Wasps chief wants to emulate Quins success (From Your Local Guardian)

Quins hailed as blueprint for success

7:24pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in Sport By Matthew Tisdale

If London Wasps are to rise from the ashes of last season director of rugby Dai Young has admitted they could do worse than follow the Harlequins blueprint for success.

The Adams Park outfit flirted with relegation from the top flight and came close to going out of business altogether in a trubulent term last time around, while Quins claimed the first Premiership title in their history in what was an unforgettable season for Conor O’Shea’s men.

Young’s men face the champions at Twickenham in the traditional season opener in the London Double Header tomorrow.

“I am a big fan of the way Quins play the game and pretty much everything about their game over the past couple of seasons has been of real quality,” he said at the Premiership launch last week.

“The players coming through the academy, the way they play the game, the matchday experience – it seems that Harlequins have got it right and it’s something for us all to look at and try to emulate.”

For the first time in their history, Harlequins will enter a season as defending champions after clinching that maiden Premiership title in May when they beat Leicester 30-23 in the final.

Now the big challenge is to follow this up with more honours, with captain Chris Robshaw once again leading the championship-winning squad from the front.

Last season, the side got off to a great start and led the standings for the majority of the season to finish top.

This season could be one of even more promise, with the club’s next generation of stars having already gained a wealth of experience, with Joe Marler, Luke Wallace and George Lowe now ready to assist in the challenge for honours.

Talented young flanker Wallace this week signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Harlequins until the end of the 2014-15 season.

The 22-year-old was educated at Tonbridge School, from where he joined the Harlequins academy.

He made his senior debut last season and has already made 30 appearances and scored four tries for the reigning Premiership champions.

Such was the impact he made, he was shortlisted for the LV= Breakthrough and Land Rover discovery of the season awards at the end of the campaign.