This is the way the season ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.

After impressive wins in three of the last four games in the league, Quins were looking forward to a decent run in the Papa John’s Cup.

It’s a competition we’ve typically done well in – semi-finalists last year and winners in 2023. Plus, our opposition were a team we’d already beaten twice this season. The stage was set for another successful cup run.

But what we should have factored in was the history of games between OPs and Quins. Over the years, we’ve had everything from a draw to blowouts both ways.

Much depends on the players that each team can call on. Whoever has closest to their full strength XV is always likely to win. And many of OPs best players have been away at uni this season whereas Quins had their new enviable squad depth to call on.

Sorry, what’s that? It’s uni Easter holidays and Quins have scraped together 16 players. Ah, problems.

The result was like a Champions Cup knockout game when a Prem team travels to France to take on a squad of Galacticos.

For the first 30 minutes, Quins were more than competitive. It was “you score, we score” with the difference being George’s boot. At 17-21, it looked like a miracle may be on the cards. Then two quick OP tries gave a half-time score of 31-21.

In the second half it was one-way traffic as the ability to call on a bench meant that OPs stayed fresh whilst Quins flagged in the heat. It says a lot that our 17th man was a hungover coach with chocolate shoulders.

But we should celebrate that it was also his milestone cap. 100 and out. Well played, Pove. Whilst at the other end of the spectrum were 1st XV debuts for Rory, Billy and Luke. Welcome, boys.

And on that note, a special word for Packham. He joined the club in 2017 and finally gets his first cap just 2,860 days later.

But that’s now the 2024/25 season done. As ever it’s been a rollercoaster which on the whole has to be seen as a success.

Given how many grassroots games now go down as walkovers, just getting 15 boys on the park every week (bar one) is impressive work by Povey and testament to the team spirit.

Rest up, boys and take that unity into 2025/26.