The peculiar pre-match ritual that led to Harlequins destroying Exeter
Footage of most changing rooms before a rugby match usually produces the same sort of stuff. Shouting, grunting, people looking angry etc. But not Harlequins’ changing room at Twickenham on Saturday.
Ahead of their crunch Gallagher Premiership encounter on Saturday evening with Exeter Chiefs, footage has been shared by Quins of their players rocking out to It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls ahead of kick off. Not your usual pre-match activity, but whatever works.
Scrum-half Danny Care even addressed this after the match, as it was probably one of the most bizarre routines he has seen in his long and storied career. Then again, if that was what helped the London outfit race to a 26-0 win, it may become a staple part of the club’s routine.
Care said: “Beforehand, in that changing room was one of the weirdest moments, but an amazing moment, where you’ve got 23 lads singing It’s Raining Men before they go to play a massive game. I don’t know many other environments where that would work but for some reason in our environment it does and it inspired us to go out and play really well and put on a show for these fans who deserve to see that.”
Take a look:
☔️ “23 lads singing ‘It’s Raining Men’ before we go and play a massive game”
🃏 The Harlequins way, wouldn’t want it any other way. ❤️#COYQ #BigGame14 pic.twitter.com/AaVbxmg2SK
— Harlequins 🃏 (@Harlequins) March 5, 2023
Quins’ 40-5 bonus point win lifted them to sixth in the Premiership table, two points behind Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints but with a game in hand over the pair. Having said that, they are only three points ahead of ninth place Bristol Bears, who are their opponents this Sunday at Ashton Gate. That shows how close the race is to make the top four this season, as after Saracens and Sale Sharks at the top there are seven teams all with a very good chance. In fact, Bristol, in ninth, produced the result of the weekend with a 62-8 win over Northampton.
