When Jason Gilmore expects sensation Eddie Sigauke to break into Quins first team

Eddie Sigauke went viral this week with a stunning 90-metre try against Leicester Tigers under-23s, and Harlequins boss Jason Gilmore believes he will be knocking on the first-team door after Christmas.

The Zimbabwe international, who moved to London in the summer, introduced himself to Quins fans in pre-season, scoring tries with his first two touches in a friendly against Edinburgh.

The 22-year-old has played 12 times for his country, scoring eight tries, and helped Zimbabwe qualify for next year’s World Cup in Australia for the first time since 1991; he could play a key part in their campaign.

And if his early days in the capital are any indication, Gilmore and his recruitment team may have uncovered a hidden gem who has been keeping more seasoned players at the Stoop on their toes.

“He played against Edinburgh and scored two tries. He scored with his first touch there as well. Eddie’s lightning quick. He’s been going to university in South Africa and is a highly intelligent young man who is really driven.

“He’s just got absolute jets, and we’re really lucky to have Eddie at the club. He’s got a few things that he needs to work on defensively, with the high ball and his aerial game, which he’s working really hard on at the moment.

“But I’d like to think that Eddie will be featuring in the senior team, probably post-Christmas. He’s played, you know, a fair bit of senior team rugby, obviously with the Zimbabwe side as well.

“He’s been a bit of a project for us, and he’s keeping Caden Murley and our quick boys on their toes in training. That’s for sure. His second try against Edinburgh was a really good one. He probably beat about three defenders in wide space and went 40 metres.

“You can’t coach speed, and he’s got a ton of it. We’ll keep working hard on the other areas because speed is so useful with kick spread and defence as well. And once he works out how to use his speed on both sides of the ball, he’s going to be a real threat for us,” Gilmore told RugbyPass.