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After two weeks of Heineken cup matches, the focus is firmly back on the Premiership action this weekend and Sunday sees an interesting clash as Newcastle travel south to take on Harlequins. In theory this couldn’t be any clearer cut with Newcastle propping up the table and quins flying high undefeated at the top. But is it really that straightforward?

Harlequins have been off to a fantastic start this season, playing some great rugby. After 8 matches they have yet to lose or even draw. They have also been scoring a lot of points with a free-flowing approach. However, they have been showing steel when necessary too, as shown by last weekend’s win at fortress Kingsholm against Gloucester. Several of the Quins players will be looking to further their England ambitions and make a favourable impression on the next coach, whoever that may be. Chris Robshaw is being touted regularly as the next England captain and has been leading from the front this season much as he did last, being perhaps the standout backrow player in Permeirship rugby.

Newcastle come off a morale-boosting European win, if only a 34-03 Amlin Challenge Cup win against Petrarca Padova. However, after notching up only a solitary victory in the Premiership, anything that can boost confidence a bit must be good. There look like being 8 changes to last weekend’s line up, with coach Alan Tait giving a run to three of the club’s new signings. Taiasina Tu’ifua is a beast in the centre of the back row and could do a lot of damage with the ball in hand. Suka Hufanga also has plenty of gas and looked very useful in the recent world cup and South African Adriaan Fondse is an athletic, abrasive 6ft 5 who will be looking to make an impact off the bench.

Newcastle may be concerned with their scrummaging, given that of the first choice front row, two are injured and the third (Euan Murray) doesn’t play on Sundays as usual for religious reasons. Harlequins have looked like a much tougher pack in the tight this season and will be looking to make life difficult for Newcastle in this area.

Newcastle will be banking on a repeat of last season’s LV Cup semi-final victory. In recent seasons, the Northern outfit have had a pretty successful time of it against the Londoners in fact, even away from home. Discipline looks like it will be key once more with Jimmy Gopperth at 10 one of the premiership’s best goalkickers.

So it looks like Harlequins should have too much power for Newcastle. However, this probably won’t be the one-sided contest that it has been cracked up to be either. Newcastle can be threatening ball in hand, especially with an injection of pace out wide in the form of Hufanga. If Gopperth can kick his goals early on, the spread of 15 points looks somewhat generous. If the Harlequins front five out-muscles the opposition, then things could turn ugly and a try-scoring bonus performance is probably a good even-money shot.

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