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The 'very strategic' variation Harlequins are getting heads around
Tabai Matson has painted this Sunday’s clash between his English title-winning Harlequins and the French title-chasing Montpellier as a conflict of philosophies he can’t wait to encounter. Fresh from swatting aside London Irish in the Premiership, Quins are braced for a very different type of challenge in their two-legged round of 16 Heineken Champions Cup encounter against the Top 14 pace-setters.
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It’s an obstacle that Matson is intrigued by and his squad have gone to great lengths on the training ground in Guildford to try and replicate the challenge that awaits at the GGL Stadium before the return game six days later at the Stoop. Montpellier dragged the European tournament into the mud with the brutal way they surrendered 89-7 away to Leinster in Dublin twelve weeks ago.
However, they picked off Exeter the following week at home to book their Champions Cup progress and have since gone on to win six and draw one of their nine recent French league matches to lead that competition by five points with four games remaining before the playoffs. It’s a flourish that naturally didn’t escape the attention of Matson, whose style of game with Harlequins is at the opposite end of the spectrum compared to how Montpellier go about their business of winning matches.
“One of the fantastic things about them is you kind of watch them out of the corner of your eye because you are not quite sure and when you go back and review their last few games, one of the things I love about watching the French game is there is just so much variation,” enthused Matson when quizzed by RugbyPass at his round of 16 media briefing.
“People try different things. There tends to be a real variation in the way the game is played. The Premiership is really pragmatic. We get teams that kick a lot as well. Saracens kick a stack load compared to the likes of us and Exeter, so when you see Montpellier and see they have 50 more kicks than any other team in the Top 14, it’s not an anomaly. It’s something very strategic that you have got to get your head around.”
Matson has made just a single change to his starting XV from the comfortable win over Irish, recalling Louis Lynagh to start on the wing in place of Luke Northmore. “Louis has got a really important day because if we can diffuse one of their biggest strengths we will be able to put them under pressure,” he continued. “Their defence is strong and it is on the back of their kicking game. Strategically we have got to get that diffusing of their bomb sorted. They have got one of the best half-backs maybe in the world kicking the ball so we have to get that part right otherwise we will have a very long day at the office.”
So then, what have Harlequins been up to on the training ground under Matson to prepare for the aerial assault that is coming their way? “It’s the non-23, they have an important job for us on weeks like this making sure they are as close to Montpellier as we can get them and making sure we want to play to the true Quins style.
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“We want to make sure we move the ball, put them under pressure with ball in hand and we do what we normally do which is keep the ball alive, make linebreaks, score tries. We won’t beat Montpellier at Montpellier’s game as we have never beaten Leicester at Leicester’s game and we have never beaten Saracens at Saracens’ game. That is the beauty, that is the exciting challenge, a conflict of philosophies of the game with these guys, so it is going to be awesome fun.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It 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….
77 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!
1 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?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
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