Quins Ams headed off to south London to take on Warlingham in our first pre season friendly of the year.

With training going well and 20 available for the game leading up the weekend things were looking very positive for Quins. However with work popping up for players and availability changing Quins rocked up to Warlingham with 15 players. Meaning fly half’s and centres playing back row, flanks playing lock, wingers playing centre etc. etc.

the game kicked off and a physical match up started right from the off, some big carries from both Quins and Warlingham. hits coming from Kepa that he had kept in his locker in the offseason. Kadieda with a great carry putting the oppo on the back foot but discipline letting the men in quarters down allowed Warlingham great field position to then go and score 2 tries.

Injuries began to creep in for Quins as we went down to 13 men, Warlingham kindly offered a player so that the game could continue with 14 men each and uncontested scrums began. 24-0 down at the half Quins were looking at an uphill struggle.

With the second half kicking off Quins found a new lease of life, carrying well through Grimmer, Branco, Jaques and Johnson allowed Quins front foot ball. Support from Phillips, O’donoghue and Pearce allowed quick ball to Jaques to step inside 2 defenders and dot down for our first try.

With the wind on our side the structural play was working a treat, forwards doing their job and Brandon and Warmer pinning the opposition into their half, Quins had a lineout chance 10 meters out from the line. Ball goes up to Pearce, Pearce to Stocker, Stocker to Johnson, the wrecking ball centre turned back row goes over the top of the oppo flank and through 2 more to go under the posts.

With momentum on our side the men in quarters kept pushing and pushing with a heavy work rate, getting into the opposition 22 again. Jaques drops into 10 and passes out to Brandon, Brandon goes wide to Smail who glides past his winger to score in the corner.

Warlingham began to pressure Quins playing some great rugby in our half, when honorary Harlequin for the day Matt stole the ball, Pearce and o’donoghue thinking quickly and catching the oppo off guard a few penalties came our way and put the oppo back into their 22. Quins kept the ball soundly safe close to the oppo 5 metres when a play from 2017 popped up out of the archives. George Jaques gets the ball at 10, misses the entire back line straight to Alex Smail who steps the first defender and runs through 2 more players to score in the corner. Score at this point 24-24.

A stroke of bad luck and also a great read from the Warlingham player in the final moments of the game. Ball is passed out the ruck and the Warlingham player simply intercepted to go and score under the posts.

Thank you to Warlingham RFC for your amazing g hospitality, allowing us to borrow players, physio, bottles etc. hopefully we meet down the line.

Final score 31-24