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'We'd 500 Harlequins ultras, stockbrokers and lawyers turned into these crazy fans'

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images for Harlequins)

Veteran scrum-half Danny Care has saluted the atmosphere generated by the 500 lucky Harlequins fans who were able to roar their team on as they fought back from a 0-28 deficit at Bristol to force Gallagher Premiership semi-final extra-time before going on to win 43-36.

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A restricted attendance of just over 6,500 was allowed to attend the Ashton Gate semi-final and while the Bears supporters were scattered in a socially distanced way throughout the stadium, the travelling band of Harlequins were located in the same area and the noise they generated helped swing the momentum of the occasion the way of the London club. 

Trailing by 28 points in as many minutes, you’d never have believed that a trip to Bristol rather than a possible away day at Exeter or Sale was what Harlequins had wanted in the weeks leading up to the semi-finals, but they felt that a particular black mark team statistic against the Bears could ultimately work in their favour.

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Harlequins had led the league over the course of the season in terms of the number of turnovers won by any team and with Bristol said to be the side that lost the most turnovers, the scene was set for the London club to keep believing they could win against the odds, faith emboldened by Alex Dombrandt profiting from a Max Malins error to score their first points just before the interval.  

“We absolutely loved it,” said Care, looking back on the incredible Harlequins comeback that now has them preparing for their first Premiership final since they lifted their one and only league title in 2012. “We couldn’t say it in the build-up but the team that we wanted to play was Bristol but we didn’t want to fuel any fire. 

“They didn’t need any fuel on the fire because the first 20 minutes we couldn’t get a finger on them, but we did want to go down to Bristol because the stats showed us that they do concede the most turnovers in the league and we feel like we are very good off turnovers so we thought if we have got a chance away at one of those teams it might be Bristol and it turned out we were right.

The first 20 minutes I have never seen a team like it, they were absolutely unbelievable. Charles Piutau, Semi Radradra, Max Malins were unstoppable. We couldn’t get a finger on them but we finally took a bit of a step back, got a foothold in the game and got that first try towards the end of the half.

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“At half time generally people would think you’re mad thinking you’d come back from this but we said if we get one try here you never know, if we two they are going to start getting worried about us and we all said if we get three tries this game is ours and we managed to do it,” continued Care, the veteran Harlequins scrum-half whose exceptional form this spring had him touted as a possible Lions tour pick.

“The fans, I have never known an atmosphere like it. We only had 500 of our fans there – we should have had a few more but Bristol did something with the other tickets. But it was like we had 500 Harlequins ultras, the stockbrokers and lawyers turned into these crazy fans and it just shows, I have talked about this so many times how I need fans to play.

“I’m 100 per cent convinced that if fans weren’t in that stadium Bristol are in the final this weekend and we’re not but our fans were unbelievable from start to finish. They are the reason we got over the line and we got them to a final which is what we really wanted to do.”

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Trevor 17 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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