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Ins and outs expected as Harlequins set to overhaul engine room

Harlequins are set to shake up their engine room

It could be a new-look engine room for Harlequins next season, with sources confirming to RugbyPass that lock Charlie Matthews looks likely to leave the club at the end of the season.

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The 26-year-old is a product of the Quins academy and has accrued over 150 appearances for the club in the nine years he has spent there, but he has slipped down the pecking order this season.

Australian James Horwill is cemented into the second-row when fit and both fellow academy graduate George Merrick and former Bristol player Ben Glynn seem to have risen above Matthews in the pecking order of late.

The currently injured Sam Twomey is another factor to consider in that hierarchy when he returns to fitness after an operation on his foot, as are Stan South and senior academy lock John Okafor.

Quins are not believed to be content with their current options at the position, though, and have targeted Wasps lock Matt Symons to bolster their second-row stocks and provide competition for a starting spot.

The former Saracens academy member reinvigorated his career in New Zealand, playing a key role in the Chiefs’ playoff pushes in 2014 and 2015, before moving back to England in a bid to push for international recognition.

He initially joined London Irish in 2015, but left the club just a year later when they were relegated from the Premiership. He then made the move to Coventry to join Wasps, but a combination of England’s incumbent locks excelling and a horrid run of injuries has, thus far, seen him fail to make his way into the England squad.

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A move to Harlequins could help reignite those hopes ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, with the club not only keen to find a complementary partner to Horwill in the engine room, but also well-known for its ability to cultivate players for the national side.

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P
PM 32 minutes ago
Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start

I have been following Lions tours for the last 30 odd years and I can’t remember one feeling as flat as this one, so your damp squib comment is a fair one.


I think there are a few reasons for this;


1) The opposition isn’t that strong this tour and hasn’t generated the normal excitement and uncertainty for the tests, most people are expecting 0-3 (which has never happened in living memory before).


2) The growing discontent within the fan base at the number of “outside BIL “ born players in the squad is a growing issue. The import issue has reached saturation point with some fans and is a bit negative element to this tour (will improve as nation switching becomes harder).


3) The rugby so far hasn’t been great and the tactics to date are not very exciting. People expected more from Andy Farrell and his Lions team.


4) Lions management have scored some own goals with the selection and subsequent call ups. It should have been the best 44 players from the start of the tour but the recent call ups have been underwhelming and damaged the Lions brand for some fans.


5) This tour would have been better if they merged Australia with Argentina and the Lions played Fiji as a warm up game to give the Pacific Nations a better chance of exposure and glory to grow the game. This is the sort of innovative thinking they need to bring out the magic of the Lions brand and create an exciting experience for all.


What’s become clear is the next tour needs to be an exciting one before people forget how magical a Lions tour can feel and the Lions brand is damaged to the point of questioning why it continues. The writing is on the wall, so lets hope the Lions see it and correct some of the above by the next tour.

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P
PM 1 hour ago
Why Henry Pollock's x-factor could earn him a Lions Test start

Nick,

I am a long suffering England fan, who has had to endure watching 4 years of dull rugby, poor selections and painful defeats. Steve Borthwick talks about GPS and picks squads by numbers and then we put in a poor performance on the pitch - it’s been a consistent trend.


Something changed in the Six Nations and we totally changed our style (literally overnight) and played some really good footie, which finally felt like positive rugby for a change.


Genge has regained his pore-Covid form and is looking back to his best and is head and shoulders above Porter.


Chessum has had a good year and hasn’t played a poor International game this season.


Tom Curry was outstanding in the 6 Nations but they have been playing him at 6, wheras he is better at 7 and is lethal at the breakdown.


Tom Willis was brought into the starting team at 8 and has been one of the best England players over the last year, who should have been on this Lions tour at 8. Earl had his best game since 2020 last week - not sure 1 game warrants Lions selection over a poor combination side and he is certainly second choice for his club 7 country behind Willis.


Pollock will be a good player but like all young emerging players, he is inconsistent and can go quiet in games, which is why Curry should be the starter at 7. He brings energy to games, which is why he is good from the bench but there is an argument to say he is the 5th best England openside (Curry x2, Underhill & Earl are currently better) but will improve over the next 5 years. We just need to stop the media building him up for a fall, let him play and develop and you will see a sensational Henry Pollock for the Lions in 4 years time.


Lions will be too powerful over 80 mins, so doesn’t really matter who they pick. Just please don’t put too much hype on Pollock. His 20 mins of International rugby going into this tour were positive but the media caused a frenzy and no other player would be selected on this basis.


Let’s enjoy the rugby and give Pollock the space and time he requires.

102 Go to comments
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