Back in the groove
Saturday 9th September 2017: Rugby Premiership: Harlequins v Gloucester at the Stoop (crowd just under 13,000). Result: Harlequins win 28-17. After two rounds of the league, Quins are now – one win, one loss – in sixth position and Gloucester in seventh.
This was a heartening and much-needed victory for Quins, who had posted a dismal performance in the London Double Header last weekend in succumbing to the newly-promoted London Irish.
It was also the occasion of Mike Brown’s 282nd appearance for the club first team (a record in the professional era) after his 32nd birthday last week.
From the very beginning of his England career there has been constant media and fan chatter about the ‘greater flair and attacking abilities’ of potential alternative England full backs but ‘Mr Angry’ (or ‘ASBO’ as he is known to some Quins fans), has now amassed 62 caps.
Frankly, if he’s Eddie Jones’ number one pick, then that’s good enough for me.
I did not see the game, nor did I manage to listen to it via the internet on BBC local radio.
However, I did make several frustrating and failed attempts to tune in to the Radio London and/or Radio Gloucester commentaries – eventually managed to expose myself to about 20 minutes’ worth of the latter – but then got bored. The main source of amusement was the West Country accents of the pundits and the fact that at one point the weather closed in, thunder and lightning was described and indeed it sounded as though a monsoon was passing through (you could hear the rain pattering on the roof of the studio/stand from which the Radio Gloucester boys were broadcasting).
Eventually I gave up the quest, made myself a cup of tea and sank (in all) seven hob-knob biscuits with chocolate chips in them whilst moving through to the TV room in order to watch the Northampton Saints versus Leicester Tigers always-spirited ‘East Midlands derby’ live on BT Sport 3.
Both teams had disappointed in losing last week – to Saracens and Bath respectively – and thus their coaches were both under pressure. In the end Saints deservedly took the honours (24-11), which I was moderately pleased about because, marginally, I hate the Tigers more.
Currently still in residence at the coast, we endured a couple of heavy mid-afternoon rain showers but – apart from that – it remained relatively warm and sunny. There’s not a lot more to be said.
