Aviva Premiership
Jamie Roberts hoping for special Harlequins journey
PA Sport
December 10, 2015
Jamie Roberts during the 2015 Varsity match at Twickenham
Jamie Roberts during the 2015 Varsity match at Twickenham© David Rogers/Getty Images

Jamie Roberts will report for duty at Harlequins on Monday nursing a dead leg sustained during Cambridge's 12-6 Varsity match defeat by Oxford.

The Aviva Premiership title challengers had hoped Roberts would make his debut in the Challenge Cup clash with Calvisano in nine days' time, but that date may now have to be revised.

Roberts sustained the injury during a collision with Henry Lamont just 23 seconds into the 134th Varsity game -- the Oxford captain suffered concussion and had to leave the pitch -- but having finished the half, it was clear during the interval that his afternoon was over.

"In that first tackle their skipper hit me straight in the quad and it's got worse as the half has gone on. The medics made the call at half-time and I couldn't play on," Roberts said.

"I tried jogging around in the changing room at half-time but there was no joy. I knew straight away it was going to get worse. Some of them you can run off and some of them you can't. It's part and parcel of rugby.

"It's disappointing not to be there in the second 40 when it was pretty tight. You want to be there and try and help the boys win it. But there we are, that's rugby and I was pretty gutted I couldn't help them.

"Hopefully the dead leg will come back quick enough and we will see how that settles over the next week. I will go in on Monday morning and start the Harlequins journey and hopefully it is a special one.

"They are going well in the league and Europe and it's a squad I am looking forward to joining. They have a great set-up there and I have been down there a few times while I have been at Cambridge to show my face. You get that impression it's a great vibe."

Roberts, who is studying for a two-year part-time Masters degree (MPhil) in medical science (surgery), has enjoyed his brief stint playing for Cambridge.

"It's been wonderful. It's an incredible place and they were such a special group of lads," Roberts said. "I have thoroughly enjoyed the last few months, first and foremost studying and getting back into that.

"As an academic institution it's the best in the country and a privilege for me to attend. To play in a match of this calibre was a huge honour. It's disappointing we didn't get the result we wanted.

"I go back to the day job next week with Quins with some very fond memories of making some great friends here.

"The boys are pretty devastated and you could see some lads had tears in their eyes at the end. That's when you appreciate how much it means to them."

© PA sport

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