullshit", Palmer was more diplomatic. Further, he sees no reason why Wasps cannot pick up their game and - as they did last year - go on a devastating, all-conquering run.

The 29-year-old, who started England's ill-fated autumn international against South Africa, said of the EPS regulations: "It is difficult situation as they are the rules. It doesn't help teams like Wasps who have so many internationals. But that is why we need a strong squad.

"It was a real shame to lose against Sale because we were getting a nice run going. After two wins in the league and two in the Heineken Cup we were beginning to play some good stuff again and now we are back to square one, which is disappointing. Now it is very important to beat Harlequins.

"We have not given up on the Guinness Premiership at all. We have got to do as well as we can in both the league and the Heineken Cup. You can lose a game on the bounce of a ball so we are focused on every game we play.

"We know that if we lose a game in Europe, at the stage we are at, we will be out. So we cannot afford to concentrate on one or the other. In the league we have to work hard and keep aiming for the play-offs.

"In the Guinness Premiership I think we are a point better off this year than we were last, before we had that brilliant run. So don't write us off just yet this year!"

Palmer, who moved from Leeds Tykes in 2006 and has won 13 caps for his country, believes that to overcome Harlequins in Round 11 on Sunday they need to close down their half-backs - Evans and scrum-half Danny Care.

He continued: "Harlequins have two outstanding half-backs in Nick and Danny, so I think we have really got to put pressure them. As soon as they get the ball there has to be a defender straight on them so that they are not comfortable. We have got to make life difficult for them - if we give them an easy ride we know they will be incredibly dangerous."

Following the Quins game Wasps travel to league table-toppers Bath and then play their final Heineken Cup group games against Leinster at home and Castres away. A tough period, but one that Wasps will relish, says Palmer.

"January could be a defining month for us this season - we have four really tough games and each one is a big challenge," he said. "But that is what we play for at Wasps - we like testing ourselves against the best sides - and we are all really looking forward to it.

"A really good month for me should see me back in the England square for the Six Nations, so that is a reason for me to focus. Fingers-crossed I will be involved again, but I know I have to put in some big performances."

Palmer and a number of team-mates enjoyed New Year's Eve at hooker Joe Ward's house, where "a few interesting board games" were played. And the front-rower has revealed a rugby resolution for 2009. "I had a chat with England's nutritional expert, and I am going to do a couple of things to keep my bodyweight the same, while decreasing my fat and bulking my muscle mass up," added Palmer.

"I will start a new six-week programme in the New Year that focusses on me getting the right oils and vitamins. In the England training camp in the autumn Mark did some blood screening tests on all of us and it was revealing. The results of that caused a new nutritional plan to be put in to place - and it has really helped and I'm feeling much better.

"I had long-term issues with my back before but now that I am having more fish oils, omega oils, which I was low on, and it is great. I am low in something else too, and that means that I need a glass of red wine and a couple of squares of dark chocolate every night, which is not too bad! Now that my body has adapted to that diet we are changing it again."

Labels: Guinness Premiership, London Harlequins, London Wasps, Tom Palmer

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QUINS WARY OF EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED STADE

Andy Gomarsall has warned his Harlequins team-mates to expect a backlash from French giants Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup on Saturday following the London’s club’s 15-10 victory in Paris last weekend.

The 34-year-old scrum-half, capped 35 times for England, said: “Of course we fancy our chances of doing the double but it will be an emotional game for Stade.

“They were gutted to lose in front of 80,000 of their fans in Paris. And they will be looking for a big one. We just have to concentrate on ourselves and if we do that we should be OK.”

On Sunday London Wasps host Edinburgh and flanker Tom Rees knows that if they don’t gain a win their hopes of European success will be over.

Following their 25-16 victory at Murrayfield last Friday, the England star who scored the winning try said: “It was good to pick up the result and keep our Heineken Cup hopes alive and we will be looking to do the same this week. It is still a case of knowing that if we lose then we are out of the tournament.

“I’d imagine they would be quite happy to rain on our parade so we’ll have to be pretty sharp to win.”

Labels: Andy Gomarsall, Heineken Cup, London Harlequins, London Wasps

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QUINS USE SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST TO WARD OFF CAN-CAN DISTRACTION

Harlequins captain Will Skinner has revealed the secret behind his side’s magnificent Heineken Cup victory over Stade Français in Paris: sports psychology. The 15-10 win, which retained Quins’ 100 per cent record in Pool 4 and hands them a great chance of reaching the last eight for the first time in a decade, was labelled the club’s best in its 142-year history.

But Quins, who last won in France 11 years ago, had to block out an intimidating circus atmosphere, which included Moulin Rouge Can-Can girls, in front of a capacity 76,000 crowd. Tries from Jordan Turner-Hall and Tom Williams, and five kicked points from Nick Evans proved enough for Dean Richards’s team against the two-time runners-up.

“We used a sports psychiatrist who helped us recognise what distractions there would be at the game,” said Skinner, 24. “We didn’t want to get too amazing by everything – though it was hard when we were warming up!

“Without a shadow of a doubt that win was the pinnacle of my career so far. It was the biggest crowd I have ever played against and the biggest game I have ever played in.

“We really believe that we can go much further in the competition. And if anything is going to give us confidence, it was that win. But we have got to keep our feet on the ground. We have to win all our home games and we have got Stade coming back this weekend – and they will be looking for revenge.”

In Pool 2 London Wasps kept alive their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought win over Edinburgh at Murrayfield. With all nine internationals back in the fold, fly-half Danny Cipriani kicked 20 points and Tom Rees scored a try in the 25-16 victory. Wasps are now second with eight points – six behind Leinster.

Labels: Heineken Cup, London Harlequins, London Wasps, Will Skinner

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