We knew we had to swing the bat - Porter
FEW gave Harlequins a chance at Bordeaux-Begles last weekend, but where there was a Will Porter there was a way.
The 25-year old scrumhalf started his first match in three months after recovering from a shoulder injury and rocked the capacity crowd less than three minutes in when he finished off Andre Esterhuizen’s break.
Porter added a second before the interval and remained on the field in the searing heat until seven minutes from the end having been given his chance with Danny Care not considered to be fully fit.
The prospect of playing in a Champions Cup semi-final was not even a remote prospect last season when Porter was left wondering whether he had a future in the game after Wasps collapsed and he found himself out of a job.
“Bordeaux was the best game of rugby I have been involved in,” said Porter. “Everyone had written us off but we were confident going into the game. We had the chance to make history so what was there to lose?
“We reviewed them and knew the areas we could exploit. We knew it would be a high scoring game which is why our approach was to swing the bat. It was win or lose, no bonus points, and we ended up on the right side.
“We wanted to do something they would not expect. They thought they would be the physical side and we wanted to meet them head on in the scrums and in our ball-carrying and, when we got the opportunity then show the Harlequins flair which comes more naturally to us. We shocked them in the first 20 minutes and then, in the Quins’ way, turned it into a nail-biter.”
Porter’s performance in attack and defence has left his coaches with a choice to make for the semi-final against Toulouse next month. Care’s experience had helped them over the line against Glasgow in the last 16 round and he had been pivotal in the first group match at Racing 92.
“Danny has been a big help to me,” said Porter. “I had met him a few times before I came here and was revved up coming in, ready to compete with him. Getting to know him, I realised he was a really nice guy and I could not ask for a better person to learn off.
“We get on really well and he has helped me become a better player. It is our job to give the selectors a decision to make and we both have the same objective of helping the club win trophies.
“I have been very lucky with the scrum-halves I have worked with having been with Dan Robson at Wasps from the age of 18. Danny has so much experience for club and country and I think my style of play is pretty similar to his.”
Porter said his experience at Wasps changed his outlook on the game. He was not out of work for long, securing a shortterm contract at Bristol before joining Harlequins in the summer.
“I think it changed the perspective of everyone who was at Wasps then,” he said. “Your priorities shift. I was lucky to get the opportunity at Bristol and remain grateful to Pat Lam and everyone there. When Harlequins approached me, everything fitted into place because my family is from London.
“I am in a different head space now. I do not get caught up in any negatives but am positive about continuing to have the opportunity to play when many others do not.
“There are not many matches in the Premiership, fewer in the Champions Cup and even fewer quarter-finals. You have to enjoy it and not get bogged down with stuff. What will happen will happen.”
Harlequins have had to park their euphoria at reaching the semi-final and refocus on the Premiership where the fierce battle to make the top four is likely to rage until the final round of matches. Quins are at Sale today in one of very many eight-pointers in the next few weeks.
“The Premiership is so tight that every point matters,” said Porter. “We are not thinking about Toulouse because Sale and then Northampton are up before then. It is pretty much knock-out rugby and you have to get something out of every game.
“We are very aware of how good a team Sale are and if you are slightly off they will hurt you. We have to keep the momentum going and have talked about the importance of peaking but not suffering a dip afterwards. We have shown we can perform under pressure and have to continue to do so.”