Harlequins are set to continue their Investec Champions Cup campaign this weekend, as they travel to Wales for a run-in with Cardiff. After a win over Racing 92 and a defeat to Toulouse in their opening rounds, Harlequins return to their European duties following a mixed bag of results against the French giants.
The opening week was a memorable one for Harlequins Head Coach Danny Wilson, who witnessed his side topple Racing in a 31-28 Parisian ‘classique’. However, Wilson admits that his side were undone by their Toulousain visitors the following weekend, as Antoine Dupont and co ran rampant at the Stoop for a 47-19 landslide. Speaking in the mid-week Harlequins media session, Wilson discussed the polarising form, from the two battles against the Top 14 sides.
“What we spoke about, is the two giants that was played; Racing and Toulouse. You know, two sides that were very, very tough. The away game, funnily enough, we won away and lost at home. So the away game was something to be really proud of, I thought was a really good performance from us against a really good side who hadn’t lost up until then, were top of their league, and so on. So it was a great win for us.
“But I think the home game against Toulouse, we got it wrong. I think a little bit as a collective, you know, on the coaching and a little bit on the playing side. We didn’t get that week quite right, we didn’t quite perform to the level we’re capable of. And then when you play a side like Toulouse and you’re not quite on it, you get hurt, and we got hurt.”
One Harlequins player who will miss out on the trip to Cardiff is Joe Marler, as the prop has been ruled out with an injury. Speculated to be an arm injury, the length of Marler’s time on the shelf could not be disclosed by Wilson during the press conference. The loose-head could also miss out on the opening rounds of the 2024 Six Nations, should the extent of his undisclosed injury surface in severity.
“We’re kind of in the middle of a full assessment. I know that’s going to sound a little bit like, you know, it’s taken a while to assess, but there’s a little bit to this one. So I’m probably not really going to be able to give you much. I’m going to probably keep answering this question in the same way, which is, until we get a full picture and a full timeframe. You know, we’re in that process at the moment, and I can’t really tell you a huge amount.”
“I think it’s fair to say that he’s not going to play this weekend. You know, so I think that’s pretty clear. And obviously, what I can’t give is a timeframe. I know everybody wants to timeframe for obvious reasons. And he’s not in that sort of bracket of whether it’s short term or so on, and you (won’t) know what the frame is until we get a full… there’s been a few twists and turns in it, let’s put it that way. But until we get a full result on that I can’t really give you any more information.”
In Marler’s absence, Harlequins will likely look to young prop Fin Baxter to reinforce the scrum. The 21-year-old has been ticking all the boxes on his rise at the Stoop, and has been learning valuable lessons under the tutelage of Marler. Danny Wilson was full of praise for Baxter, and backed him on his journey to become a feature of England’s future front row.
“He’s another really exciting talent. I think he’s been outstanding recently. Joe is a very, very difficult shoes to fill for a whole host of reasons. I don’t think Finn is going to bring the leadership that Joe does, obviously, but what Finn does do at the moment, is he carries well for us, he’s scrummaging well, as we saw on the weekend. You know, he’s getting round and playing our game model and we’ve been really pleased with Fin. I think he’s certainly one that England should be excited about for the future, because he’s somebody who I think is that good.”
“I think, if he was selected to be involved (in the Six Nations), like he’s done here, he will give 110%. I think of his level of performance, considering his sort of caps at this level, I think he’s outperforming his experience. It is as the saying goes, if you’re good enough, you’re kind of old enough or experienced enough. I think he’s showing that he’s capable of that.
“Obviously, the next level is a big step up. But I certainly think Fin Baxter will if given the opportunity, (would) surprise a few people. Whether he performs right at the top end of the game, eventually, I believe, yes. But at the moment, he’s focusing on performing well for us, which will give him the opportunities.”
Currently sat at 12th in the United Rugby Championship, Cardiff have had an underwhelming start to the season with just three league wins in nine matches. They too took a heavy Champions Cup defeat to Toulouse (52-7), but then ran out a competitive performance against Bath for a narrow 39-32 loss. The Blues will prove to be a tricky test for Wilson’s side, and the Quins coach certainly recognises the threats within the Cardiff attacking arsenal.
“It is a team that a few of us here know really well, obviously. I think they’re doing extremely well at the moment in what’s been pretty difficult circumstances for them. With all their internationals available to them in this period, they’re a very dangerous team. They can play some really good attacking rugby, which they’ve done. I think the Ospreys couldn’t have gotten them in a better venue to take away that attack and flair ability with the mud bath that that game was.
