Harlequins v Barbarians

[Stargazer]

Harlequins

1 Fin Baxter
2 George Head
3 Wilco Louw
4 George Hammond
5 Irne Herbst
6 Jack Kenningham
7 Will Evans
8 Alex Dombrandt – Captain
9 Danny Care
10 Will Edwards
11 Josh Bassett
12 Lennox Anyanwu
13 Joe Marchant
14 Oscar Beard
15 Ross Chisholm

16 Jack Walker
17 Joe Marler
18 Simon Kerrod
19 Dino Lamb
20 Archie White
21 Jack Stafford
22 Hayden Hyde
23 Cassius Cleaves

[Higgins]

@stargazer I can recall a guy called Gareth Simpson playing a season in about 2017 or 2018 for my club in Wellington who was more than useful. Was generally a halfback but sometimes filled in at first five. He was quite a small guy and looked like he was maybe 19 years old. He looked to be a reasonably decent player but maybe not NPC standard at that age. Could that possibly be the same guy named in the Baabaas 21 jersey? He spoke with a sort of Saffa accent but told me was from England originally if that is any help. He buggered off to England to play for someone near Coventry/Wolverhampton when he left Wellington if my memory can be relied on.

[Stargazer]

@Higgins I think that's him! This is his Worcester Warriors profile.

https://warriors.co.uk/teams/gareth-simpson/

[Higgins]

@Stargazer Hell, that's definitely him. Just goes to show you I am currently still just as good a judge of a player's ability than I always have been! Having said that I did not think he was good enough to be a professional, clearly I did not take into consideration the different standard required to reach that level in England compared to down here in NZ!!!!!!! I see they even make reference to his year at the Wellington Axemen in his player bio even if they did describe it as the Wellington RFC when for all of the Club's 153 years it has been the Wellington FC, the difference being quite important to us members of the Wellington Football Club.

[Stargazer]

I see on twitter that Oscar Beard has scored the first try, so Harlequins are leading 7 - 0. Missed those first minutes.

[Stargazer]

AJ Lam intercepts a pass, but unfortunately, Harlequins had advantage.

[Stargazer]

Great passage of play from the Baabaas and Scraftong scores! Really fun game to watch thus far.
McKenzie converts and it's 7 all.

[Stargazer]

Haha, McKenzie being naughty and sent to the bin for cynical play. I think the ref is taking this game a bit too seriously.

Hmm, just watching the replay of that. Not sure he deserved a yellow for that.

[Stargazer]

Great try from Aumua, who's showing his strength. McKenzie converts the try and the Baabaas lead 14 to 7.

[Stargazer]

Josh Bassett scores a good try for Quins. Not converted. 14 - 12 Baabaas

[Stargazer]

McKenzie's tackle was early there. If the ref had penalised that, it would have been a second yellow and then red.

McKenzie is playing with fire in this game.

[Stargazer]

Beard in for his second. Great kick for the conversion. 19 - 14 Harlequins

[Stargazer]

Brilliant kick from McKenzie! Mike Brown catches the ball and scores the try! (Brown may have been offside, but who cares)

McKenzie converts. 19 - 21 Baabaas

[Stargazer]

Really fun first half. Typical Baabaas game.

McKenzie doing great stuff, mixed with a bit of dumb stuff, but overall having a good game. Good tries from Aumua and Scrafton.

[Stargazer]

Another Kiwi try for the Baabaas: Abraham Papali'i puts the Barbarians further in front. McKenzie converts and it's 28 - 19 to the Baabaas.

[Stargazer]

Weak defence from the Baabaas there. Bassett gets his second.

28 - 26 Baabaas

[Stargazer]

Try to the Harlequins 23 puts them in front.

Harlequins now lead 33 - 28.

[Stargazer]

Length of the field try to Harlequins. I think the Baabaas are done now.

40- 28 Harlequins

[Stargazer]

The Baabaas look tired. Weak defence. Quins in again: 47 - 28.

[Crucial]

That Razor is the messiah isn't he? Everything he touches turns to gold. The unbeatable coach.