Weekend sport

Once again sandwiched between two Premiership soccer matches of high fliers another Premiership match – the rugby variety – provided me with the best entertainment when Harlequins left Kingsholm with a narrow victory (20-17) over Gloucester.

Winning at Kingsholm is never easy but all the more so as Gloucester just had three wins on the bounce.

This was due to a powerful pack that specialises in the rolling maul. Quins were disadvantaged by the absence of their best scrummager Joe Marler and skipper Stephan Lewies.

We were set for an exciting game between two teams, one with a powerful pack and the other doing its best work behind the scrum.

As is often the case though in the first quarter both teams cancelled one another out and neither posted any points. Gloucester were awarded penalties and scored from one.

Then a try gave then a 10 point lead, a familiar deficit for Quins.

Despite two yellow cards awarded to Lawday and Northmore the away side levelled the score at half time.

In the second half – and facing the wind and rain – Gloucester were pinned back in their own half.

Andre Esterhuizen with his pace and power and power, allied to the thrust of Tyrone Green and Joe Marchant, all orchestrated by Marcus Smith and birthday boy Danny Care were creating all manner of problems and it was no surprise that Quins extended their lead to 20-10.

However Gloucester had one last hurrah to make it 20-17 which resulted in an exciting final few minutes.

Another big pack Exeter Chiefs come to the Stoop on Saturday and at the end of the month Quins go to Bath. The team of  Jeremy Guscott and now Sam Underhill and Anthony Watson have become the whipping boys.

Marcus Smith was my man of the match.

Not only does he have vision but yesterday proved he has an all-round game of tackling tenacity, penalty kicking and varying his tactical kicking between shorter box-type and longer range to gain yardage.

I still worry over Alex Dombrandt’s defensive capabilities. I did not see too much evidence of him halting the Gloucester rolling maul and though Smith must be a shoe-in I would not be surprised if Eddie Jones adheres to the tried and tested back row of Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry and Sam Underhill as they shore up better. Dombrandt would remain an attacking option on the bench.

On Saturday I watched Arsenal 1 Manchester City 2.

I have never regarded Stuart Attwell as much of a referee but I was astonished how undisciplined Arsenal were in contesting his decisions as a result of which Grant Xhaka was yellow-carded and Gabrieli dismissed altogether.

City are hard enough to beat with 11 on the pitch but down to 10 you are going to struggle.

The Gunners hung on gamely but a late goal  cost them the points.

If I was Arteta I would be having strong words with Gabrieli.

Liverpool’s two goals at Chelsea were scored whilst I was watching Harlequins but I did see Chelsea make it 2-2 with a spectacular  strike from Pulisic.

Lukaku needs reminding that, whatever he wishes, Chelsea – not Inter Milan – are paying his exorbitant wages and his comments were out of order.

The two yellow cards that Quins were awarded might have cost them the game but both players “manned up” and accepted the sin bin.

Brian Clough would fine players for disrespecting the referee and John Fashnau shook hands with the ref before the game then, as often as not, gave a very physical display.