“But outside of that recently, I think they played really well. I think they’re a side that we certainly are aware of their threats, where the quality they’ve got and we’re preparing as we’ve done for every game recently with that in mind.”
Wilson is more than familiar with Cardiff, having begun his coaching career in the club’s academy in 2008. The former hooker then enjoyed coaching spells with the Dragons, Scarlets and Bristol, before returning to the Welsh capital for an additional three year run with the club. Cardiff reached new heights during Wilson’s time on the reins, and secured European silverware when they won the 2017/18 Challenge Cup. This is a memory which Wilson regards amongst his most fondest from Wales, but admits that when he returns to Cardiff Arms Park this weekend, it will be all business.
“Look, I had that experience with Glasgow going back there. 2018, I left Cardiff and some of my best memories, if not the best memory in the game I’ve had was obviously the Challenge Cup victory that we had there. Winning a trophy with a group of people that I’m very, very fond of, and also relationships, I still maintain.
“Some of them are still part coaching staff, and obviously Matt Sherratt being one of them. But it’s great to go back. It’s great to see faces and kind of soak up memories. But I’m there to do a job, I’m there, like the rest of Quins, to go there and do a job and my whole focus is on that. Although it’d be nice to catch up with a few people and be back in Cardiff.”
Harlequins are looking to continue their run of form, having won back-to-back matches in the Premiership. The Londoners achieved wins over Gloucester Rugby and Newcastle Falcons in recent weeks, with a heavily shuffled squad making the trip up to the North East.
The regular halfback duo of Danny Care and Marcus Smith played no part in Quins’ 24-3 win over the Falcons, with Will Porter and Will Edwards taking over the nine and 10 jerseys. Danny Wilson discussed the efforts of his halfbacks, who may not always receive the same spotlight that is bestowed upon Care and Smith.
“I think Max Green needs to be mentioned in that as well. You know, Will Porter has been outstanding for us but Porter got injured quite early in that game, went off with a head cut. Max Green stepped in and I thought he did a really good job. As did Will Edwards, he did a really good job at 10, stepped in and like I said, after little rugby for a 10 that’s tough.
“He did the job and we’re really pleased with him, we’ve also got Jarrod Evans to throw into that mix who will be returning from injury. So when you think of that, we’ve got a little bit of depth there, which in key positions is really important and breeds competition, which every squad wants and needs.”
The last time Harlequins travelled across the Severn Bridge and into Cardiff, they put on an end-to-end barnstormer at the Arms Park. Quins came away victorious following a high-scoring fixture, as Marcus Smith grabbed a last ditch penalty to secure the 36-33 win. Wilson commented on the 10-try thriller from 2022, and expects to see an equally entertaining contest this time around.
“Win, that’s what we’re going to do, is to win. It will be an entertaining game because you’ve got Quins who will play (like) Quins, and Cardiff will play their style as well, which is both running styles of rugby. However, both teams are also trying to put game plan imprints on that DNA to make sure they can win and ultimately, whichever way that was, to come out there with the points is the most important thing.”
There is said to be approximately 200 tickets remaining for this match at the 12,000 capacity Cardiff Arms Park, with Harlequins once again out to enjoy the fiery atmosphere of a packed crowd. Hot off the back of their Big Game 15 win over Gloucester at Twickenham Stadium, Wilson is eager for another busy stadium to add an extra buzz to this hotly anticipated match-up.
“Lately, it’s been occasion after occasion, around 70,000 at Twickenham, which was unbelievable for a club game two weeks ago. We’ve also played, some number of sellouts recently at the Stoop, and in front of big (numbers of) fans away from home, Bath, and so on. So, it’s another one that a lot of them are aware of, and it has been discussed. Obviously, there’s myself, Adam Jones, Billy Millard, who have been involved at Cardiff, as well as Jarrod Evans, and Dillon Lewis. So there’s a number of boys who played at Cardiff, maybe not in front of a packed house, but certainly played in front of a big crowd in Cardiff, and obviously, for Wales.
“So a lot of experienced players in our squad that will be aware of that, some of the younger players it will be another great experience for them. And we said, ‘get excited about it. It’s a great venue to go and play in front of a packed house,’ as you know, and as I know, it’s another good experience. But it’s a good experience if you win, and our aim is to win. Our aim is to go there and perform and to get a win. And, you know, I have huge respect for people there. But that’s obviously the aim for us.”