Connacht under no illusions about Harlequins challenge

CONNACHT director of rugby Eric Elwood says his players are under no illusions about the size of the task ahead of them as they make their Heineken Cup debuts this weekend in London.

The western province take their bow on European club rugby’s highest stage against unbeaten English Premiership leaders Harlequins at the Stoop in Twickenham on Friday night before hosting four-time champions Toulouse in Galway for an historic home debut at the Sportsground eight days later. English powerhouse Gloucester make up the group to provide an unrelenting six-game challenge for Connacht in Pool 6. Yet the former Ireland fly-half is relishing the opportunity the province has to put its name on the map in the northern hemisphere’s premier club competition.

“There’s no fear,” Elwood said. “We’re looking to embrace this. A lot of us have been here a long time and for us this is the holy grail of European club rugby, so we’re certainly not fearing it. We’re looking forward to it, we want to embrace it and we want to play it tomorrow.