Evans: Quins need to regain momentum (From Your Local Guardian)

Evans: Quins need to regain momentum

3:00pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Harlequins By Stuart Amos

Fly-half Nick Evans has warned top flight rivals that far from derailing Harlequins’ title ambitions, international call-ups are only gonig to make them stronger.

Eight players are serving their country this week with skipper Chris Robshaw leading Mike Brown and Jordan Turner-Hall into England’s Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield tomorrow.

Meanwhile Chris Brooker, Joe Gray, George Robson and Ugo Monye are with the Saxons to take on the Scottish second string the same afternoon.

Quins’ understudies lost 19-9 to Leicester Tigers in the LV= Cup and go to Cardiff Blues in the same competition on Sunday before Premiership action returns to the Stoop with the visit of London Irish next week.

But Evans insisted recent mixed results should not leave fans fearing the campaign is heading south.

“The training ground has been a little quiet, but it is rewarding for the players left to know the rugby we have played this year has helped the others on their way,” he said.

“We’ve got to make the most of the next three or four weeks.

“We have gone through a rough patch, but we are keen to get back to where we were.

“This is an opportunity for us to get some momentum back and play the sort of rugby we’re capable of in time for the business end of the season.

“We’ve got the chance to get players, who haven’t played much this year, some game time and get used to our style, which is only going to make us stronger.”

Robshaw’s continued absence will be the biggest blow, and Evans is surprised his talents have not been recognised more often outside of the Stoop.

“From the perspective of an overseas player, I can’t understand why he has not been playing for England before now,” he added.

Meanwhile, the masterminds behind Harlequins’ rise – and last year’s Amlin Cup triumph – have committed to the club until 2014.

Director of rugby Conor O’Shea, head coach John Kingston and skills coach Collin Osborne have all signed two-year contracts.

Quins chief exec David Ellis said: “They provide a wealth of experience.”