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Articles by Derek Williams

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About Derek Williams

A recently-retired actuary, the long-suffering Derek has been a Quins fan for the best part of three decades. More Posts

Harlequins 31 Racing 28

Quins played out another thriller in this Heineken Cup victory over French aristocrats Racing.  Most of the best players in global rugby are to be found in France and Racing had World Cup skipper Siya Kolisi in their side. An interesting question in any elite sport team is whether the good club [...]

December 12, 2023 // 0 Comments

Leicester Tigers 25 Harlequins 29

Quins sit atop of the Premiership but there are cracks. Marcus Smith only converted 2 of the 5 tries and, defensively improved, they still look vulnerable. Joe Marler, Jack Walker, Marcus Smith, André Esterhuizen and Danny Care are all back from the World Cup whilst Will Porter, Nick David, Lennox [...]

November 12, 2023 // 0 Comments

Farewell to The Stoop: Harlequins 22 Exeter Chiefs 14

Yesterday I made what in advance I had billed as “possibly my last-ever visit to The Stoop” as a member of a five-person contingent for the Harlequins home Premiership match against the Exeter Chiefs, eventually won by the hosts by the margin of 22-14. I don’t regard myself as generally a [...]

October 23, 2023 // 0 Comments

Harlequins assessed

On Sunday, whilst most of us were glued to the TV to see the Ryder Cup unfurl, Harlequins were beating their North London rivals Saracens 36-29 in the Premiership Rugby Cup. It was a pleasing victory but one must bear in mind the absentees on World Cup duty. There were some grounds for optimism for [...]

October 3, 2023 // 0 Comments

Gloucester Rugby 25 Harlequins 17

I was initially excited by last night’s visit to the atmospheric Kingsholm until I realised how many Quins players would be absent on World Cup duty: Joe Marler, Jack Walker, Joe Marchant, Marcus Smith, Danny Care, Andre Esterhuizen, Tommaso Allan and Gloucester could not call on wingers [...]

September 23, 2023 // 0 Comments

Saturday TV-watch: football and rugby union

Yesterday, largely by chance, I watched passages of both the England Lionesses playing their quarter-final clash in the Women’s World Cup being held in Australia and also the men’s England rugby union team playing their second Rugby World Cup warm-up game against Wales in seven days, this time [...]

August 13, 2023 // 0 Comments

Bledisloe Cup & Autumn internationals – winners and losers

I recorded the Bledisloe Cup as I was not around at 3-30am on Saturday morning. New Zealand won narrowly 23-20 and Australia made a better fist of it than in last week’s match. Their fly half Carter Jordan had another impressive game. However the All Blacks  had too much pace and power, [...]

August 6, 2023 // 0 Comments

All Blacks triumphant

Having watched a distinctly dull performance by the Aussies in the Test match on Friday, I decided a change of sport was in order yesterday so I watched the Bledisloe Cup between Australia and New Zealand which the All Blacks won comfortably 38-7. Like an outstanding boxer they could absorb [...]

July 30, 2023 // 0 Comments

The process of waving goodbye

There comes a time in the affairs of men and mice when something happens – one might describe it as hitting a watershed – which causes us, for example, to let go of a previously-held firm conviction and switch to another, or perhaps it involves accepting that we cannot do this or that which [...]

May 27, 2023 // 0 Comments

DHL Stormers 32 Harlequins 28

The narrowness of the final score should not disguise the total supremacy of the Cape side in this Heineken Cup Tie. Quins scored 4 tries in the closing minutes which brought a semblance of respectability to the score line and a game Stormers dominated. There was something of a carnival atmosphere, [...]

April 2, 2023 // 0 Comments

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