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Catrakilis has to fill big boots at Harlequins
By Chris Jones
Demetri Catrakilis is relishing the daunting job of replacing All Black Nick Evans as the Harlequins play-maker and main points scorer with the boot in next season’s English Premiership campaign.
The 27-year-old South African born No10 has joined Quins from Montpellier and is already in training with a squad that will be captained by former Wallaby skipper James Horwill and will feature current Lions stars Kyle Sinckler and Joe Marler along with former England captain Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown, Danny Care and Marland Yarde along with Wales’s Jamie Roberts and Scotland’s Tim Visser.
Catrakilis said: "I like to try and run the game which comes with decision making and that is sometimes with the boot. When you've got to make those decisions all your skills have to be up there. I've been working hard on my running game the last few years as well as my kicking game so I'd like to think I'm a well-rounded player.
"I've got to meet the boys and it's almost been like my first day at school, with a lot of new names and a new place to get used to. The facilities are great and I'm really looking forward to it.
"I've been watching Quins play since I was a teenager, obviously it's a really great club and historically it's one of the best. As a young kid growing up, if you want to come to Europe Harlequins is probably one of the clubs you want to come to.”
Evans won 16 All Blacks caps and scored a record 2,249 points for Quins where he is now part of the coaching set up.
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Latest Comments
It doesn’t say anything, particularly. No10 isn’t the only position in a team and not the sole determiner of who wins or loses.
Go to commentsThe manner of all these comments is that it doesn’t matter who plays No10 for the All Blacks, apparently they are all rubbish!
Seriously, people need to get a grip and stop obsessing over every tiny error made from an overscrutinised position. DMac was good this year for the most part, as was Beauden Barrett. Mo’unga was good last year and would be an asset in the group if he did come back. I don’t see it as an area of concern.
The main concern in 2025 is finding another world class lock and loose forward, followed by some scrutiny over the midfield combination in my view.
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