Nick Cain talks to Quins’ Aussie hard man James Horwill

James Horwill is part of an Aussie invasion that has taken English rugby by storm this season. However, the big former Queensland Reds and Wallaby captain has not enjoyed quite the same fanfare as England coach Eddie Jones and Wasps evergreen openside flanker George Smith.
While the other two carried no baggage, with Jones riding the crest of Japan's 2015 World Cup wave and Wallaby Test centenarian Smith rejuvenated by his move to the Ricoh, Horwill joined Harlequins last summer having to shoulder one of the biggest disappointments of his career.
The 61-cap lock, who had captained Australia during the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Lions tour, arrived at the Stoop having missed the cut for the 2015 tournament. Instead of including Horwill, Australia's new coach, Michael Cheika, opted for Kane Douglas, who had been part of the Waratahs side he had led to a Super 15 title.
Forced into the role of World Cup bystander while preparing for his Premiership baptism in mid-October, the bruising 6ft 7in Queenslander found respite in buckling down and helping Quins to secure a 26-21 opening round home win over a Wasps side featuring Smith.
With the two former London arch-rivals in a fierce joust for play-off positions heading into today's return clash in Coventry, Horwill says he not only knows something about the history of the fixture, but also about the danger that Smith, and Wasps, pose to Quins' title ambitions.
“They have a mindset to use the ball, and they like to play up-tempo, similar to us. They made a few mistakes in that first game, but you could see the intent.”
He also provides a footnote about the joint origins of the two clubs at Hampstead FC (in the 1860s) before turning to the task in hand: “I have an understanding that the clubs split way back, so there's a lot of history like any good rivalry. They've been playing really well, and have great confidence in what they're doing. Wasps also have that continuity because they haven't lost a huge amount of players to Test rugby. They've got some world-class finishers too.”
Then Horwill turns his focus on to Smith. “I played a couple of seasons of Test rugby with him for the Wallabies, and also against him when he was at the Brumbies.”
He says of his 35-year-old fellow Wallaby skipper: “He's a freak.” Ask what makes Smith freakish and Horwill paints a vivid picture. “He's always at the right place at the right time. As a team-mate or opponent you'd look at what he did and say, how the hell did you do that? He has such ability that you could put him at scrum-half, centre, or No.8 as well as openside. He's one of the best rugby players I've seen, and you've got to limit his impact on the game, especially at the breakdown. We have to make sure we are efficient, because that can limit his involvement.”
Horwill notes that Quins are not short of players to challenge Smith, above. “We've also got some great back rowers. Luke Wallace, below, who wasn't even able to make the starting 15 at the start of the season, has come through very strongly. ‘Cliff' (Jack Clifford) has got that all-round game and could be a world-class 7, and getting that Test call up for England is great for him and well-deserved.”
Talk of England triggers Horwill's recollections about the season that Jones, far bottom, had coaching the Reds team in 2007, which finished with the Queensland franchise at the foot of the Super Rugby table. Some of Jones' critics have used this as a stick to beat him with, but Horwill is not among them.
“Eddie Jones has got a really good rugby mind. He is clear about what he wants to do, he works very hard, and he is a stickler for detail. I didn't enjoy the year as such, because we got the Super Rugby wooden spoon. At the time the Reds weren't well set up and were going through a period of change, while Eddie had been coaching the Wallabies.”
He continues: “We didn't work out that well, but he taught us where we needed to go, and he also unearthed Will Genia and Quade Cooper. Eddie has always had an eye as a talent-spotter, and Will was a virtual unknown.”
Horwill concludes: “Eddie knows the game really well, and is as good as I've come across as a coach. On balance, our lack of success wasn't because of him, although we all had a part in it – but the Reds started moving in the right direction and four seasons later we won the Super Rugby title.”
He believes that Jones has made a good start with England in the Six Nations. “England have some very talented players, and up front traditionally they have been strong – and Eddie wants to get back to that. Any time a new coach comes in it takes time to put his stamp on it. The good thing is that he hasn't made too many changes, and that means the players understand their roles.”
Horwill uses his first-hand experience of his Quins team-mates, as well as their Premiership opponents, to outline what they give England.
