Harlequins are fast becoming the glamour club of England, just as Stade Francais were the glamour club of France. The south west London club, playing in that famous strip of cyan, magenta, chocolate brown and grey have played the 2010-11 season with copious amounts of flaire and panache.
What has really excited me about the club this season has been the sheer amount of players that could qualify for England in the starting line up - a stark contrast from association football, where the last time there was an all english side playing in the top flight was in 1999 with Middlesborough. Since then we have seen some of the bigger clubs such as Arsenal field sides without any English players. Harlequins have shown this season that you do not have to have a team packed full of foreign talent, and instead you can achieve results and silverware with home-grown players.
Key to the success of Quins has been kiwi fly half Nick Evans. Judged by many to be the best stand off in the Premiership, he has had a positive influence on the squad, mentoring young english fly half Rory Clegg. On Friday night Harlequins played Stade Francais in the final of the Amlin Challenge Cup and the Quins - completely against the run of play - scored a try in the last five minuetes to win the match with a touchline conversion from Evans. Quins always seem to leave it late against the parisians; one recalls the match between Quins and Stade at the Twickenham Stoop in the group stages of the 2008 Heiniken Cup when Quins won the game in overtime after going through nearly 30 phases.
Having experienced both the highest and lowest moments in the modern history of the club, I believe that in the next couple of seasons Quins will be making progress in the later stages of the Heinken Cup and in the Aviva Premiership. I wish the Quins the best of success and will be reporting back next season!
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