Danny Kerr wants to send departing Harlequins teammate Will Collier on a high by sneaking into the semi-finals of the Gallagher Premiership.
While Kerr has just agreed a new one-year contract to take him into his 19th season with the club, they have announced that his long-time teammate will depart for Castres at the end of the season.
That could come this weekend, with defeat to Exeter last time out leaving Quins in sixth place and needing a win over Bristol as well as other results to fall in their favour.
But the former England half-half is not giving up on one last stint alongside Collier, with the pair having won the title together twice before in 2012 and 2021.
“Every club, at this part of the season, has little extras you can find to give the best possible send-off to a proper legend, and Will Collier is a proper Harlequins legend,” he said.
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“He has been with the club for 19 years and supported us when he was a child. “It is a huge step for him and his family and we want to send him to the highest levels.
“We would have loved to take him to the European final, but we will do everything we can to get him to the Premier League semi-final again.
“There are a few who are leaving, Andre (Esterhuizen) and Louis Lynagh, and we would like to give them another game, hopefully two, as Harlequins.”
Emotions aside, Kerr made it clear that failing to qualify would represent a bad season for a team that has higher expectations of itself.
“At the end of the day, you remember the finals and you remember the awards,” he said.
“We would love to be in the semi-finals, get to the big dance and do something really special that very few of us have done before.
“If we don't get a chance to have a chance to win the big tournament, I personally say we will be disappointed. Although we have done some great things to look back on, I think this club should be in the top four in the Premier League.” .
“I'd love to be here heading into the semi-finals, but we're still where we are. All we can do is focus on getting a good win in a packed Stoop Stadium; other things will take care of themselves.”
