'We almost started too well': Evans focusing on the positives following massive lead slip
Harlequins attack and backs coach Nick Evans was happy with the way his side regained control of their match against Gloucester, which they ultimately won 59-24 after letting a big lead slip.
When Quins had the try bonus point against an under-strength Cherry and Whites after 26 minutes, it looked like a case of how many points the Gallagher Premiership’s third-placed team would win by.
However, Gloucester, with many of their key players rested, fought back to level after half-time – only for the hosts to get back up to the standards they had set earlier in the afternoon.
Evans said: “We almost started too well, going 24-0 up after 20 minutes or so, then we got sloppy.
“We stopped working at the non-glamourous stuff, which was disappointing for us a group, and we let them back into the game in a period after half-time – and we just can’t have that.
“That’s going to cost us games, them scoring off the back of three penalties in a row and then an intercept.
“What was very pleasing was the way we wrestled it back and then really dominated the last third of the game, against a tiring defence.
“It’s the way we want to play, the way we feel we can beat teams through our attack, which gives our defence energy.
“Overall, we would say that we were a bit sloppy, but also that we created lots of opportunities and ended up with nine tries.”
Tries by Luke Northmore, Mike Brown, Cadan Murley and Danny Care opened up a 24-0 lead for Harlequins, but Gloucester levelled the match through Charlie Chapman (2) and Matt Garvey.
But once Care restored Quins’ lead, they did not look back, with Tyrone Green, Alex Dombrandt (2) and Northmore adding to their tally, while the visitors had Matt Banahan sent off for a dangerous tackle.
Gloucester head coach George Skivington said: “I wouldn’t debate that it’s a red card or anything, under the laws, but we do seem to be falling on the wrong side of decisions lately.
“I’m not going to argue either way, I just think that if we stop every incident in a rugby game, there would be no one left on the pitch.
“If I thought there was an issue with our character, then I would scream and shout a little bit, but actually I thought the boys worked unbelievably hard.
“Those young lads that came on, the energy they brought, it wasn’t necessarily accurate, but it was energetic.
“They played rugby together as kids and they’re growing nicely.
“That’s their exposure, that’s their learning, so there’s no point in getting too down or screaming and shouting about it.
“I would have liked to have nicked the bonus point, but it wasn’t to be.”
Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
Go to comments