Harlequins v Gloucester

[An Tarbh]

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Harlequins v Gloucester (Sat)</div>

Venue: The Stoop Date: Saturday, 21 February Kickoff - 14:45

Harlequins wing David Strettle starts against Gloucester as Dean Richards makes just two changes from last weekend's win over London Irish.

Strettle replaces fellow England international Ugo Moyne while prop Mike Ross also makes the starting line-up.

Wales international Gareth Delve will captain Gloucester, with Luke Narraway moving to blindside flanker.

Injured duo Matthew Watkins and Will James miss out, while wing Charlie Sharples replaces Mark Foster.


Harlequins: M Brown; D Strettle, G Tiesi, J Turner-Hall, T Williams; N Evans, A Gomarsall; C Jones, G Botha, M Ross, O Kohn, G Robson, C Robshaw, W Skinner, T Guest.
Replacements: A Croall, M Lambert, J Evans, N McMillan, J Poluleuligaga, C Malone, U Monye.

Gloucester: I Balshaw; C Sharples, H Trinder, O Barkley, J Simpson-Daniel; C Spencer, R Lawson; N Wood, A ***terrell, G Somerville, M Bortolami, A Brown, L Narraway, A Hazell, G Delve (capt).
Replacements: O Azam, A Dickinson, A Eustace, A Satala, R Lamb, A Allen, M Foster.

From - BBC Sport

 

[Vambo]

Balshaw at fullback


Potential to be a cracking game this one. Looking forward to it. Home advantage to just swing it Quins way.

 

[iWin]

Good to see Strettle get a starting spot. Also good to see that Williams doesn't lose out. He's been great in the absence of the internationals.

Quins to win 19-12 or there abouts. More if Gloucester give the ball to Balshaw. Less if they don't.

 

[Vambo]

Evans in for a great solo try.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Nick Evans with the first try, making up for his missed conversion.
Balshaw the turnstile as always.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Malone on for Evans in the second half due to what is thought to be an injury...
We'll see what this side is really made of without their talisman.
Gloucester take a 9 - 7 lead.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Malone fails Harlequins again.
Misses an easy penalty kick. Still 7 - 9 to Gloucester...

:lol: Lawson and Balshaw.

Malone fails to redeem himself with another missed penalty...

 

[Prestwick]

AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yet again Balshaw shows the world why is isn't a world class back...or even a back...

Coco the Clown to the rescue again.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Tom Williams try! Hits the edge of the line.
14 - 9 with an easy conversion for Malone. Great way to come back.

 

[Prestwick]

Halfpenny wouldn't have choked.

Delboy from Saracens wouldn't have choked.

The entire Australian front row wouldn't have choked.

But Balshaw the Clown and Sinbad?




















.....oh baby they choked!

EDIT: I'm sorry but Dean Ryan isn't the man for Gloucester. He can get them to the top of the table but any game with any hint of pressure and they crumble.

 

[Sir Speedy]

:lol: Only with Dean Ryan...

In other, deeply upsetting news, Sale are now second. :cryy:

 

[Prestwick]

Its the Dean Ryan show: Looney Toons!

 

[Sir Speedy]

I'd hate to be a Harlequins fan. The tension of these last-minute wins would give me a heart attack!

 

[Prestwick]

Thats whats making them pack out the Stoop though weekend in weekend out...

 

[nick_w]

Just come down from the ceiling now. If truth be told we really didn't deserve that win. At times we looked a little disjointed, but luckily we capitalised on the fact Gloucester can't deal with pressure. Our scrum was pushed around a lot, and whilst Skinner didn't have a bad game, he was no Hazell. We seem to be able to create this "dig deep" factor now, something we haven't really had before.

 

[iWin]

Just so long as they keep being last minute wins, it's great. If they turn into last minute efforts that don't pay off, it'll be horrible. I'd hate to see so much effort go to waste.

I didn't see the game, did Monye come on the wing and Williams go full back, or was it a straight swap for Brown? If they put Williams Full back, I hope that worked because I think they should be starting with that as a back 3.

 

[Daylightfire]

Great result!
Thought we had thrown it away after Malone missed the two kicks towards the end, ( either kick was not exactly unkickable ) But we kept going and got the reward.

Defence was superb again I thought.