Gustard hails his England outcasts

ENGLAND’S loss is Harlequins’ gain as far as full-back Mike Brown is concerned.

“He was exceptional,” said Quins supremo Paul Gustard. “I thought Danny Care and Mike had lots of nice interplay and Mike is always very controlled under the high ball and dangerous on counter-attack.

“He broke tackles, got pressure over the ball and his desire and competitiveness is there. He’s a 70-cap player – if England don’t want him, he’s a great addition for us.”

Two other England hopefuls to impress were Jack Clifford and Nathan Earle. Gustard added: “Jack was outstanding. The amount of work he got through, the tough carries off No.9 and the amount of tackles he made, was exceptional.

“Nathan’s had a good nine games for us in the Prem now; he’s big, quick, carries well in traffic and defensively he’s solid. He can finish tries as well.”

Exeter boss Rob Baxter reflected: “If you’re going to lose, getting two points is the best outcome. I was pleased with the fight but we made multiple errors. We’ll use this to refocus ahead of two huge Heineken Cup games against Gloucester.”