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It is the clash of Amlin Challenge Cup winners at the Stoop as 2011 Amlin holders and current English champions Harlequins take on reigning Amlin champions Biarritz Olympique in Pool 3 of the Heineken Cup. - 11/10/2012 16:05
It is the clash of Amlin Challenge Cup winners at the Stoop as 2011 Amlin holders and current English champions Harlequins take on reigning Amlin champions Biarritz Olympique in Pool 3 of the Heineken Cup.
Harlequins failed to reach the knock-out stages in last season’s Heineken Cup despite beating four-time winners Toulouse away from home in round four.
But having been drawn alongside the Basque giants, Connacht and Zebre they will have no better chance to make an impression of Europe’s premier club competition.
They have never faced Biarritz in the tournament but skipper Chris Robshaw is well aware of the importance to get off to a winning start.
He said: “We want to push through to that quarter-final stage. It's all about winning your first couple of games. As soon as you let those slip away you're playing catch-up.”
Biarritz succeeded Harlequins as Amlin Challenge Cup champions last season but are seen as the nearly men in the Heineken Cup having lost in two finals.
They made a flying start to the Top 14 season but go into the clash on the back of four defeats on the trot.
Match facts
Biarritz completed 90% of the 511 tackles they attempted in the Heineken Cup last season.
Quins have a modest record of 19 wins, three draws and 33 losses in the Heineken Cup.
Biarritz, who suffered an early elimination from last year’s Heineken Cup, went on to win the ACC last season.
Imanol Harinordoquy has made 49 Heineken Cup appearances and could make it 50 in this match against Harlequins.
Only three players (Ronan O’Gara, Stephen Jones & Diego Dominguez) have scored more points in the history of the Heineken Cup than Dimitri Yachvili (624).
Nick Evans is Quins’ highest Heineken Cup points scorer (142) and will aim to reach the 150-point landmark this weekend if selected.
Harlequins missed out on qualification to the knockout phases of this tournament last season despite winning four of their six pool matches (losing two). They bowed out of the ACC with a 37-8 defeat to Toulon at the quarter-final stage.
Quins have six wins against French opposition in this tournament, but have lost 11 (one draw).
In 29 matches against English opponents, Biarritz have a positive record thanks to18 wins and only 11 losses.
Biarritz lost all three pool matches away from home last season, at the hands of Ospreys, Benetton Treviso and Saracens.
Etrillés sur la pelouse des Harlequins (40-13)
Harlequins seized the initiative in Pool 3 with a rousing victory over Biarritz Olympique at The Twickenham Stoop.
English champions Quins produced a devastating second-half display to claim what could prove to be a crucial bonus-point over their French rivals.
Danny Care crossed in the first half only for Arnaud Heguy and the boot of Julien Peyrelongue to level the scores at 13-13 at half-time.
But Quins stepped on the gas after the break as Rob Buchanan, Jordan Turner-Hall and Steb Stegmann ensured maximum points.
England scrum-half Care handed the hosts a perfect start when he raced on to Chris Robshaw's off-load from a lineout and stepped through to score in the seventh minute.
But Quins suffered a blow when fly-half Nick Evans limped off with an ankle injury.
That opened the door for summer signing Ben Botica, son of All Black legend Frano, to get his first taste of Heineken Cup rugby.
And the New Zealander wasted no time in making his mark, kicking his first effort just minutes after taking the field.
Biarritz hit back with a well-worked driving maul that saw hooker Hugey touch down and Peyrelongue levelled the scores.
Hugey’s opposite number Buchanan responded with a score of his own just four minutes into the second half, Robshaw again providing the scoring pass.
Turner-Hall then finished a sweeping attack sparked by Care's audacious break through the middle of the field and replacement Stegmann capped an impressive display with the bonus-point score two minutes from time.
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