Harlequins vs Worcester Warriors Picks and Odds
By Robert Duff in Rugby
Published:
- Harlequins are 16.5-point favorites over the Worcester Warriors in their Gallagher Rugby Premiership match on Saturday
- The Quins opened the season with a 26-20 win over the Newcastle Falcons
- Worcester were 36-24 winners at home over London Irish
Both Harlequins and the Worcester Warriors got their Gallagher Rugby Premiership seasons off to winning starts last week.
The Warriors were solid 36-24 victors at home over London Irish. Quins took a 26-20 verdict away to Newcastle Falcons.
As they open their home account for the campaign, it’s defending champion Harlequins who oddsmakers like heavily in his match. Quins are being established as 16.5-point favorites. That’s the biggest spread being offered on any Week 2 match.
Harlequins vs Warriors Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread |
|---|---|---|
| Harlequins | -800 | -16.5 (-110) |
| Worcester Warriors | +500 | +16.5 (-115) |
| Draw | +2500 |
Odds as of September 24th at DraftKings
Kickoff for the match on Saturday at the Twickenham Stoop is set for 10am ET. The weather forecast for London is calling sunny with cloudy periods, 7 mph wind, and a temperature of 72 degrees.
Good News, Bad News For Harlequins
There was pleny of good news for the reigning champions as the Gallagher Premiership season kicked off. The club announced that it had signed South African international centre André Esterhuizen to a contract extension.
https://twitter.com/Harlequins/status/1441386998305001475?s=20
At the same time, seven Harlequins players were called up for the England side that will complete in the Autumn Cup Series. Joe Marler, Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marchant, Marcus Smith, Louis Lynagh, Jack Kenningham and Sam Riley were all included in the England squad.
While that’s a wonderful acknowledgement of the success the club is enjoying, it also means the Quins could find themselves significantly shy of bodies during the international season.
The inclusion of England prop Marler for Saturday’s match is the only change to the side that beat Newcastle. Dino Lamb and wing Cadan Murley will both play their 50th matches for Quins.
Warriors Change One
Worcester are also going with just one change in the side that defeated London Irish. Jamie Shillcock will start at full-back in place of the injured Melani Nanai (sore Achilles tendon).
Nanai is named among the replacements this week along with fly-half Billy Searle, who wasn’t in the matchday squad last weekend.
📋 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 2. pic.twitter.com/OPQbG3gp4t
— Worcester Warriors (@WorcsWarriors) September 24, 2021
Former Harlequins hooker Scott Baldwin faces his old club for the first time. The Welsh international joined joined the Warriors during the summer. Baldwin started for Harlequins in last season’s Premiership final victory over Exeter Chiefs.
History Will Be Made
It will be a history-making afternoon at The Stoop. Sara Cox will referee the match. She will be the first woman to ever officiate a Gallagher Premiership contest.
The match also presents a contrast in rugby styles. Harlequins prefer a wide-open, swashbuckling style of rugby. In the case of the Warriors, they seek to play a slowdown game and punish the opposition with hard tackling.
⚡️ Will we see some more counter attacking rugby like this against Worcester again tomorrow? #COYQ pic.twitter.com/NjyEY82BKu
— Harlequins 🃏 (@Harlequins) September 24, 2021
Last season, Harlequins took the measure of the Warriors at The Stoop by a 50-26 count. Worcester’s home match at Sixways against Harlequins was canceled due to COVID-19.
Worcester’s last two Gallagher Rugby Premiership away wins were at The Stoop. The Warriors beat Harlequins there in November 2019 and got the better of London Irish on the same ground in November 2020. Harlequins haven’t started a season 2-0 since 2012-13.
Harlequins have won their last four Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches. They’ve not won five in succession since March of 2019. The Quins have won eight Premiership Rugby matches in a row at the Stoop. That’s their best run of home success since 2012.
Take Harlequins and lay the points.
Pick: Harlequins -16.5 (-110)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
