Kingston hits out at Stoop mauling
January 24 2010
Harlequins coach John Kingston confessed to being hugely disappointed by his team's poor defending as Cardiff Blues qualified for the Amlin Challenge Cup in some style at the Stoop on Sunday.
Ben Blair scored 20 points for Blues from a try, penalty and six conversions while Jamie Roberts (two), Gareth Thomas, Xavier Rush and Ceri Sweeney added further tries.
Harlequins scored three tries through George Lowe, and England duo Danny Care and Nick Easter, neither of whom will be looking forward to meeting up again with some of these Blues when England take on Wales at Twickenham on February 6.
Rory Clegg completed their scoring with a penalty and a conversion.
Kingston said: "Some of our attacking play was very good but, for whatever reason, we chose not to defend.
"If you do not front up against good teams such as Blues you will get punished, and we were. They were on the front foot, we were on the back foot and we did not make them work hard enough."
Kingston hopes his players can now react to the defeat in the right way.
He said: "This has been a hard season for a number of reasons, and we are now facing a crossroads of where we go from here in the remainder of our season.
"If we had to get turned over, this was the game for it to happen.
"Physically we were not at the races. If it looked as if we were not up for it.
"Nothing could be further from the truth.
"We'd lost some games and wanted to turn things around in this game, saw it as a chance to bounce back.
"So I am very disappointed with our performance. Defence is 50% of any game, and ours was not good enough."
Kingston found a few positives in defeat, saying: "Jordan Turner-Hall returned from four months out injured and played a good hour. Our scrum was good, but we didn't get many breaks from referee George Clancy in that department.
"However, shipping six tries at home is not good enough."
Cardiff head coach Dai Young anticipates a tough ride at Newcastle in the Amlin quarter-final in April.
He said: "It's great to reach the quarters, and while we are disappointed not to go further in the Heineken Cup, we've competed in a very tough group so we are not going to beat ourselves up.
"Quins fielded a very strong team, and to score six tries against them is hugely satisfying.
"We were very good in attack, sloppy in defence. The Achilles heel for us all season has been a lack of scoring tries, so this will fire everyone up for the rest of the season.
"The first 10 minutes did not go according to plan, and there was some serious head-scratching out there.
"But once we settled down, our rugby did the talking and I'm very pleased with the overall performance.
"If we don't go on and win the Amlin Challenge Cup, then I hope Scarlets do.
"We are bitter rivals when we play each other, but it would be good for Welsh rugby if one of us takes it home."