Monday 12 May 2008

Challenge Cup Classic

What a comeback! With Leeds scoring just before half time to take the game to 18-4, Quins were staring down the barrel of a flogging! But the second half response was outstanding. Good luck to Leeds in the Cup, although I think they used up most of it yesterday, but the best team lost that game. I have to say though that the Rhinos are by far the fastest team we've seen at the Stoop this year.

Wave upon wave of Quins attack meant Leeds couldn't get out of their own half. Pulling back to take a 2 point lead, Will Sharp looked to have scored an excellent try out wide to push to 6 or possible 8 points. Ian Smith ruled forward pass!! The great Jamie Peacock forced his way over with a couple of minutes to go to give Leeds the lead, and it was inevitable that they would go over again before the end. A loss by 10 was scant reward for the Quins efforts.

Henry Paul ran himself to water - it would have been a fitting end to his League career if we had reached Wembley this year. Tribute has to be paid to our forward pack though. Missing Daniel Heckenberg and Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook for an extended period, Karl Temata, Danny Ward and Gareth Haggerty have really got us going forward. In fact. Karl Temata is playing by far his best football since joining us at the end of the Broncos era.

Add to that the massive improvement in Joe Mbu this year - I never thought he'd develop an offload game and he is really starting to boss the ruck now - and the great form of Michael Worrincy and Tony Clubb, and you can see great things for the club this year, and for years to come.

I know others (Paul Cullen and Peter Sharp take note) love to whinge about injuries, but apart from Hecks and Louis we are missing Rob Purdham (surely a cert for England's World Cup squad), Mark McLinden (the heart of the club in my opinion) and Scott Hill (the most naturally talented player in Super League).

The crowd may have been small, but the genuine appreciation for Quins, and Leeds to be fair, make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

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