After four games it is a bit early to be talking of "must-win" matches, but Mark Evans came close after surveying the wreckage of defeat by Bath and then pondering Harlequins' visit to Worcester this weekend.
Worcester, newly promoted, are recovering from a eight-try stomping by Sale. Harlequins have made their worst start since leagues began in 1987. Between them they have played eight matches, lost the lot - sharing only four bonus points between them - and are 11th and 12th in the table.
"It's a big game, that," said Quins' director of rugby. Then, asked about morale at the club, he added: "Outwardly it's very good. There is certainly no back-biting or cliques. But if you ask me what their confidence is like, it's always the case that when you get on a losing run your confidence does take a knock and that is when you have to front up, and it's very tough mentally. That's going to be the big challenge this week."
So far Harlequins have conceded 103 points and scored only 56. On Saturday, after leading 10-3, they played for more than an hour rarely looking as though they could score against a side also having a sticky start to the season. They were outmuscled up front and showed little wit behind.
"We just didn't play in the second half," said Evans. "Our basics were really poor. The lineout fell apart, we didn't scrum well and if you don't do that well - you know. We have stopped doing well the things which made us a good team and we have to start doing them again pretty quick."
Evans insists that, despite 11 departures, his squad is stronger than last year. Against Worcester he will come up against one of those who deserted him and was sorely missed against Bath. Without Pat Sanderson the Quins back row was overrun by Zak Feaunati and Andy Beattie, a player being watched by the new England coach Andy Robinson. Add their ball-carrying and defensive power to the second-row devil of Bath's Danny Grewcock and Rob Fidler and you have the foundation for Bath's win.
After a start which matched Harlequins' for fumbles and errors - a shovelled pass by Michael Lipman allowed Tony Diprose to set up Simon Keogh for Quins' sole try in the 22nd minute - they came near to the kind of dour, forward- inspired performance which saw them finish top after the regular season last year.
Evans tried to freshen up his pack by replacing Jon Dawson with Maurice Fitzgerald, but the Irish tight-head lasted barely five minutes before he was knocked senseless in his first competitive contact since signing from Biarritz.
Bath had better luck with their replacements. Kieron Lewitt, a 19-year-old who has just started training with the first team, scored within five minutes of replacing Alex Crockett on the left wing. The move was started by Feaunati, refined by Olly Barkley and the debutant scored with his first touch in Premiership rugby.
Bath's second try, which wrapped up the match, came from their other wing Andrew Higgins, after another overlap created by forward pressure 15 minutes from time.
Harlequins: Duffy; Monye, Harder, Reay, Keogh; Staunton, So'oialo (James, 73); Jones, Tiatia (Fuga, 67), Dawson (FitzGerald, 53; Dawson, 67); Rudzki, Miall (Winters, 50); Sherriff (Molitika, 73), Vos (capt), Diprose.
Tries: Keogh. Con: Staunton. Pen: Staunton.
Bath: Best (Davey, 70); Crockett (Lewitt, 35), Fleck, Barkley, Higgins; Malone, Walshe (Wood, 55); Barnes (Stevens, 35), Humphreys (capt; Mears, 63), Bell (Barnes, 70); Fidler, Grewcock; Beattie, Lipman (Delve, 80), Feaunati.
Tries: Lewitt, Higgins. Con: Barkley. Pen: Barkley. Drop goal: Malone.
Referee: C White (Cheltenham).
Attendance: 8,844.
