Gloucester v Harlequins: Five takeaways as hulking centre ‘shouts loud’ for England minutes in eight-try nilling
Gloucester centre Will Joseph and number eight Will Trenholm impressed.
Following a 48-0 win for Gloucester over Harlequins at Kingsholm on Saturday, here’s our five takeaways from a one-side PREM Rugby match.
The top line
That was about as dominant a performance you are likely to witness as Gloucester put Quins away in an eight-try victory in front of their fans.
Ben Loader, Jac Morgan, Will Trenholm, Charlie Atkinson, Seb Atkinson, Caolan Englefield, Will Joseph and George Barton all crossed in this emphatic win, with Barton kicking just four conversions as the Cherry and Whites missed out on raising the proverbial bat for racking up 50.
TNT Sports pundit Ben Kay was asked to find one positive for Harlequins after this deflating negative and replied: “The only thing they can take away is they can’t play this badly again.” If that doesn’t sum up their struggles on Saturday then nothing will as Quins now have two losses from two.
Pack dominance
The old adage of games are won up front was never more true at Kingsholm as the Cherry and Whites heavies laid the platform in this win.
Success with the maul was backed up by five scrum penalties and plenty of gainline success as the likes of tighthead prop Afo Fasogbon and number eight Trenholm caught the eye, whilst Welsh signings Morgan and Dewi Lake once again put in a shift on the flank and hooker respectively.
There’s a lot to like about the Gloucester forwards and those behind them as last term’s dismal eighth-place finish looks to be a distant memory.
Backline stardust
It isn’t just the men up front who earn the plaudits this evening as Gloucester’s backline were also bang at it, claiming six of their eight crossings.
Centre Joseph was arguably the pick of the bunch as he again shouted loud for further England caps, while Loader, Atkinson, Englefield, Charlie and Seb Atkinson also deserve big pats on the back as they cut loose against a lacklustre Harlequins outfit and duly made them pay throughout.
They had the bit between their teeth all match but in the second period especially this confident Cherry and Whites backline was a joy to watch.
Harlequins woes
Two games, two losses, 81 points conceded; it has been an awful start to the PREM Rugby season for Jason Gilmore’s outfit. Plain and simple.
With Marcus Smith, Fin Baxter, Alex Dombrandt et al watching on, yes they are without a handful of key players, but there is a growing sense there is a long and painful road ahead for Quins and their fans this season. How do they turn things around after this 48-point loss? It’s a big ask.
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
Absolutely nothing went right for the Stoop outfit at Kingsholm and they will desperately want Smith and co. back in action sooner rather than later.
Ex-Quin makes point
One of the standout performers for Gloucester was an ex-Harlequins man as Trenholm was determined to star against his former outfit.
Skivington admitted in an in-match interview that Trenholm displays extra motivation when tackling Quins and that was evident today.
He finished a try-scoring outing with a game high 19 carries that resulted in 61 metres and bolstered that with nine tackles in an abrasive shift.
READ MORE: Gloucester v Harlequins: Result, scorers, match stats, line-ups