Tim Visser will provide exactly the sort of experience Harlequins need to blend with their youthful core – according to coach Howard Graham.

Scotland international Visser is one of a number of big-name signings the Stoop outfit have made this summer, joining the likes of Jamie Roberts, Adam Jones and James Horwill in south west London.

Visser’s predatory instincts on the wing are known to all, the Dutch-born flyer was top scorer in the GUINNESS PRO12 for three of the last five seasons and he will compete with young flyers like Marland Yarde and Charlie Walker for game time on the wing.

But it is the effect that Visser and co will have away from the pitch that excites Graham the most after a young Quins side were left somewhat exposed at times last season.

“We have recruited better than we have in the last few seasons. The lads are looking forward to it,” he said.

“In certain positions we looked thin. There’s only so many players and everyone wants the world class players. Tim is certainly one of those.

“There will be competition out there on the wings, you wouldn’t write Charlie off and certainly going forward he is not someone you would want to be marking.

“There is a different mix of players out there, people who will get run over and people who will get run around.

“We’ve bulked out in the areas that we need to, we have a bit more depth in those key positions that weren’t as strong in the last couple of years.

“We have sat back in the past and thought ‘we will keep going with the team that won the premiership’ but Conor (O’Shea) has really turned that around and done some graft.

“You need your leaders on the field, we have been developing that side of it with the young boys and you want people who are going to drag you forward. People for the young boys to tuck in behind and learn from, someone to follow into battle.

“For me it is about having that mix, we want to bring the boys through and that is in our remit without a doubt and Conor is right behind it and we have great percentages in the past of boys who have come through our academy but you need some experience on the pitch.”

With the likes of Chris Robshaw, Joe Marler and Mike Brown likely to be busy with England at the World Cup when the new season starts, Quins would have been hoping for a friendly draw as the new fixtures were announced on Friday.

Instead Quins face clashes with Wasps, Bath and Leicester Tigers in their opening three rounds but Graham is adamant they can hit the ground running.

“There aren’t many easy games now,” added the Academy and Sevens coach.

“People marked London Welsh down as a comfortable fixture but at the beginning of the season that was the same for Newcastle but boy they turned it around with recruiting. There were no easy games.

“Our start is difficult with Wasps, Leicester away and Bath away but we will look to hit the ground running. They will be missing some players as well if the international side do well so we will see where we get to after their first few games.”

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