Quins in search of vital win
Harlequins know they have to come away with all the Heineken Cup spoils when they travel to face Irish province Connacht in the final game of Pool Six at the Sportsground in Galway.
The aristocrats of English rugby can still make the last eight of the Heineken Cup but their fate rests on how four-times champions Toulouse do at Gloucester in the other game in the pool.
The English premiership outfit are second in the pool and are two points adrift of the French giants, despite both sides having won four games each in the pool. If both sides win their final game, the French side will qualify for the knock-out stages.
Harlequins have to win in Ireland to give themselves any chance of winning the pool and making this season’s quarter finals. If the Londoners fail to reach the knock-out stages they are candidates to play in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarterfinals.
Connacht, who are in their 10th season of European rugby but their first season of the Heineken Cup, have failed to win a game in the pool so far this season.
The teams:
Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy (captain), 14 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 13 Kyle Tonetti, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Tiernan O’Halloran, 10 Niall O’Connor, 9 Paul O’Donohoe, 8 George Naoupu, 7 Ray Ofisa, 6 John Muldoon, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Ronan Loughney, 2 Adrian Flavin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Dylan Rogers, 19 Mick Kearney, 20 Eoin McKeon, 21 Dave Moore, 22 Miah Nikora, 23 Henry Fa’afili.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Ugo Monye, 13 Matt Hopper, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Sam Smith, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Maurie Fa’asavalu, 5 George Robson, 4 Tomas Vallejos, 3 James Johnston, 2 Chris Brooker, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Tim Fairbrother, 19 Olly Kohn, 20 Luke Wallace, 21 Richard Bolt, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Tom Casson.
Date: Friday, January 20
Kick-off: 20.00 (20.00 GMT)
Venue: The Sportsground
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sean Brickell (Wales), Jonathan Mason (Wales)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)
