Quins vs Bristol - The Small Game - 27th Dec

[Puja]

Harlequins Starting XV

Joe Marler
Jack Walker
Wilco Louw
George Hammond
Irne Herbst
Archie White
Will Evans
Alex Dombrandt – Captain
Danny Care
Tommy Allan
Josh Bassett
Andre Esterhuizen
Joe Marchant
Cadan Murley
Nick David

Replacements

George Head
Fin Baxter
Simon Kerrod
Charlie Matthews
Tom Lawday
Lewis Gjaltema
Will Edwards
Oscar Beard


Bristol Bears: 15. Rich Lane (13 apps), 14. Luke Morahan (109 apps), 13. Semi Radradra (41 apps), 12. Sam Bedlow (57 apps), 11. Gabriel Ibitoye (6 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (12 apps), 9. Andy Uren (145 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (29 apps), 2. Harry Thacker (87 apps), 3. Max Lahiff (54 apps), 4. Joe Batley (29 apps), 5. Chris Vui (104 apps), 6. Steven Luatua (c) (103 apps), 7. Jake Heenan (81 apps), 8. Magnus Bradbury (9 apps).

Replacements: 16. Jake Kerr (26 apps), 17. Yann Thomas (98 apps), 18. Jay Tyack (7 apps), 19. Elliott Stooke (2 apps), 20. Dan Thomas (119 aaps), 21. Tom Whiteley (12 apps), 22. Callum Sheedy (145 apps), 23. Ioan Lloyd (67 apps).

[Timbo]

Is Morahan going or staying?

[jimKRFC]

He's off on the 1st of Jan, done last game for us.

[Scrumhead]

Late drop out for Genge?

[twitchy]

He has a newborn.

[FKAS]

Genge's daughter born today, some things are more important than rugby. Congratulations to them both.

Quins discipline has been really poor. Nice to see both sides throwing the ball around with some skill despite the awful conditions.

[fivepointer]

That was a gutsy win for Bristol. Not pretty at times but they dug deep and worked tirelessly for a result.

[jimKRFC]

Didn't realise it was on ITV so a nice surprise to find at the in-laws after a miserable trip down the M4/M25...

A win Bris really needed - not great to watch and was convinced we blown it when Esterhuizen broke through. Hopefully, it goes some way to fixing the damage done by the previous implosions against Quin's!

[Mellsblue]

Anyone know why Genge dropped out etc etc

[Timbo]

…..

[jimKRFC]

Missed the first half, so missed the scrum flare up with Heenan and Yann - anyone know happened? Never seen either of them react like before!

[Puja]

Bottom three beat the top three this round. Bad weekend for Bath!

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Annoying match to lose for Quins, but ultimately, I don’t think we did enough to win. Execution was really poor at crucial moments. I’m really not sure why we kept kicking for the corner when our lineout was clearly struggling.

[p/d]

Evans really did get that tackle wrong. Poor lad.

RICH LANE, fun to watch under the high ball.

Quins shot themselves in the foot too often to walk away with the spoils, even with Uren playing 9 for Briz.. Bristol defence was good and Thacker a right nuisance.

[p/d]

Missed the first half, so missed the scrum flare up with Heenan and Yann - anyone know happened? Never seen either of them react like before!

Might have been a discussion regards whether or not a prop can carry off faux leather Spanx

[stepsider]

Another inconsistent rule application for the ibitoye yellow card. He had nowhere to go or time to react when Radradra's tackle pushed a Quins player into him, but apparently "according to the current law" he had to be sent off.

Yet two weeks ago when Manu Tuilagi was floored by a head/head contact from Ulster prop Andy Warwick, there was no sanction by the ref. (admittedly Warwick has subsequently been cited, but clearly too late to influence the game).

Not claiming to know the answer here. But the overriding need is for consistency.

And despite the yellow + all their late pressure, Quins still managed to lose.

[FKAS]

Missed the first half, so missed the scrum flare up with Heenan and Yann - anyone know happened? Never seen either of them react like before!

Might have been a discussion regards whether or not a prop can carry off faux leather Spanx

Some suggestions Marler might be in a touch of trouble (again).

[FKAS]

Annoying match to lose for Quins, but ultimately, I don’t think we did enough to win. Execution was really poor at crucial moments. I’m really not sure why we kept kicking for the corner when our lineout was clearly struggling.

The last kick to the corner was baffling. Kick the relatively easy 3 and you had a draw with a couple of minutes left and Bristol would kick you the ball back. That being said I thought Quins had got away with when they made the break and Big Andre was galloping towards the line...

[Epaminondas Pules]

Missed the first half, so missed the scrum flare up with Heenan and Yann - anyone know happened? Never seen either of them react like before!

Might have been a discussion regards whether or not a prop can carry off faux leather Spanx

Some suggestions Marler might be in a touch of trouble (again).

Luatua called him out as well and Marler apologised.

Screenshot 2022-12-28 at 09.13.35.png

[Mikey Brown]

Did I miss what is actually alleged to have been said/done?

England get minced up front by SA, many calls for Marler to return in a new look England side and now we’re back here. Curious.

[FKAS]

It doesn't appear that anyone has actually publicly detailed what he's said. He's offered an apology and if Heenan accepts it I would consider the matter done. If Heenan considers it more offensive than just an apology then he needs to report the matter to the authorities.

I presume it must have been something fairly serious as there's always a lot of chat at scrum time and Heenan wouldn't have much of a career if he did that every time there was a scrum.

[fivepointer]

RugbyPass understands that Marler twice made disparaging remarks about the mother of one of the Bristol players – namely that she was a sex worker.
Marler will find out today if he is to face a disciplinary committee over the incident.

He really is an absolute tosser at times.

[FKAS]

That's pretty meh. I saw elsewhere that he'd said something about Heenan's wife but that seems equally unsubstantiated though is more likely to have managed to catch a nerve.

[Spiffy]

RugbyPass understands that Marler twice made disparaging remarks about the mother of one of the Bristol players – namely that she was a sex worker.
Marler will find out today if he is to face a disciplinary committee over the incident.

He really is an absolute tosser at times.

Yes. He is a serial tosser. And, of course, his apologies after the event mean nothing at all. He is not going to change his ways at this stage. I hope Borthwick has the good sense to leave him out.

[twitchy]

The Times:

Marler is believed to have insulted Heenan’s mother, which sparked his visibly emotional reaction. The referee, Karl Dickson, did not hear the comment at first, but via the official’s microphone Heenan can be heard saying: “Karl, Karl, my mum is in hospital.”



It seems like bad timing more than anything.