Champions Cup preview: Harlequins v Leinster

By Brendan Cole

Much has changed for these clubs since the fateful 'Bloodgate' meeting in 2009, with both Leinster and Harlequins (3.15pm Sunday) achieving much in the interim.

Both have also slipped back from the highpoints achieved over the last five years. Leinster have had an odd season to date, not playing impressively and losing key matches but doing well enough to establish reasonably solid positions both domestically and in Europe.

A lot of average rugby has been played over the last three months.

Balanced against that is the fact that Leinster have produced their best in Europe, battling to a late win against a well-motivated Castres in France and beating a Wasps side that included some big names in Dublin.

But concerns around the ability of the pack to go toe-to-toe with the best, and a lack of real power runners in the backline remain.

The hope was that Ben Te'o would bring that physical presence and an easier passage over the gainline but his debut was ended by a broken arm in late October and he remains unavailable.

As a result, Leinster soldier on with a backline full of talented but relatively similar players. This week, Jimmy Gopperth, Ian Madigan and Gordon D'Arcy are combined in midfield while Luke Fitzgerald is out on the wing. Plenty of smart rugby players with good footwork, but that lack of size and a directness is not offset much by the presence of Rob Kearney and Darragh Fanning.

The pack is also short on ball-carriers with Sean Cronin the only truly explosive runner in the group; he tends to do his best work out near the sidelines. Jamie Heaslip is also capable of handling plenty of ball but he takes a technical, retention-focussed approach. Kane Douglas, like Te'o brought in to add a physical presence, is only fit enough for the bench.

Even when Leinster have managed to score points it has all looked a lot like hard work this season and that trend is unlikely to be reversed by this XV.

Harlequins are also struggling in 2015

But while Leinster have their issues, Harlequins have not exactly had things go their way either year. Like Leinster, they boast a two out of two European record but Conor O'Shea's men are down the field in the Aviva Premiership with four wins from nine games and already look like struggling to get into the play-offs.

There is also a lack of size behind the scrum with the out-half and centres virtual mirror images of Leinster's in terms of physique.

But some core qualities remain in situ. Danny Care and Nick Evans are as nicely blended a pair of half-backs as there is and - in club colours at least - Care's occasional mishaps are more than offset by his running threat and ability to create tempo.

Quins also have a superb full-back in Mike Brown and an inspirational leader up front in Chris Robshaw. The likes of Joe Marler and Nick Easter bring power and intelligent application to every forward battle they get involved in.

Leinster's ball-retention from ruck to ruck combined with Eoin Reddan's ability to get the tempo up, with a supporting role for their good set-piece operators and potential impact from the bench, may be just enough to see them over the line this time. But improvement is a must ahead of the bigger challenges that lie ahead.

Champions Cup Prediction: Harlequins 14-18 Leinster

Harlequins: 15 M Brown; 14 M Yarde, 13 M Hopper, 12 G Lowe, 11 A Tikoirotuma; 10 N Evans, 9 D Care; 1 J Marler (capt), 2 D Ward, 3 W Collier; 4 C Matthews, 5 G Robson; 6 L Wallace, 7 C Robshaw, 8 N Easter.

Replacements: 16 J Gray, 17 M Lambert, 18 K Sinckler, 19 S Twomey, 20 J Clifford, 21 K Dickson, 22 T Swiel, 23 T Casson.

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney; 14 Darragh Fanning, 13 Gordon D'Arcy, 12 Ian Madigan, 11 Luke Fitzgerald; 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Eoin Reddan; 1 Jack McGrath, 2 Sean Cronin, 3 Mike Ross; 4 Devin Toner, 5 Mike McCarthy; 6 Rhys Ruddock, 7 Jordi Murphy, 8 Jamie Heaslip (capt)

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Michael Bent, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Kane Douglas, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Noel Reid, 23 Zane Kirchner.

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