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.