Duffy hails ‘special’ breed

Within minutes of this season’s Heineken Cup draw, Harlequins’ director of rugby Conor O’Shea was on the phone to his Connacht counterpart and former Irish team-mate Eric Elwood claiming this third successive meeting in Europe had a touch of inevitability about it.

This is their ninth European clash, but despite the familiarity between both coaches and teams, this evening’s European date is expected to have a little more bite after Connacht’s 9-8 victory over the English giants in the final pool fixture last season. That was Connacht’s only victory in their eight competitive European meetings since the 2003-2004 Challenge Cup semi-final which the Londoners won home and away before overcoming Stade Francais in the final.

Current Connacht captain Gavin Duffy featured in that Quins’ victory — indeed the 31-years-old has played in six meetings between the two clubs, missing two through injury. Today Duffy is again watching from the sidelines — a week shy of recovering from a hamstring injury against Glasgow a month ago.

“Every fixture is different, but you know this is a big occasion. There is a lot of history between the two teams, there is a lot riding on it.”

Duffy spent nearly four years playing at the Stoop before returning to his home province in 2007 and gaining a berth in the Irish World Cup squad. But, he says, both sides’ progress since has in many ways mirrored the other. “I was always amazed when I went to Harlequins at the strength and structure of its academy which was not in place when I left Connacht.

“When I was there Quins had a couple of good years, were then relegated, but have got back up again. A lot of the academy players back then are now the core group of players six years later and it is those players who have driven Quins on with a lot of pride.

“Connacht have progressed just as quickly, but they came from a different place, and the academy is ensuring players are coming through the system now.”

Coincidentally one of those youngsters is the pretender to Duffy’s throne, 19-years-old Robbie Henshaw who made his debut in the Heineken Cup debut against Zebre last weekend. Duffy admitted: “I enjoy watching him play — he is confident, playing really well, and it’s great competition for the squad. ”

Last season’s win over Harlequins came on a wet and windy evening at the Sportsground — weather that heightened Connacht’s “backs against the wall” cause in their desperation for a Heineken Cup victory.

“It would not have mattered who we played that night — it was just the fact that at last we had won a game after a losing streak of some 14 games. That was our last chance and we did not know when we would be in the Heineken Cup again. We did not want the record to read played six, lost six. It would have been something that haunted us. So we got the win and, in doing so, also made our mark in that we affected the cup — Harlequins failed to get through and we helped Ulster qualify. It really was a special night here in Galway.”

Two seasons ago 1,100 supports attended the Challenge Cup fixture — tonight Connacht is hoping for upwards of 7,000, which Duffy says adds to the sense of occasion.

“Our league attendances have been good this year so we are getting used to playing in this atmosphere. I will always be proud of my province and feel that responsibility when playing, but, for the guys from aboard, it takes a while to buy into what’s happening here. Having 8,000 people here at games helps you to understand there is passionate support and it’s a good place to be part of something special.”