HARLEQUINS COACH BRIAN MCDERMOTT PRAISES FORMER CLUB

HARLEQUINS coach Brian McDermott praised former club Huddersfield for the way they snuffed out the threat from his young, home-grown team with a convincing win at the Galpharm Stadium yet was keen to stress the progress he feels his own side is making.

McDermott, who was assistant to former Giants coach Tony Smith, admitted his side were second best on the day, but said Quins had their eyes more firmly fixed on the future. Huddersfield were only 8-4 up at the break, but they ran in six tries in the second half against a Quins side featuring only one overseas player, Luke Dorn, for the third consecutive week.

McDermott said: “We expected there to be a wave in the second half, and so it proved.

“Huddersfield looked strong and were unfortunate to be only four points ahead at half-time.

“But I’m immensely proud of our young players. People will look at the scoreline and think we were beaten pretty badly. But I don’t think the players did a lot wrong.

“In terms of where we want to be five years from now, the club is heading in the right direction, with a lot of good young players who have British and London accents.”