Director of Rugby Alan Solomons spoke to the media on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership match at Harlequins (kick-off 3.00pm).
Here’s what Alan had to say:
On the Exeter match
- It was a game we should have won. An act of indiscipline gave away a penalty and Exeter the opportunity from which they scored a try.
- We then botched an exit, they got a lineout on our 22. We defended really well and Ethan Waller actually won the ball back only for Harry Williams to reclaim it and he scored the winning try.
- We have reviewed the Exeter game and it has been put to bed now. We have to move forward not look back. We have to play with fire in our belly and ice in our head and our exits have to be top notch every single time.
On Harlequins
- They are at home and they are going into it on the back of game that didn’t work out for them at Northampton.
- They are likely to have Danny Care and Mike Brown back and they will be super-motivated.
- Paul Gustard has made a great impact since he joined them before the start of last season. They have a strong defence and it will be a tough challenge for us at their home ground.
On likely team selection for Harlequins
- We have a only six day turnaround between matches so we will have to take that into consideration when we select the team.
- Ed Fidow has had a couple of weeks to acclimatise after the Rugby World Cup and he will definitely come into consideration this weekend.
Injuries
- Sam Lewis is going through the return-to-play protocols after he went off for a Head Injury Assessment on Saturday.
- Chris Pennell suffered a deep laceration to a thigh against Exeter and hasn’t trained this week.
- Duncan Weir took a blow to a hand and he has been for an x-ray.
- Marco Mama suffered a knock to a leg.
- Ryan Mills got through the game but has a sore shoulder.
- Jono Kitto trained today. We will see how he is on Thursday.
- Andrew Kitchener is back in training having recovered from an infected thumb.
- Caleb Montgomery has a sore wrist which has been troubling him for several weeks.