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#Post#: 142440--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: September 22, 2025, 4:30 pm
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I do wonder if Newcastle are being underrated. I guess we won't
know until we see them play, but I don't think they're going to
be the same pushover as they were last season, and I think
they'll win more games. Exeter have recruited heavily and should
be better coached. There's a real danger the bottom part of the
table will be contested between us, Gloucester, Exeter and
Newcastle, unless our new coaching set-up tears things up a lot.
#Post#: 142442--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: SiB
Date: September 23, 2025, 12:57 am
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Top 6
Look at the squad with all the internationals back
Yeah I know it’s the hope that does you in
#Post#: 142447--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: Bucksquin
Date: September 23, 2025, 2:38 am
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--- Quote from: SiB link ---
>
> Top 6
> Look at the squad with all the internationals back
>
>
--- End Quote ---
But isn't the problem that the same would be true for almost all
of the clubs? The smarter ones appear to have avoided the higher
cost and lesser availability of "current internationals" by
recruiting from just below that level. I don't see us having any
significant personnel advantage on paper versus any other Prem
team that has everyone available (maybe bar Newcastle). Plus,
I'm still seeing a notable drop-off in quality in the majority
of positions from 'first-choice' to 'second/third-choice'
players (i.e. strength-in-depth) that will come back to bite us
compared to other teams. As evidence, I offer the teams we've
put out in the first four matches, and how they got on against
those oppositions.
#Post#: 142448--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: September 23, 2025, 2:49 am
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--- Quote from: SiB link ---
>
> Top 6
> Look at the squad with all the internationals back
>
>
>
> Yeah I know it’s the hope that does you in
>
--- End Quote ---
When we have a fully fit and available XV we can go with anyone,
or at least run games close. The main issue with us are those
fixtures are going to be few and far between with injuries, call
ups etc, and our main weaknesses is how we are when a few key
players aren't present (or in some case even replaced to begin
with). We had far more players on Friday likely to be running
out this week compared to Tigers, yet looked distinctly below
the standard required to make a fist of things.
We have a very good XV when all available for selection, but
then so does pretty much everyone else in the league anyway so
its not really a gimme as a higher quality than others in the
way maybe it was a few years ago with the style of play also
coming into it.
#Post#: 142450--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: September 23, 2025, 3:08 am
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--- Quote from: Bucksquin link ---
>
> But isn't the problem that the same would be true for almost
all of the clubs? The smarter ones appear to have avoided the
higher cost and lesser availability of "current internationals"
by recruiting from just below that level. I don't see us having
any significant personnel advantage on paper versus any other
Prem team that has everyone available (maybe bar Newcastle).
Plus, I'm still seeing a notable drop-off in quality in the
majority of positions from 'first-choice' to
'second/third-choice' players (i.e. strength-in-depth) that will
come back to bite us compared to other teams. As evidence, I
offer the teams we've put out in the first four matches, and how
they got on against those oppositions.
>
--- End Quote ---
Which is why the key difference to any success is going to be
the coaching. If this season is a disaster, it might be time is
up for a few of our guys...
#Post#: 142451--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: J Scott
Date: September 23, 2025, 3:12 am
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--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Anthony Watson’s prediction:
>
> Bath
> Sarries
> Bristol
> Leicester
> Saints
> Sale
> Gloucester
> Exeter
> Quins (haven’t recruited well)
> Newcastle
>
> And Ben Youngs’:
>
> Bath
> Sarries
> Sale
> Bristol
> Saints
> Leicester
> Quins (the odd big win but a lack of consistency)
> Gloucester
> Exeter
> Newcastle
>
--- End Quote ---
I have to say that on current evidence it’s quite hard to make a
reasonable argument for these not to be true. Add in the first 3
fixtures which are all tough we could be looking at no wins this
season going into games vs resurgent Chiefs and Redbulls.
So getting increasingly hard to be optimistic. I just hope a
good showing on Friday can lift the spirits a bit not just of
the supporters but give the players the mental lift that can
sometimes be the difference in winning or losing.
