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Lions pick Smith makes Harlequins bench for rematch with Bristol
Gallagher Premiership title holders Harlequins have named an unchanged starting team for Friday night’s clash with Bristol following their win a fortnight ago versus Worcester, but recent Lions tourist Marcus Smith has been called up to the bench and is primed for his first appearance of the new campaign. The exploits of the 22-year-old last June were pivotal to the London club’s first league trophy since 2012.
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That form catapulted him into the England squad for their summer series and after he earned the first two Test caps of his career, he became a mid-tour call-up for the Lions and featured in their match versus the Stormers in Cape Town.
England players who toured with the Lions were entitled to a nine-week break from the end of the tour on August 7 but with Smith having played his last game on July 17, he now returns to the Harlequins set-up a week early and takes the place of Huw Jones on the bench.
While the Londoners’ starting XV is unchanged from their most recent outing on September 25, the team chosen by the new head of rugby Tabai Matson sees six changes from the XV that took the field last June at Ashton Gate when Harlequins famously beat Bristol in the semi-final despite trailing by 28 points near the interval.
Matson said: “The last two weeks have allowed us some great preparation time ahead of Friday. We have had two great, yet challenging, bonus-point wins to start our campaign. The bye-week last week probably came at a good time for us.
'If you look at it in simple black and white, I joined Harlequins when they were tenth on equal points with the eleventh team.'
Paul Gustard on life during and after #Quins, the #URC and why he's happier now in @BenettonRugby writes @heagneyl ??? #COYQhttps://t.co/YbbJrGyR9X
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 3, 2021
“We had a couple of games and then reset, and we are excited to get back out there. We have had some great sessions this week and we are now starting a five-game block with a great encounter with Bristol. We have spoken a bit this week about that semi-final last season. We know that will probably have been a pebble under Bristol’s beach towel over the summer. This is the first time we have faced them since that game and we know it’s going to be as important a game for us as it is for them.
“This should be a fantastic encounter with two sides who play a massively positive brand of rugby. It’s an exciting fixture and I know our fans are probably just as eager as we are to see a blockbuster game under the Friday night lights.” Bristol, meanwhile, have handed Fitz Harding his first outing of the season. The blindside is one of three changes to the XV that overcame Bath last weekend, with Niyi Adeolokun and Jake Kerr also included.
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HARLEQUINS: 15. Tyrone Green; 14. Louis Lynagh, 13. Joe Marchant, 12. Andre Esterhuizen, 11. Cadan Murley; 10. Tommy Allan, 9. Danny Care; 1. Joe Marler, 2. Jack Walker, 3. Simon Kerrod, 4. Matt Symons, 5. Dino Lamb, 6. Tom Lawday, 7. Jack Kenningham, 8. Alex Dombrandt (capt). Reps: 16. Sam Riley, 17. Fin Baxter, 18. Will Collier, 19. Hugh Tizard, 20. James Chisholm, 21. Scott Steele, 22. Marcus Smith, 23. Luke Northmore.
BRISTOL: 15. Charles Piutau; 14. Niyi Adeolokun, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Harry Randall; 1. Yann Thomas, 2. Jake Kerr, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Joe Joyce, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Fitz Harding, 7. Jake Heenan, 8. Steven Luatua (capt). Reps: 16. Harry Thacker, 17. Jake Woolmore, 18. Max Lahiff, 19. Ed Holmes, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Andy Uren, 22. Ioan Lloyd, 23. Alapati Leiua.
'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
Thanks 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.
9 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.
22 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.
9 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.
14 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 commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments