Tabai Matson: Harlequins intra-squad Champions Cup survey results fascinate head coach

Stan Wilson

Harlequins senior coach Tabai Matson has revealed that his side are motivated and focussed on progressing further into the Champions Cup following their conquering of England last season.

Matson‘s team won the Premiership in the 2021/22 season before he was hired and now Quins have their eyes set on the Champions Cup as they look to become top dogs in Europe.

It has been customary for the south-west London side to waver in European fixtures after nine consecutive seasons without making the knockout stages in the elite competition, but this season Harlequins are a different animal with silverware in their back pocket from last season’s domestic triumph.

With Matson’s Quins set to face Montpellier this weekend coming off a seven-try victory at London Irish, the side face a new level of challenge in the form of the current Top 14 leaders.

The coach disclosed a survey he sent out to his players before Christmas, questioning whether they would prefer to go back-to-back as Premiership winners, or hoist a European trophy; he was fascinated by the results.

Matson also spoke of his team’s high aspirations as they continue to gather steam.

“The Premiership win last year has changed the expectations of the squad, they feel they can be more consistent and can challenge at a higher level,” he said.

“Going through to the quarter-finals of Europe was definitely something they wanted to do, so it is an interesting one.

European priorities?

“About Christmas time I sent out a survey to about 20 people at the club, all different players. I asked, ‘Would you rather win back-to-back Premiership titles or win in Europe, you can only choose one?’ and it was really fascinating the difference in individual opinions around that in showing our different desires.

“One of the key things around leading a team is what does everybody want to do, not what do I want to do. It was really interesting and I was surprised by the variation and what I thought all of the club would want to do.”

Although Matson did not expose the results, he may have implied them with the strength of the team he’s revealed for the game against Montpellier, with one single change from last week’s fixture.

Following Montpellier, a team who “kicks the hell out of the ball” according to the Quins senior coach, Leicester and Northampton are up next in back-to-back weeks to finish off the month of April.

With Leicester leading the Premiership at present, and Northampton looking to muscle their way into the play-offs, this is set to be a gruelling stretch with no obvious rest games in sight for the starters.

Matson added: “Europe is special isn’t it and one for the club because we haven’t been here very often.

“To be playing Montpellier, the current best team in France is a fantastic challenge and to be away from home in the first leg is going to be really interesting.

“We spoke about it last week how we would shut the door on the Premiership for now and really focus on Europe so it is here and we’re off to play one of the best teams in Europe.”

The aforementioned amendment to the team that annihilated London Irish comes on the wing, as Luke Northmore makes way for Louis Lynagh.

This move will allow Cadan Murley to line up across the field in his preferred left wing position while Lynagh set to don the 11 jersey.

England internationals Joe Marler, Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marchant and Marcus Smith also have a place among Matson’s starters for the first-leg of the knock-out fixture.

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