#Post#: 142452--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: Yareet
Date: September 23, 2025, 3:25 am
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--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> Which is why the key difference to any success is going to be
the coaching. If this season is a disaster, it might be time is
up for a few of our guys...
>
--- End Quote ---
Coaching is definitely part of if but also player mentality
(which can be impacted by coaching but to my mind is also
somewhat innate) and on-field leadership. My worry for Quins is
that I don't see Dombrandt as a particularly effective motivator
when the chips are down.
To some extent Marler was that guy for you ("Believe") but who
has replaced him as the heartbeat of the team? I can see Chis
playing that role but he is unlikely to be in your first choice
XV. Maybe WEv?
#Post#: 142453--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: A222Quin
Date: September 23, 2025, 3:37 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Yareet link ---
>
> Coaching is definitely part of if but also player mentality
(which can be impacted by coaching but to my mind is also
somewhat innate) and on-field leadership. My worry for Quins is
that I don't see Dombrandt as a particularly effective motivator
when the chips are down.
>
> To some extent Marler was that guy for you ("Believe") but who
has replaced him as the heartbeat of the team? I can see Chis
playing that role but he is unlikely to be in your first choice
XV. Maybe WEv?
>
--- End Quote ---
Fair shout. I love Dommers as a player but have never been a fan
of him as a captain. If Lewies stayed fit for more than 5 mins
he’d probably still be captain.
#Post#: 142455--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: September 23, 2025, 3:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: J Scott link ---
>
> I have to say that on current evidence it’s quite hard to make
a reasonable argument for these not to be true. Add in the first
3 fixtures which are all tough we could be looking at no wins
this season going into games vs resurgent Chiefs and Redbulls.
>
> So getting increasingly hard to be optimistic. I just hope a
good showing on Friday can lift the spirits a bit not just of
the supporters but give the players the mental lift that can
sometimes be the difference in winning or losing.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
Have we not recruited well? That bit jumped out at me as being a
little bit unfair. Maybe Watson is unfamiliar with the
Argentinians.
#Post#: 142457--------------------------------------------------
Re: Where will Quins end up?
DIR By: poorfour
Date: September 23, 2025, 4:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: MaidstoneQuin link ---
>
> When we have a fully fit and available XV we can go with
anyone, or at least run games close. The main issue with us are
those fixtures are going to be few and far between with
injuries, call ups etc, and our main weaknesses is how we are
when a few key players aren't present (or in some case even
replaced to begin with). We had far more players on Friday
likely to be running out this week compared to Tigers, yet
looked distinctly below the standard required to make a fist of
things.
>
> We have a very good XV when all available for selection, but
then so does pretty much everyone else in the league anyway so
its not really a gimme as a higher quality than others in the
way maybe it was a few years ago with the style of play also
coming into it.
>
--- End Quote ---
That's a fair analysis. The key question is why we are so much
more vulnerable and how we refresh our style of play. Wilson's
much maligned plan seemed to have three major components. One
was to give the academy players more game time so that they
would be better able to step up when called upon. One was to
recruit Gilmore and improve the defence (which was working until
injuries started to build up). The third was then to focus on
attack - which it was implied would be the focus for this year.
Presumably there was also a plan to recruit in areas where we
didn't have academy players coming through in the right time
frame - which is what we seem to have done this summer, while
trusting that one or more of Waghorn, Bradley, Kerr and Hyde
would step up in the centres. (Not unreasonable given Waghorn
and Kerr won the JRWC in a year when England weren't expecting
it). We've strengthened at lock (where historically we have had
some of our most severe injury crises), loosehead (where Marler
left a big hole at backup level), tighthead (where we have
decent academy prospects, which feels a little like when we
brought Bomb in to develop Sinck and Collier - I wonder if we're
looking at Williams as a successor if Jones is lured by the
siren call of the WRU).
A lot of that now seems to be in place and it's interesting how
quickly Quins moved to put Gilmore in the senior coach role
following Wilson's departure (sadly scotching my hopes of
getting Mitchell for next season - hey ho). It suggests that the
powers that be felt the direction of travel was right overall. I
guess time will tell.
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