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Harlequins coach Tabai Matson has congratulated his young players receiving a first England call-up this week but admitted it was a double-edged sword for the Premiership club. Uncapped trio Louis Lynagh, Jack Kenningham and Sam Riley are among seven Quins to be named in a 45-man squad for a training camp next week as Eddie Jones looks to freshen up his squad with the 2023 World Cup in mind.
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Joe Marler, Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marchant and Marcus Smith have also been selected and while it comes as little surprise that the Gallagher Premiership champions should be so well represented in numbers, it does leave Matson with a potential Harlequins headache come the autumn internationals later this year.
“It’s a reflection of the success they have had,” Matson said. “Whenever a programme does well it promotes its players to higher honours. As a club, we are thrilled that those guys have been recognised and they move forward.
“It’s always exciting when they want to have a look at players from your club, but it’s also a double-edged sword. We will have to adjust and clearly if they all make the squad it will make it difficult in those winter months.”
Lynagh’s selection stole the headlines, given the 20-year-old is the son of former Australia captain Michael, but his form has certainly merited it. Two smart finishes against Newcastle last weekend took him to eight tries in 13 Premiership appearances and help Quins begin their title defence with a 26-20 win.
"They actually asked me that in my second interview"
– Tabai Matson was put on the spot by Harlequins in a five-round interview process, the London club wanting to know what he made of them when head coach at Bath#PremRugby #Harlequins #NEWvHARhttps://t.co/DaqgW2fSaB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 15, 2021
Next up is a match against Worcester at the Stoop, one that Matson said would provide an entirely different challenge. “From what we have seen in the last couple of weeks, we are preparing for a team who will really go at us in the breakdown, something that Newcastle probably had a little bit of an edge on us,” he said.
“That is probably the first battle line against Worcester. They tackle differently. They really slow down the ball, it’s not conducive to the way Quins want to play. It’s actually a really good match up between how we want to play and how they want to slow the game down.”
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That Harlequins-Worcester battle will be overseen by Sara Cox, who will become the first woman to referee a Premiership game. Centrally contracted by the Rugby Football Union since 2016, Cox was due to make her Premiership debut last term but had to wait after the match between Worcester and Gloucester was cancelled amid the pandemic. The opportunity will instead come on Saturday and Matson said he was delighted to be part of history.
“For me personally, it’s really exciting to be involved in a game where a woman is refereeing for the first time,” he said. “It’s really exciting to do it at the Stoop and to be part of something that is a first. She is doing our game because she is a quality referee and we will be behind her 100 per cent. It’s been a long time coming.”
'Dean was just honest with me. With some Premiership DoRs it’s hard to have honest chats'
Once earmarked for England @natenate174 is starting a new chapter at @FalconsRugby He talks @Harlequins, Gustard, rebuilding after injury & more, with @heagneyl ???https://t.co/xObd1MDhT7
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 19, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments