Director of rugby Conor O'Shea paid tribute to Harlequins' youngsters after his side's LV= Cup victory over Newcastle.
Quins director of rugby pleased to get win
Director of rugby Conor O'Shea paid tribute to Harlequins' youngsters after his side's LV= Cup victory over Newcastle on Sunday.
The hosts were made to work hard for their win despite enjoying a numerical advantage for 30 of the 80 minutes of action at the Stoop.
But with several players away on international duty, O'Shea heaped praise on the inexperienced line-up for managing to come away with the win.
"We had eight 20-year-olds out there and played some tremendous rugby. Our forwards were magnificent, but we never really put them away," he said.
"Newcastle will always give you a very hard game, and they didn't disappoint, but despite all our possession, it would be arrogant to suggest we should have won by more.
"We are two from two in the LV= Cup, and while we were a bit tense at the break, we knew we were up against a side who will always keep coming at you so it's a good day for the club.
"This is the competition that allows you to test your squad for real. We sat down and selected two teams for the first and second rounds, and we were adamant that win, lose or draw at Leicester we would stick with those line-ups."
Clegg 'fine'
O'Shea also said that fly-half Rory Clegg seems to have escaped serious injury despite being stretchered off in a neck brace.
"Another plus is that Rory Clegg is up and about, feeling fine," he added.
"It looks worrying when a lad is carried off by stretcher with the neck-brace in place, but the medics always do that as a precaution."
Newcastle players Micky Young, Redford Pennycock and skipper Tim Swinson were all sent to the sin-bin during the match and Falcons coach Alan Tait thinks his captain was treated harshly by the referee.
"It's a hard enough game as it is without having to play for 30 minutes with 14 men. We're just not getting any luck at the moment, decisions are not going our way, but we don't give up," Tait said.
"I thought we were unlucky with skipper Tim Swinson's yellow card because I don't think he touched anyone in the lineout. Tim epitomises what we are about, and I'm very proud of all of them."
He added: "As a competition, the LV= Cup allows you to see boys in action.
"You get a chance to see youngsters in competitive rugby, real cup-tie rugby, so I am all for it. Now it's back to Premiership business where we have some important work to do."
