Harlequins make three changes for Franklin's Gardens visit

April 28, 2022
2017
Ultimate Rugby

Harlequins’ coaching group has made three changes as the Club travel to Northampton Saints under the Friday night lights

Fresh off the back of a crucial victory for the Club’s playoff hopes against league leaders Leicester Tigers last Saturday, Quins travel to the Midlands this week for back-to-back fixtures against potential playoff rivals, with Saints sat fourth in the table, one spot behind Quins.

The Londoners travel to Cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens tomorrow evening with an unchanged backline, with all three changes coming up front. Props Simon Kerrod and Wilco Louw step into the starting line-up alongside hooker Jack Walker in the front row, with a final change seeing backrow Tom Lawday swapping in to start at openside flanker.

Having opted for a 6-2 bench split last week, Harlequins revert to the traditional 5-3 balance of forwards and backs amongst the Impact Players tomorrow, with Italian fly-half Tommy Allan and Argentinian prop Santiago Garcia Botta making returns to the matchday squad.

Previewing tomorrow’s crucial top four clash, Head Coach Tabai Matson said: “One of the wrangles when you play a team like Saints, or us, that play an attacking brand of rugby is whether you can stifle their ability to create line breaks and score tries. If you can, it goes a long way towards getting a result.

“Although that doesn’t mean we will be entirely defensively focused this week, because we want to make sure we carry the ball in the right places and put them under pressure and score some tries as well.

“Saints are far from a one-trick pony team, they have lots of areas they can trouble you. We know we will be under the pump for periods of time and it’s our challenge to ensure we’re composed and make sure we get our set-piece into the game, which is going to be key to winning this week.

“Ultimately it’s going to be an entertaining game on Friday night.”

Harlequins Starting XV

1. Simon Kerrod

2. Jack Walker

3. Wilco Louw

4. Matt Symons

5. Hugh Tizard

6. Stephan Lewies – Captain

7. Tom Lawday

8. Alex Dombrandt

9. Danny Care

10. Marcus Smith