Round 13
Les Catalans Dragons 18 d. Harlequins 16

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Quins Coach responds to press comments after Millennium Magic
Wed May 7, 2008
Source: www.quins.co.uk

Harlequins Head Coach Brian McDermott insists that Rugby League in London is a proven success that continues to grow in strength year after year.

McDermott, who has a deep passion for the health of Rugby League in the capital, admits that he spoke with too much emotion in the press conference following Harlequins Rugby League's loss to the Catalan Dragons at Millennium Stadium on Sunday, rather than clearly expressing the point he wished to make.

McDermott has said: "We as a club, and as a group of players, are constantly looking to improve ourselves. As a Coach, when I see my team lose two games in a row in the dying minutes, then I start to ask questions about what we are doing here in London. By that I mean in terms of our preparation; how we train, when we train, how we travel to games and so on.

"There is certainly no question about whether or not Rugby League will work in London. Rugby League does work in London and is making real progress.

"We are a competitive team in Super League and we've got top class players coming through the academy ranks pushing into the first team. If anybody comes down here and spends time with our junior development coaches, our scholarship coaches or our community team they go back up North blown away by the standards and programmes we have in place here.

"We have a very dedicated bunch of people in London, all of whom have put everything they have into strengthening Rugby League in London and The South.

"We have a very loyal and dedicated fan base that makes us proud to play in front of them and we have seen a really positive increase in the size of that base this year.

"If anyone thinks that I am questioning if we or I should be here or not, then they are very wrong."

Harlequins Rugby League Chairman, Keith Hogg added: "Brian is a passionate, committed and talented Harlequins Rugby League Head Coach and everyone at the club is proud of the effort that Brian and all the football team are putting in to developing our club.

"We were all very frustrated with how things ended up on Sunday and with this coming after the game against Wakefield we were all doubly upset. It certainly took quite a while for my heart to slow down and my sister, who is a season ticket holder, told me that she was very nearly in tears.

"That is how things should be. Sport is about passion, it is about caring, it is about feelings and it is about the joy of winning. Maybe Brian's emotions ran away with him a little after the game and perhaps he will handle things a little differently next time but that changes nothing at our club. We are very pleased with progress on and off the pitch this season and, in particular what we are doing for the sport in London and the South East. Passion for the game, the club and winning is a great thing. Occasionally there are downsides to that passion but lets not read too much into that.

"Our focus is now Leeds on Sunday in the Challenge Cup. I know that the Harlequins Rugby League fans will be there in numbers on Sunday and will be cheering their team on at full blast."

News sent by: www.quins.co.uk


Catalans snatch victory from Harlequins
Mon May 5, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Late tries from Julien Touxagas and Justin Murphy saw Catalans Dragons snatch victory by 18-16 over Harlequins and cement second spot in the engage Super League.

The fourth game of Millennium Magic appeared to be drifting towards a tame conclusion after Quins had opened up a 16-6 lead in the second half.

Yet the French suddenly burst into life after Touxagas picked up a loose ball and sprinted 90 metres to score with 10 minutes remaining.

Murphy then took a Thomas Bosc kick with two minutes left on the clock to cut Leeds' lead at the top to five points and extend the club's unbeaten run to nine games.

Victory had seemed to belong to Harlequins after the Londoners had hit back from Jason Croker's early try with efforts from Michael Worrincy, the influential Scott Hill and Chris Melling.

After 206 points were scored in the Cardiff event's first three matches on Saturday, the majority of the contest had been quiet by comparison.

With the roof closed and noise echoing around the huge arena, the atmosphere was a strange one as the crowd built up ahead of two more intense derbies later in the day.

Croker, Super League's oldest player at 35, opened the scoring for the Dragons with five minutes gone after Harlequins had been penalised for incorrectly playing the ball.

Bosc added the extras but the Londoners produced a quick response with Hill putting Worrincy over.

Rob Purdham converted and Danny Orr went close to putting Quins ahead when he was just beaten to his own kick.

Harlequins edged themselves 10-6 ahead just before the break when Hill crashed over from a Chad Randall pass.

An Orr kick created another opportunity for Harlequins but Murphy managed to get back to beat Tony Clubb to the ball.

Harlequins stepped up the pressure early in the second half with a swift move which saw Jon Wells put Hill clear to set up Melling for his first try of the season.

Purdham, who had missed a penalty attempt with time expired in the first half, made no mistake to extend Quins' lead to 10 points.

The game appeared all but over when, out of the blue, Orr dropped the ball on the Dragons' 10-metre line and Touxagas gathered and broke away to score.

It was only his second Super League try in three years and, with Bosc converting, the Dragons were suddenly revived.

They applied more pressure and Murphy, scoring for the fourth consecutive game, snatched the game from Quins' grasp when he took Bosc's kick in his stride to touch down.

The French still needed Bosc's conversion but he made no mistake.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: McDermott questions attitude

Wed April 30, 2008
• Harlequins Rugby League 'Adopt' Welsh Youngsters
  

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