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Harlequins confirm seven exits, including their ex-NFL recruit
Beaten in last Saturday’s Gallager Premiership semi-final by Saracens, 2021 champions Harlequins have confirmed the names of the seven players leaving them now that their 2021/22 season is over. The departures of the retiring Joe Gray and Matt Symons had previously been announced, as were the exits of the Saracens-bound Hugh Tizard and the Glasgow re-signing Huw Jones.
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Now three more names have been added to that list with prop Craig Trenier retiring, and Christian Scotland-Williamson and Mak Wilson both being released.
Harlequins head coach Tabai Matson said: “I’d like to thank every one of our seven leavers this summer for their dedication to the jersey during their tenures at the club. Joe, Matt and Craig hang up their boots at the end of the season and should be immensely proud of their careers as professional athletes, a feat so many strive to achieve.
“Hugh, Christian, Mak and Huw have been fantastic during their times with us and I know all will go on to find great success in their next steps.”
Joe Gray
A two-time Premiership winner across two stints and 177 appearances for Harlequins, the hooker will hang up his boots as he retires from professional rugby this summer. Establishing himself as an England international during his time with Harlequins, Gray will swap his blue scrum cap for the coaches’ whistle as he takes up his new role as head coach of London Scottish following the announcement of a strategic partnership between the Championship club and Quins.
Matt Symons
Announced earlier this season, second row Symons will retire this summer following a four-year stint with the London club having joined from Premiership rivals Wasps. He also previously represented London Irish and the Chiefs in New Zealand. Symons moves immediately into a role in central London working in commercial real estate. A key figure in Harlequins Premiership title win last season, the lock will long be remembered at The Stoop.
Craig Trenier
Calling time on professional rugby this summer due to injury following a two-season spell with the club, tighthead prop Trenier joined from Championship side Ealing Trailfinders ahead of rugby’s return from the pandemic in the summer of 2020. Making his club debut in the Premiership season opener away to Newcastle Falcons earlier this campaign, the Irishman will retire to focus full-time on his recruitment business, Albert Bow.
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Christian Scotland-Williamson
The second row leaves the club this summer following a one-year stint with Quins, arriving at The Stoop last summer having returned from a three-year spell in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Mak Wilson
The ex-Scotland U20s prop will leave Harlequins this summer after two years. Joining from Super 6 side Southern Knights, he made his debut for Quins in the Premiership Cup and went on to play in the Champions Cup, coming on against Cardiff earlier this season.
Huw Jones
The Scotland international will depart London this summer following a one-year stint, re-joining Glasgow. A versatile back, he first made his mark for Harlequins in the centre but went on in his 28 appearances to make his most memorable performances at full-back.
Hugh Tizard
The Harlequins academy graduate will depart to join London rivals Saracens. After making his senior debut in 2019 against his new club, Tizard burst through during Quins’ title-winning 2020/21 season.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments