Stu Townsend press conference | Harlequins v Sale Sharks

Scrum half Stu Townsend met with members of the media to preview Saturday's european knockout tie against Sale Sharks.

Topics included: 

• Gritty performance against Bristol
• Clean slate in Europe 
• Relishing the occasion
• Prestigious competition 
• What it means to win the Champions Cup

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Um just reflect on that weekend performance. Obviously, it sort of shocked everyone, shocked the league. Just what was it like to be a to be a part of?

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Look to be a player of the principality was unbelievable, first of all. But yeah, look, obviously we've had a tough season, tough results. But going into that game, we we've had belief we've had a good block in that Six Nations where I think we've worked on a lot of good things. And to put it into place, I thought we showed immense fight. We didn't actually probably play our best rugby, but the fight that we had was incredible, and I think that's what nudged us over Bristol in the end.

SPEAKER_03 0:39

How's it been for you? Obviously, you had quite a lengthy absence in the middle of the season, but um, what was it like, you know, just getting through that period and now being back on the field and taking part in such a great result?

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Yeah, I think obviously professional rugby have setbacks um all the time, and I think it's overcoming them and getting back to it. And I was hungry to get back in there, and obviously, with a few injuries and stuff that we've had at the club, um, it's been good to get back out there and really get into it.

SPEAKER_03 1:08

Obviously, because of the injury you didn't take part in that La Rochelle game, but just that was another just shock result that the the club managed to achieve. How much is the squad looking back to what they managed to achieve that day to keep the European campaign going?

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Yeah, I think look that was a massive result for us to to kind of knock La Rochelle out of the competition and to be written off probably before we went. Um, it was a bit like that this weekend, that Bristol feel is like people writing us off early doors, and that's where I think the club thrives. Being a bit of the underdog and going out there.

SPEAKER_03 1:45

Thanks, Jim. Best of luck on the weekend.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Hi, it's it's Martin here. Do you get a sense that the um sort of priority really now is shifting to this being the major competition for you and where it's I mean I suppose to use almost a bit of a footballing phrase, an opportunity to save the season?

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Uh yeah, I think so. Look, obviously the premiership hasn't gone too well for us. And look, you look at this competition, it's probably the only competition where there's a tangible prize at the end. Um, and I think boys are excited for it. Um look, it's it's one of them, it's knockout rugby, it can go either way, and I think we're we're ready to go out there and and take it.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

And I mean yourself, you come originally from a club who actually won this competition. Um on a sort of personal level, I guess it it means quite a bit to you.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

For sure, yeah. I think we spoke about it in the week, and kind of quins have never done it, and adding that star to the shirt would be something that we've we've all got a dream and believe of. Um, but it starts this weekend.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

Yeah, and uh I mean obviously you I mean you again we've uh you haven't played as much as you would like this season because of injury. But I mean if you look at the weekend, what what was it that made the difference? I mean it came off the back of what half a dozen defeats in um in the Prem, um, and you won a game which let's face it the script was that Bristol were gonna turn up, play their usual, very stylish, um, easy on the eye rugby and giving you an absolute smashing, and it didn't it didn't prove to be so. I mean I mean what made the difference from your perspective?

SPEAKER_01 3:34

I think the Quinns and Bristol were two teams that like to play with the ball, um, but like I said before, I think it honestly came down to how much fight we had during the game. You you saw moments of our defence which you probably haven't seen this season, and I thought, especially young boys coming into the sea into the side, we've had a lot of injuries and just the grit and fight to go out there and want to win the game, and kind of the desperation a little bit was immense, and I couldn't be prouder of the boys for doing that really.

SPEAKER_02 4:07

Yeah, and there were some players around who were a good deal less experienced than you as well.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Yeah, for sure, and they stepped up and took their chance, really.

unknown 4:16

Great.

SPEAKER_02 4:17

Thanks for your time.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Good luck at the weekend. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_00 4:20

Hey up, Stu, you alright? Nice to meet you.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

Hi Charlie, you're alright.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Yeah, I'm good, thank you. Uh, you mentioned a minute ago that you kind of like being the underdogs. I'd say you go into this game as favourite, so sort of what's that like?

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Um yeah, maybe in uh Bookie's eyes or an outsider, but I think the club where it's at at the minute, I think we've got to be realistic, and we have we haven't performed this year as well as we have, but for sure going into this weekend, I think we like to feel like we're underdogs and we will go out there and put a performance in.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

And what's it like playing another English team in the Champions Cup? Is it is it a bit weird because it's like a team you know, but it's sort of a bit of a different setting?

SPEAKER_01 5:05

Yeah, I kind of I know what you mean, it's it's slightly different, but I think we you've got to go game to game and look at this like uh it is a European knockout rugby, it's kind of winner takes all and you you go you go through. But I think any opposition you prep for the same same scenario. So we're massively excited this weekend. It's a big occasion for the club, it's something tangible at the end, and I think you're gonna see that this weekend.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Do you think it helps playing a team that you know more about? Because obviously the inverse of that is that they'll know more about you than other teams from abroad.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Yeah, kind of, but I I think it's every team has just got to stick to their their game plan and what they've what they rely on. It doesn't matter what team you go against. Um yeah, I think Sale will know a lot about what we do and we know a lot of what they do, but it's whoever does the their game plan the best, really.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

And what do you make of Sale's season so far? Because it's sort of not been amazing results-wise, but they have been quite close in a few games and sort of narrowly lost, like against BAF on the weekend.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

I think it's it's very similar to how our season's going, they haven't been performing as well in the premiership like they would have wanted to. Um, but yeah, look, they've they've got something to play for this weekend as well, and realistically, we're probably both out of the premiership, and this this this competition is a bit of a new lease of life for both teams. So look, it's gonna be a a hard game, it's gonna be a physical game, and I think if we confront up to that, I think it'd be a great game.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

And have you had a bit more of a leadership role in the squad than perhaps usual, given your Champions Cup experience, or you know, because obviously you're an experienced player as it is, is it just the same as normal?

SPEAKER_01 6:51

Uh it's kind of the same as normal, just um obviously I've been out a little bit with injury, so getting back into the squad has been really nice, and adding bits of what I can to the squad. There's some great leaders at the club, kind of your Dombrands, Cadence, Marcus, kind of they've been in and around those big scenarios before. So if I can add little bits to them, then I will, but if if not, I I kind of just get on with it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Yeah, and there's been a bit of chat about the sort of Champions Cup format. What do you make of it as a player, the sort of you know, the pool stages and all of that?

SPEAKER_01 7:28

It's probably a bit out of my uh out of my league, but um no, I just I think whatever they do it's a great competition. Um yeah, I I don't I don't really have much to add on that, sorry.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

No, it's alright. Nice ones, Joe.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

Thanks for looking at it. Cheers, Charlie.

SPEAKER_04 7:51

Sam, yeah. Hi Sam, how are you? Ask about the um sort of the prep going into this one. Um what's it been like sort of in the camp um following that Bristol win? Um and sort of how does how does prep for a Champions Cup game, a knockout game sort of a one-off shot at it, how does that differ from sort of a regular regular Prem game?

SPEAKER_01 8:12

Yeah, I think coming off the back of the Bristol game it's obviously been a little bit of relief in there to get a result. Um but we're kind of back to it Monday, um, kind of clean slate, you're back into a new competition. I think our prep the last two days have been really good. We'll have another good prep on Thursday. Um, but yeah, boys are ready for this, I think, and excited.

SPEAKER_04 8:38

What sort of main things have you been looking out for from a sales point of view? Obviously, you've got the internationals coming back and everyone sort of available again for selection. Has that been a big part of your focuses?

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Uh a little bit. Obviously, they've got a they're a big pack, they're a physical, physical team. Obviously, George Ford's a great player for them. Uh, we've had a little look into them, but I think mainly we've been focusing on ourselves this week and what we can do to influence the game and kind of not worrying about what what they can do, let's worry about what we can do first, really.

SPEAKER_04 9:09

And you guys are obviously the sort of the highest scoring team at home in the in the competition so far. Is how much of a boost is that gonna give you this weekend, knowing you you've got that sort of already in the bag.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

Yeah, I think every game's different, but I think confidence going into this this game is is high, and hopefully we we can start start well on the weekend and then go on from there, really. But it's obviously a it's a knockout rugby game, so things may change, and you have to just kind of go for the result in the end, really.

SPEAKER_04 9:43

And sort of it's a competition we get often get to see sort of uh youngsters get a great chance. Uh Nick Friday had a good uh good couple of games in the pool stages. Um, has there been a sort of any youngsters you've really caught your eye for for Quinn Setter Fine Soldman?

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Yeah, I think uh young Elliott Williams coming into the side start last week was very impressive uh for a young guy. I think there's a been great competition in the back row, kind of your Zak Cars and Zeb Driscoll really put their hands up. And look, Lucas Friday as well, he's he's a great player, he's gonna be some player. Um he's really had a great champions cup and premiership kind of season so far, so it'll be exciting. Great, thanks very much for the best. No worries.

SPEAKER_02 10:27

Perfect. Thank you very much, guys. Can I just ask one other question? Sorry, of course, Stu. I should have asked this last time. Um I was just thinking back to to Exeter when um when they won, because it was an October final, wasn't it? Because it's all COVID. I mean, I mean slightly clumsily put, but where where were you?

SPEAKER_01 10:49

I happened to get injured in the internal game. So during COVID, we kind of had an internal game to get back into it because you couldn't really play other teams at the time. And I happened to get injured to Jack Knoll. But yeah, so I obviously played played in all the pool stages.

SPEAKER_02 11:10

Blame Jack. For sure. Because I've also noticed, I mean we've spoken here about the sort of the win that Quinn's had against Lara Shell, but your your game in that season, I think, was scoring a try against Lara Shell. Correct, it was, yeah. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

At the pool stage, yeah, yeah, it does.

SPEAKER_02 11:27

Yeah, right in the last game as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Yeah, correct, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

So there is a little bit of a parallel there.

SPEAKER_01 11:32

Yeah, there is, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

Um doing what I do, I should look for any links I possibly can. So you so you perhaps missed out on the run into um a sort of October final. I did, yeah. Um after having a run in with uh I mean literally a run-in with um with Jack Noel.

SPEAKER_01 11:50

Yeah, yeah. Um yeah, it's obviously obviously I was a part of that squad and helped get there, but didn't actually fully conquer it being involved in the squad in the team. So it's still a hunger for me for sure.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

I mean who who were the two the two nines who was in that final? Jack Maunder and Sam and Algo Klein.