Round 10
Harlequins 22 drew Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 22

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Second home draw for Quins
Sun April 15, 2007
Source: www.quins.co.uk

A pulsating game at the Twickenham Stoop saw Harlequins and Wakefield settle for a draw.

Matthew Blaymire grabbed two tries to snatch a vital point for Wakefield and put the Wildcats' play-off hopes back on track.

Full back Blaymire struck in each half to boost his tally to six tries in his last four games and help end the visitors' run of two successive defeats.

With their second home draw of the season, Harlequins missed the opportunity to go fourth and record their fourth consecutive victory.

After the confident Quins exerted the early pressure Wakefield took the lead with two tries inside the first 15 minutes.

Paul March received a Jason Demetriou pass on the right touchline and eased over, although Jamie Rooney's goal attempt rattled the post.

Six minutes later, Rooney's creativity extended the Wildcats' lead. He worked the ball to Blaymire who ran home. Rooney this time made no mistake with the kick.

Quins, who were hampered early on with an injury to Matt Gafa, managed to reduce the deficit through Scott Hill. The Australian stand-off sold a smart dummy to the Wakefield defence to score.

Quins surged in front with tries from Andy Smith and then, just before the half-time hooter, Paul Sykes.

Henry Paul converted two of the tries to give Quins a half-time lead but like Rooney's earlier attempt, he too had one ricochet of the post.

That lead was short-lived, however, as Waine Pryce latched on to Ben Jeffries' chip to go over in the corner early in the second half to bring the scores level.

In a see-saw half, Quins moved back in front after Lee Hopkins' dart over in the corner was deemed a try by the video referee.

Back fought Wakefield again, though, and Quins handling errors gave the visitors an attacking scrum from which the Wildcats worked the ball wide for Blaymire to grab his second score of the game.

Wakefield pushed on in search of a vital victory and Rooney came agonisingly close to snatching the points when his close range drop goal attempt drifted just wide of the posts.

Report source: www.quins.co.uk


Quins fresh after Easter
Fri April 13, 2007
Source: www.quins.co.uk

Harlequins RL come into Saturday night's Super League clash against Wakefield after earning maximum points over the Easter weekend. Wakefield Trinity Wildcats lost both of their encounters over the four day period, and in doing so, fell from the top of the table.

Quins RL do have good reason to be confident ahead of Saturday, although the Wildcats were comfortable winners in each of last season's encounters.

Quins have also had to deal with two trips to France in the past fortnight. After the victory over Pia there was a five day gap before the Good Friday win against Hull, and just a four day break between Easter Monday's win against Catalans and Saturday's contest.

Despite the hours on the road, Head Coach Brian McDermott says his men are in good shape: "We've come back fresh and ready to go. For us it's not just the extra games that we have had to deal with but the travel as well. I think we have handled it very well.

"This week we have covered off a number of issues together which we are now on top of and we're ready and waiting for an enthusiastic Wakefield on Saturday."

Before last weekend Jon Kear's team had won five of their first seven games. Their two losses, against Hull KR and Leeds, were by margins of five and six points respectively, suggesting that Wakefield have come a long way since narrowly avoiding relegation last year.

Good Friday saw Quins scrape home with a victory at the Stoop against Hull FC, while Wakefield became the first team this season to be beaten by Huddersfield (56-12). Three days later Quins inflicted a comfortable win against Les Catalans in Perpignan (38-16) and Wakefield lost at home to Bradford. It was, however, a much improved performance by the Wildcats, losing by six tries to five.

Brian McDermott has had close to a full compliment of players available for selection over the past month or so, and that stability is now starting to bring rewards. At least one change will be forced this Saturday though, with rookie Chris Melling sidelined with a knee injury. Michael Worrincy has been recalled from the senior academy team, and could earn his first game back in the top grade since round two.

Before the main event at 3.45pm will be a south-west London derby. Reigning Harry Jepson Trophy holders South London Storm will kick off the 2007 RLC Premier League season when they tackle the West London Sharks in their opening round match.

Harlequins RL 20:

Gafa, Heckenberg, Hill, Hopkins, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, McLinden, Mills, Orr, Paul, Purdham, Randall, Rinaldi, A. Smith, T. Smith, Sykes, Temata, Tootill, Villasanti, Wells, Worrincy.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 20:

Pryce, Demetriou, Rooney, Jeffries, Watene, Sculthorpe, Catic, MacGillivray, Ferres, P. March, Bibey, Henderson, Elima, Latu, Blaymire, Fox, Golden, Ferguson, Moore, Buchanan.

Referee: I Smith

Harlequins RL v Wakefield, 6pm Saturday 14 April, Twickenham Stoop

Match tickets for all home games start at just 12 pounds. Book online at www.quins.co.uk or on the phone 020 8410 6000.

News sent by: www.quins.co.uk

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