WALES hooker Scott Baldwin is embracing the all-court game he is being encouraged to play at Quins after stepping out of his comfort zone to play in the Premiership.
Baldwin spent 11 seasons at Ospreys before joining Quins for the start of the current season.
A neck issue limited his appearances in the first half of the season, but he is enjoying himself in west London.
“It's making me evolve as a player,” said the 32- year-old, who won the last of his 34 Wales caps in 2017. “I'd pretty much been set in what I was good at throughout my career in Wales.
“Here, I've been challenged to be more effective in the wider channels and look to play with ball in hand more rather than just coming around the corner and knowing when I get the ball I'm going to carry.
“I am constantly trying to get better at everything. It was the right time and the right move for me.”
Baldwin says he is also benefitting from working with Quins assistant coach, Jerry Flannery, the former Ireland and Munster hooker.
“I have been very fortunate throughout my career to have had some brilliant hookers to work with as coaches and players and Jerry just adds to that list,” he said.
Baldwin is enjoying rubbing shoulders with Joe Marler.
“The Sale game (the first after the restart) was the first time I'd got to play with Joe and it was brilliant,” he said.
“He is a good character and I think his playing ability can get overlooked a little bit because of that, but he is an unbelievable scrummager and is brilliant at getting the boys buzzing.”
TEAMS
HARLEQUINS: Brown; Ashton, Marchant, Lasike, Earle; Smith, Care; Marler, Baldwin, Kerrod, Lewies, Symons, Robshaw (c), Evans, Dombrandt
Replacements: Gray, Garcia Botta, Collier, Lamb, Chisholm, Steele, Lang, Morris
NORTHAMPTON: Furbank; Olowofelay, Proctor, Hutchinson, Collins; Grayson, Mitchell; Hobbs-Awoyemi, Haywood, Painter, Moon, Isiekwe, Gibson, Ludlam (c), Adendorff
Replacements: Marshall, Auterac, Hill, Ribbans, Harrison, Taylor, Dingwall, Naiyaravoro
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Baldwin was man-ofthe- match when Quins defeated the Sharks but the mood has been dampened by consecutive losses to Saracens (38-24) and Worcester(29-14).
“The Sale game was a good win but the Sarries game was frustrating. We felt that, bar two minutes when we switched off, we were there physically and defensively.
“All we can focus on is going out against Northampton this weekend and fronting up and trying to put in a good performance.”
Baldwin starts against Saints after being rested in midweek as boss Paul Gustard makes 13 changes. Danny Care and Paul Lasike return to the starting XV for the first time this season.
Northampton make 15 changes to their starting XV for the second match running, with Lewis Ludlam leading out the side. Wallaby wing Taqele Naiyaravoro will make his 50th appearance should he come off the bench.
