Harlequins team named: Robshaw to play 300th and final game club
Club captain Chris Robshaw will play his 300th and final game for the Harlequins as Paul Gustard names the side to travel to Leicester Tigers this Sunday – K.O 15:00
Just the second player to earn 300 appearances for the club, behind only Harlequins fullback Mike Brown (334 appearances), Robshaw will captain Harlequins for the 142nd time, a record for the Club, at Welford Road this weekend, and remains the only player to have won the Premiership Player of the Year award twice.
Among ten changes to the team that ran out against Wasps on Monday, loosehead prop Jordan Els earns his first start for the club having made his debut from the bench against Wasps, with centre Joe Marchant shifting to the wing as Scottish international James Lang takes up the thirteen jersey alongside Andre Esterhuizen in the midfield.
Danny Care and Brett Herron form a changed halfback partnership, with last weekend’s halfbacks Scott Steele and Marcus Smith side-lined through injury.
Amongst the replacements, academy product Louis Lynagh will look to make his Gallagher Premiership debut from the 23 jersey. Also representing the Harlequins Academy, George Head starts at hooker following injury to Wales international Scott Baldwin, with another Academy front row in Jack Musk added to the match day squad in the 16 jersey.
Harlequins Head of Rugby Paul Gustard said: “We are looking forward to the final game of the season as we look to finish in sixth position with a positive performance and a result for a club legend in Robbo; who makes his final and 300th appearance for Harlequins.
“He has been one of the standout players in the league for over a decade and is universally respected and loved by his peers and opposition.
“There are few players that have made the impact Chris has over the years, and I am delighted to read, hear and see the regard he is held in. He is more than deserving of all the praise and accolades he receives.
“It is a shame that, with our considerable injury list, with 19 senior players currently unavailable, those who have played so much with Robbo are unable to take the field with him once more. But, I know the squad are determined to play well for him.
“While Robbo leaves the team as a player, he will never leave us as a person and will forever have a home at Harlequins. He epitomises everything that is good about our sport and we wish only good things for him and Camilla on their next adventure.
“Thank you, Robbo.”
Harlequins Starting XV:
1. Jordan Els (1)
2. George Head (1)
3. Simon Kerrod (27)
4. Dino Lamb (33)
5. Glen Young (19)
6. Chris Robshaw (299) – Harlequins Captain
7. Will Evans (20)
8. Alex Dombrandt (51)
9. Danny Care (282)
10. Brett Herron (14)
11. Nathan Earle (29)
12. Andre Esterhuizen (5)
13. James Lang (67)
14. Joe Marchant (92)
15. Aaron Morris (52)
Replacements:
16. Jack Musk (11)
17. Marc Thomas (5)
18. Wilco Louw (3)
19. Tevita Cavubati (20)
20. Tom Lawday (17)
21. Martin Landajo (20)
22. Ben Tapuai (29)
23. Louis Lynagh (1)
Unavailable for selection:
Tyrone Green, Elia Elia
Unavailable due to injury:
Stephan Lewies, Craig Trenier, Joe Marler, Joe Gray, Michele Campagnaro, Cadan Murley, Paul Lasike, Matt Symons, Will Collier, Santiago Garcia Botta, Mike Brown, Chris Ashton, Scott Steele, Luke Northmore, Marcus Smith, James Chisholm, Scott Baldwin
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments