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#Post#: 15215--------------------------------------------------
Match Report: Agen vs Harlequins
DIR By: Admin
Date: January 21, 2019, 4:39 pm
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Agen vs Harlequins
Friday 18 January
by Bedfordshire Boy
Thought we would change our mode of travel for this match and
took the train from London to Agen. Very comfortable ride on
Eurostar left us with an hour to get across Paris to
Montparnasse (RER B and Metro Line 6) with 20 minutes to spare
and then a three hour stint by TGV (sometimes travelling at over
300 km/h) via Bordeaux arriving in Agen just after five in the
evening. Out for a meal and wandered back to the hotel and while
sitting in the lounge area a certain “well known” group of Quins
supporters walked by so joined them for a couple of beers. Who
should walk into the bar to play a game of pool but Mark
Mapletoft and some of the back room guys, the players all
presumably tucked up in bed.
Spent the Friday with a bit of exploring the streets of Agen, a
walk to the river La Garonne as well as the canal that crosses
the Garonne on a viaduct.
[attachimg=1]
The River
[attachimg=2]
The Canal Viaduct
A look inside the cathedral and adjoining streets before lunch
in a creperie restaurant where we met an ex-pat supporter who
warned us that Agen were putting out a fairly strong team who
were looking for a win. A bit more culture after lunch with a
visit to the cathedral and local museum of fine arts before
heading back to the hotel to prepare for the main event. Quite a
long walk to ground and met more and more Quins fans as we got
closer, none of us absolutely sure where the ground was located.
Most of the Quins contingent assembled in a tented eating area
for a meal and just before heading for the stands we had one
final rousing chorus of “Come All Without” led by choirmaster
Chris Munton.
A four or five point win will see us topping the group but with
five points giving us more chance of a home quarter final match,
it seems likely that would end up playing Worcester and having
to play at their ground if they can get five points from their
last pool match. I haven't done all of the permutations but I
guess that if we lose this game we will probably be out of the
competition.
Interesting selection with Clifford, Dombrandt and Wallace in
the back row, a return of Nathan Earle on the wing and with a
slightly weaker centre pairing of Tapaui and Alofa.
Agen get the game underway and Quins immediately put themselves
under pressure by not looking after the ball but Care eventually
gets the ball safely to touch. All of the early pressure comes
from Quins and after some good attack breaks down through loose
play Quins are eventually rewarded when Jack Clifford touches
down for the first points, an easy conversion from Marcus Smith
and Quins lead by seven points after six minutes. From the
restart an aimless kick from Smith gives possession to Agen who
eventually make a good kick finding touch in the corner putting
Quins under pressure. Agen are penalised at the line out for
pulling down which allows Smith to find a safe touch ten metres
from the half way line.
Quins fairly dominant at this stage with some good probing runs
by Mike Brown and Nathan Earle, the latter being pulled back
when adjudged to have put a foot into touch, not a view held by
the majority of the Quins support. Approaching the first quarter
and Agen getting more and more into the game but the Quins
defence proving very strong. The first points for Agen come
following a kick from Care when Quins players are penalised for
being in an offside position, Agen take a tap penalty in the
middle of the pitch and as Quins are slow to react Agen wing
Saure touches down in the corner. A very good conversion from
McIntyre and the scores are all level after 20 minutes.
An Agen attack is thwarted when Ibitoye forces an Agen player
into touch and Quins are awarded another penalty for an Agen
line out infringement. Quins line out working well so far and
Danny Care looks pretty sharp getting the ball moving quickly.
Lots of errors from both sides as Quins seem to change tack and
Care starts to kick the ball a lot more; at least Quins are
chasing it although Ibitoyes timing is a bit wayward as he
keeps over running the ball. A couple of penalties to Quins sees
Agen defending a Quins line out five metres from their line out.
Obviously have not been watching any Quins games as Quins do
“the old front of the line out trick” again as a pass from
Dombrandt allows Max Crumpton to touch down in the corner.
Conversion attempt pulled wide by Smith so the score moves on to
Agen 7 Quins 12 five minutes from the break.
Agen still looking for points and their very lively number
eleven makes thirty metres skipping through half of the Quins
team before making a wayward pass directly into touch. Quins
back on the attack and some poor defending by Agen sees them
defending a Quins scum five metres fron the try line. Quins win
their ball and well timed pass from Care creates space for
Tapaui to set Ibitoye free to score. With the clock in the red
Smith adds the two extra points and Quins go into the half time
break twelve points in front, Agen 7 Quins 19. Lots of errors
from both sides during the first forty minutes but Quins have
done enough to set themselves in a good position to get the five
points required.
[attachimg=3]
Second Half Gets Underway
Marcus Smith got the second half underway, a good take by Agen
allows them to attack before they make their first two changes
followed a minute later with the introduction of Renaldo Bothma
for Alex Dombrandt. Agen are penalised allowing Marcus Smith to
find touch 35 metres out and another line out infringement
allows him to find touch close to the Agen line. Quins claim the
line out and a very neat chip over the Agen defensive line by
Danny Care is gathered by Nathan Earle who touches down for a
bonus point try. Two more points from the boot of Marcus Smith
moves the score on to Agen 7 Quins 26 after only 44 minutes.
Following a high tackle from Mike Brown it is now Agens time to
press as they kick to the Quins 5 metre line. The catch and
drive is repelled by the Quins defence but they get another
attempt when Quins are again penalised but this time Agen knock
the ball on in the resulting maul. Joe Marler involved in a bit
of off the ball nonsense by lurking around behind an Agen maul
and keeping the Agen number five out of the game by hanging on
to his shirt. As Marler walks away the Agen player shoves Marler
in the back and the referee intervention results in a talk to
both players and captains and a penalty to Agen. Pretty sure
with a TMO and BT commentators involved that there might have
been a few cards shown. Five more changes for Agen less than ten
minutes into the second half with another one six minutes later
as Agen look to find a way to score. A good penetrating run by
Nathan Earle deep into the Agen half is slowed down but Mike
Brown then sets off leading to Quins being camped on the Agen
line. The ball is turned over allowing Agen to clear the ball to
touch and with a quarter of the game left Alofa is replaced by
Joe Marchant and Lewis Boyce comes into the front row for Joe
Marler. Quins win the line out and continue to attack leading to
another jinxing run from Earle but play is brought to an end
when Agen are penalised for being offside inside their twenty
two. Quins elect to kick to the corner, win the ball, Agen stop
the maul but as the ball comes back Care makes a very delicate
chip into the dead ball area for Joe Marchant to run onto and
touch down under the posts, was that his first touch of the
ball? Smith converts, the match score moves on to Agen 7 Quins
33 with 63 minutes gone as Quins replace Care with Mulchrone and
Symonds with Luamanu.
Both teams are throwing the ball around which leads to more
mistakes and play is halted with an Agen player flat out and
requiring attention. It seems that Boyce was the culprit with a
high tackle so he is sent to the bench for a ten minute rest
which spurs Agen on making full use of their extra man. An Agen
line out five metres from the Quins line leads to their second
try of the evening as the forwards get the ball over the line
for the touch down. The conversion attempt from wide out is
missed bringing their deficit to twenty one points as the game
enters the final ten minutes. Will Collier is replaced by Josh
Ibuanokpe before Agen manage their third touchdown of the
evening as they run directly at a retreating Quins defensive
line, the conversion attempt, a hasty drop goal is nowhere near
the mark so the Agen total remains on 17 points.
Smith gets the game underway and Agen slowly move out of their
own half after Quins initially restricted them to their twenty
two. A bit of a worry when Mike Brown takes the ball into a ruck
and is prone on the deck for a while but he is soon up and
running. With just four minutes left James Lang gets onto the
pitch replacing Marcus Smith as both sides keep running the ball
at every opportunity an invariably turning the ball over. The
last play of the game sees Nathan Earle boot the ball into the
stand, much to the “delight” of the home crowd, following a
Quins scrum inside their own twenty two. Final score Agen 17
Quins 33.
A little over 2000 attended the game with Quins edging towards
ten percent of the total so a good showing from the away
supporters. Not a brilliant game of rugby but Quins did exactly
what was required by leaving France with five points in the bag.
Not a bad game from any of the Quins side really but yet again
really impressed with Jack Clifford, Luke Wallace and Mat
Symonds in the forwards. Mike Brown and Nathan Earle shone
through in the backs, a few touches of brilliance from Danny
Care and Marcus Smiths development continues.
The tail end of the journey home on Saturday was spent keeping
an eye on progress of the Worcester v Stade Francaise score,
lots of smiles until the dying minutes of the game when
Worcester ran in two late tries to beat Stade by five points. So
instead of Worcester visiting The Stoop for the quarter final we
have to make the journey to Sixways and play on their plastic
pitch.
[attachimg=4]
The Land Of The Dark Arts
[attachment deleted by admin]
#Post#: 15220--------------------------------------------------
Re: Match Report: Agen vs Harlequins
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: January 22, 2019, 2:27 am
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Excellent! You should do these more often..
#Post#: 15234--------------------------------------------------
Re: Match Report: Agen vs Harlequins
DIR By: DOK
Date: January 22, 2019, 5:48 am
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Still waiting for your deathless prose, Deadly!
#Post#: 15238--------------------------------------------------
Re: Match Report: Agen vs Harlequins
DIR By: Boonie
Date: January 22, 2019, 6:56 am
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Excellent report, many thanks!
#Post#: 15338--------------------------------------------------
Re: Match Report: Agen vs Harlequins
DIR By: Comet
Date: January 24, 2019, 12:38 am
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Terrific, thank you.
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