O’Shea’s Exiles’ message

LONDON IRISH will treat Powergen Cup quarter-final opponents Rotherham with the same respect as they afforded French aristocrats Toulouse last weekend.

That is the message from Irish rugby director Conor O'Shea as the Exiles prepare for their Madejski Stadium clash with National League One title challengers Rotherham on Sunday.

"Rotherham are tough, tough opposition," was O'Shea's verdict on the side controversially denied promotion to the Zurich Premiership last summer because their set-up did not fulfil the criteria for top-flight rugby.

They have won 34 successive matches since their last defeat in December 2001, and Rotherham is relishing the chance to prove it again after Premiership side Bristol Shoguns was unable to prevent them going all the way through 2002 victorious, succumbing 24-19 on their home ground and O'Shea is well aware that danger lurks.

"They are a very good side. Rotherham are unbeaten since God knows when, and they are well-drilled and well-oiled, and everything just blasts off."

O'Shea, recently appointed managing director at London Irish in addition to his role as director of rugby, is particularly anxious his team do not rest on their laurels after beating Toulouse 32-29 to hand the French side and tournament favourites their first defeat in six Heineken Cup group matches this season.

Victory was not enough not to take Irish who won their three home matches but were beaten three times away into the quarter-finals, and that is another reason not to come unstuck against Rotherham.

The former Ireland star, having seen Irish sample European rugby with their first foray into the Heineken Cup, is desperate for another taste next season, and he sees the Powergen Cup as one of the routes back into the competition.

"We'll do everything we can to get back into it, but there's a long way to go," he said. "Whether it's the cup, the play-offs, the league, all we can do is keep playing until the end of the season and see what happens, but all we care about now is Rotherham.

"If we don't, if we think because we have had a good win against a good Toulouse side, then we are coming straight off the rails. But we are not going ahead with anything but 100% commitment."

Being drawn at home did not help Bristol, but O'Shea acknowledged the momentum currently being provided by the vibrant support for his side at Reading's Madejski Stadium. A crowd of 9,297 watched the Toulouse game even though Irish knew their hopes of emerging from their group were already extinguished.