Quins hold most of the aces

FIRST off, fair play to Harlequins for shunning the extra few quid they would have made by taking this one down the road to Twickenham and staying put at the Stoop, population 12,638.

The London club is building this tie up as the biggest in the club’s history. It certainly is in European terms. ’Quins have reached this stage only twice before — in 96/97 and 97/98 — but lost away from home to Leicester and Toulouse.

This then represents their best chance of making the semi-finals and they approach tomorrow’s tie brimming with confidence and a record of nine wins from their last ten games in all competitions.

Second in the Premiership after a standout win against Bath at The Rec last week, Dean Richards has transformed a side once considered a soft touch into a potential powerhouse built around a miserly defence and granite-like pack.

The feelgood factor has been elevated further by the return of two key men. Captain Mike Skinner, who missed last weekend’s victory with a stomach bug, adds to a quality back row that also features Nick Easter and Chris Robshaw.

Nick Evans is another crucial figure. The former All Black takes the number ten shirt from Chris Malone for his first appearance since picking up an ankle injury against Newcastle Falcons four weeks ago.

Leinster too have received welcome tidings with Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald shrugging off their respective Six Nations injuries to take their places in the back line.

Bernard Jackman has also been named in the starting XV, but the hooker has not trained all week because of a swollen knee and Leinster fans will be keeping their fingers crossed for him in the opening exchanges.

The suspicion is that Leinster will need all the dice to fall their way. Profligate with the opportunities that came their way last week against Munster, Michael Cheika’s side cannot afford to do the same tomorrow.

For all the talk of the home side’s mighty pack, Leinster haven’t balked at many of the physical challenges to have come their way in recent seasons.

Their worries are behind the scrum. Leinster went six weeks without a try earlier this year and, though they can afford to hold talents like Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey in reserve, the back line is still amounting to less than the sum of its parts.

So much will depend on the much-criticised Chris Whitaker and Felipe Contepomi, but Danny Care and Evans appear to hold the edge here and that will be crucial. Harlequins to progress.