MORE THAN most, Harlequins are a sum of the parts team but taking Nick Evans and Ugo Monye out of their backline could only be worsened by stripping them of their captain.
Chris Robshaw will, however, lead them into battle this evening in Galway. And it will not require much conversation among the 11 players who made the same journey from changing room to pitch and back again on January 20th. The memory of being soaked to the bone and trudging off that pitch, defeated, will spark a ferocious opening assault from the English champions.
That’s the key to this match – those opening 20 minutes. If Connacht keep their defensive line intact in what promises to be a frenetic first quarter then it will become just another game. Revenge and shiny Premiership medals on the mantelpiece at home may become irrelevant.
However, should Harlequins break the dam in those opening exchanges Connacht will struggle to stop the bleeding.
Connacht should be able to cope with the physicality. Londoners Michael Swift and Mike McCarthy will relish the battle with the visitors’ engine room where George Robson and Ollie Kohn will be waiting.
Where will Connacht scores come from? Easy, Dan Parks must kick the lights out. A few drop goals will also be required. The weather forecast is dry with a light wind.
Connacht are without hooker Ethienne Reynecke (calf) so Adrian Flavin regains the number two jersey as Jason Harris-Wright reappears in a European squad having made minimal impact since moving from Leinster in search of more exposure.
The good news is young centre pairing Eoin Griffin and Dave McSharry have both recovered from ankle strains to start. Job one for them is to ground Jordan Turner-Hall’s big behind the gainline.
Ben Botica will certainly attempt to unleash him. The latter, 23-year-old son of Wigan rugby league legend, Frano, offers a sharp running game and he also nailed six kicks for 18 points against Biarritz after replacing the injured Nick Evans at outhalf.
“Ben comes from a grounded family. His father has been there and done that, and that’s the environment he has been brought up in so he knows sport.
“He knows you are only as good as your last game,” said director of rugby Conor O’Shea.
“It is one thing coming on in your home environment, but the Sportsground is another thing, it will be completely different. Saying that, he is very relaxed about everything and looking forward to getting out there.”
Such a running game can only profit from a scrumhalf like Danny Care. The livewire appears to have put a difficult year off the pitch behind him and is honing in on the England number nine slot.
Care and fullback Mike Brown have that electric pace to catch Connacht cold in those dangerous opening stages.
“We know it is going to be a massive challenge for us,” said O’Shea.
“We can read between the lines, it will be a very emotional build-up for the Connacht team. They are playing with a huge amount of ambition. They have evolved massively from the Connacht of old.”
It would be a huge surprise to see Harlequins, even without Evans’s reliable boot, stumble in Galway twice. But all it takes is some doubt to creep in. For that to happen, Connacht must be leading at the break.
The power of the ’Quins machine should get this job done with a ruthless efficiency and determination that we’ve seen them produce in other venues. Thomond Park, Le Stadium and Twickenham. They intend to add the Sportsground to that elite list.
CONNACHT: R Henshaw; E Griffin, D McSharry, F Vainikolo; D Parks, K Marmion; D Buckley, A Flavin, N White (capt); M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, W Faloon, G Naoupu. Replacements: J Harris-Wright, B Wilkinson, R Loughney, D Gannon, J O’Connor, D Moore, M Nikora, M Fifita.
HARLEQUINS: M Brown; T Williams, M Hopper, J Turner-Hall, S Smith; B Botica, D Care; J Marler, R Buchanan, J Johnston; O Kohn, G Robson; M Fa’asavalu, C Robshaw (capt), N Easter. Replacements: D Ward, M Lambert, W Collier, C Matthews, T Guest, K Dickson. R Clegg, S Stegmann.
Referee: J Garces (France).
Betting: Connacht (+8) at 10/11.
Verdict: Harlequins to win.
