Mixed feeings for boss as Quins go top
Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea admitted his side showed their best and worst traits as they returned to the top of the Aviva Premiership table with a 31-26 victory over London Welsh.
The defending champions thrashed London Welsh 40-3 at the Stoop in Round Two and a similar result looked on the cards as Danny Care, Chris Robshaw and George Lowe all crossed before half-time for a 21-6 lead.
But Nick Scott and Ed Jackson replied after the interval, sandwiching an effort for Nick Evans, as the visitors valiantly fought back to claim a losing bonus point for their efforts.
Harlequins held on for the win but O’Shea admitted the nervy finish had taken away some of the gloss on what was looking like a comfortable afternoon at the Kassam Stadium.
“We gave them an intercept try which is never a good thing to do – but at times I think we played some absolutely magnificent rugby,” said O’Shea.
“We focus on our mistakes. I said to the guys in the dressing rooms the phases we don’t get right – we need to focus on ourselves and take other people out of the equation.
“I’m just massively frustrated – Ollie [Lindsay-Hague] came in at full-back and dazzling people with his feet, that’s what you want to talk about.
“After 13 games the fact we’re top of the league and playing some good rugby is the wrong thing to do for this group. We’re meeting expectation head-on and we’re meeting teams head-on.
“You saw two teams with a massive physical endeavour – and I’m crediting London Welsh, and Lyn, he’s making them scrap for everything they’ve got.”
As for his opposite number, London Welsh director of rugby Lyn Jones, he was left with a smile on his face despite tasting defeat.
Jones was delighted with his side’s second-half fightback and is adamant it shows just how far they have come in a short space of time.
“We’re showing we’ve got determination, we’re showing we’ve got spirit but the biggest thing we’re showing is that we’re good enough to stay in this league,” said Jones.
“If we played Harlequins at the start of the season they would have put 30-something points on us – and lo and behold they did. Today we had a bit more about us.
“We’ve settled as a team since that cold wet night at the Stoop – we’ve built, and I think we deserved the bonus point.
“When you’re 21-6 down at the break and you’re staring down the barrel of a shotgun – you don’t have a plan – so we were positive, we sat down and spoke about how we were going to win the game.
“We got to within a winning position at one point in time, but Quins showed their class.
“They are a very ambitious side and it’s a shame more teams in England don’t play like them.”
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