“Danny Care is a great attacking No.9 who picks up the pace of the game and organises well. You love playing with guys like that, with the way they up the tempo and are so enthusiastic. Danny also really makes defenders think, as he showed against Italy with his kicking game.”
There are plaudits for others in the backline, too. “Playing with Mike Brown I've come to appreciate how well he does the basics as well as having the ability to break the line. Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson are also impressive, and Joseph is a guy who can break a game open if he gets time and space on the front foot – as he showed against Italy.”
Horwill acknowledges also that the forward rebuild is taking shape: “The Vunipola brothers are very hard to stop from front-foot ball – but I knew that before I got here – and Maro Itoje is a very athletic young guy who's been the subject of a lot of talk. Eddie's been doing it well by not putting too much of a burden on his shoulders too soon.”
When it comes to burdens of expectation it will not be lost on Horwill that Quins have a long-standing tradition of signing inspirational Southern Hemisphere forwards. It was Andy Haden and Troy Coker in the old boot-money amateur days, and then Zinzan Brooke and David Wilson who pulled on the black, maroon, pale blue and sage green quartered jersey in the early years of the pro era.
Where Haden and Brooke are All Black legends, the same is true in a Wallaby context for Horwill's fellow-Queenslanders, Wilson and Coker. Peerless openside Wilson was a World Cup winner in 1999, and Coker was at No.8 in the 1991 World Cup final win over England before relocating to the Stoop.
Horwill, 30, says he is enjoying London life after being immersed in all things Brisbane until now. “I've really enjoyed the change of scenery. I'd been at the Reds since the day I left school, so it was time to do something different. I didn't really know anyone at the Stoop, but the club has been great. I'm living in Putney with my wife, Lauren, who's working on the new London-Birmingham-Manchester high-speed rail link.”
He says he's also forging new rugby friendships. “Nick Easter is a Quins legend and having played against him at Test level I'm enjoying playing alongside ‘Minty', who is also a great character off the field. Then there's Adam Jones. I don't think either of us ever thought I'd be putting my arms through his legs at scrum time!
“There's never a day goes by that ‘Bomb' doesn't remind me of the result in the 2013 Lions tour – and then I'll let him know that I've never lost to Wales wearing a Wallaby jersey.”
The biggest change he has experienced in a playing context is the weather. “Tough conditions are a big part of the game here. Sometimes you have to be smart and play a positional and territory game. In Super Rugby you usually get very good conditions, while here it's not so much the rain as the wind. For instance, at Exeter we played in a 30mph wind and they played the conditions better and won by a point. Here it can be which team adapts best wins.”
Horwill identifies relegation as another novelty, as is losing players to international calls. “Relegation is something new to me. Super Rugby does not have that fear factor, and you can see the determination in the teams struggling to stay up,
“What is different as well is we've got eight or so players involved in Test rugby at the moment, and we're playing Premiership games at the same time. That doesn't happen in Super Rugby, and it challenges the whole squad.”
It is also why Horwill's leadership credentials attracted Quins, and he says: “I have my input…and I know from my own experience with the Reds that you can get a bit stale, so getting fresh ideas can be good.”
Another bonus is the Aussie second rower's physicality, although he trod a fine line when the controversial high hit that knocked out Saracens and England lock George Kruis last month only earned him a yellow card. However, if the Queenslander stays on the right side of the line, his experience and rugged presence should help Quins to stay in the mix for a top four Premiership play-off.
The Antipodean flavour to the season will not end there, because immediately after the Premiership final England embark on a three-Test summer tour Down Under. Horwill says Eddie Jones' side will face a warm welcome from Cheika's World Cup runners-up.
“The series is a big challenge, and it will be tough. Away from home is always tough, and Australia against England is a big rivalry in any sport. Remember that it will also be Australia's first chance to play in front of their own fans after an ‘as-good-as-you-could-get' World Cup.”
As for his own moves this summer, Horwill is happy with his new Harlequins home. However, there is also no question that should the Wallabies require his services against the Red Rose tourists he's ready and willing.
“I'd love to play for Australia again. It's the highest honour. I've signed for Quins for three years, but I'm still eligible because I played over 60 Tests before moving.”
There is no guarantee the call will come, but what is guaranteed is that Horwill's presence would not make England's task any easier.