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Rob Kearney will become the latest Irish player to reach 50 games in the Heineken Cup when he lines-up at full back in a game that is vitally important to Leinster if they are to chase a fourth title this season rather than defend their Amlin Challenge Cup crown. - 10/01/2014 20:22
Harlequins and Leinster meet for the first time since their only previous meeting that was overshadowed by the so-called ‘Bloodgate’ scandal.
Leinster won the game 6-5 and went on to lift title though it was a different story for Harlequins.
The London club were fined and sacked three senior member of staff – including director of rugby Dean Richards – over the decision for Tom Williams to bite on a blood capsule in order to be replaced.
Plenty has happened since that quarter-final in 2009.
Leinster have lifted the trophy twice more while Harlequins recovered to lift the Amlin Challenge Cup in 2011 and the English Premiership a year later.
Neither side has set their domestic league alight so far this season yet both have won their opening two games in Europe to top Pool 2.
Leinster are fifth in the Guinness Pro12 though while they are unbeaten in their last four games, full-back Rob Kearney insists they must improve to beat Quins.
“I think these two weeks are going to be massive for us in defining the rest of our season,” he said.
“We know we need a big performance. The last couple of weeks haven’t been the normal performances we would have liked. Last week wasn’t particularly good to watch. If we perform like that again this week we will probably struggle.”
Quins are down in ninth place in the Aviva Premiership having won just one of their last four league games yet they top their European pool after wins over Castres Olympique and Wasps.
And Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea, who has the distinction of scoring Leinster’s first European try back in the inaugural Heineken Cup tournament, is able to re-call England captain Chris Robshaw, club captain Joe Marler as well as Marland Yarde and Mike Brown after last week’s win over Australia.
“It has been a tough month for those guys but there are some games that not even I could rest them for. If I told them to sit this one out, they might shoot me,” said O’Shea.
“It’s exciting. This is the first time since we played Wasps in the Champions Cup in October that we’ve had our full squad so we have to hit the ground running quickly.”
Match Facts
- There has been just one meeting between Harlequins and Leinster in the Champions Cup when Leinster emerged victorious in the quarter final in April 2009, on their way to winning the tournament for the first time in their history.
- The 6-5 score line in that quarter-final between the sides was the lowest scoring knockout game in Champions Cup history, and the joint second lowest of any Champions Cup game.
- Harlequins’ second rowers Charlie Matthews and George Robson rank first and joint second for lineout steals in this season’s competition with four and three steals respectively.
- Jamie Heaslip has made more carries than any other player in the tournament so far (43).
Des essais en second période de Nick Easter et Asaeli Tikoirotuma ont offert une précise victoire aux Harlequins sur leur pelouse face au Leinster (24-15). Les Londoniens s'emparent de la tête de la poule. - 07/12/2014 18:40
Second half tries from Nick Easter and Asaeli Tikoirotuma earned Harlequins the win in a hard-fought battle with Leinster.
A scrappy contest exploded into life with two tries in a five minutes and despite a late revival from the visitors, Quins hung on to secure a vital victory.
It extends their lead at the top of pool two to three points ahead of the return clash with Leinster at the Aviva Stadium next weekend.
Leinster centre Ian Madigan and Harlequins outside-half Nick Evans exchanged penalties during a ferocious opening 10 minutes at The Stoop.
Evans was forced off shortly afterwards with a groin injury and South African Tim Swiel was handed his European debut after signing from Natal Sharks last month.
The 21-year-old had the chance to get some points on the board almost immediately but pushed a penalty wide of the posts.
It didn’t take him long for him to find his range as he edged Quins back in front with a penalty after 20 minutes.
There was very little to choose between the two sides with defences well on top and with the penalty count racking up Madigan was able to bring Leinster level.
Swiel and Madigan landed another penalty each before the break to leave things all square at 9-9 at the interval.
Madigan nailed his fourth penalty seven minutes after the re-start but it was Quins who got the game’s decisive first try.
After putting the visitors under pressure in the corner, Easter was able to stretch his way over and after going to the TMO, referee Jerome Garces awarded the try.
Swiel added the conversion and Leinster immediately tried to up the tempo to get themselves back into the game.
But as they pushed for a breakthrough Rob Kearney’s pass to Zane Kirchner was intercepted by Fijian wing Tikoirotuma and he raced 80 metres to score.
Swiel missed the conversion and it looked as though it might cost Quins when Madigan kicked a further two penalties to bring Leinster to within three points but a late drop goal from scrum-half Danny Care made sure there was no comeback.
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