Evans hopes Quins will deliver

Euan Megson

• Last Updated: October 16. 2009 10:30PM UAE / October 16. 2009 6:30PM GMT

The Harlequins’ Kiwi outside half Nick Evans, the player at the centre of the Bloodgate substitution saga, wants his side to tame Toulouse and go on a lengthy run in the competition. Tony Marshall / Empics Sport

Harlequins face Toulouse today hoping a win will kickstart their Heineken Cup campaign and consign the notorious summer-long Bloodgate scandal to the history books.

Having been tamed 20-6 by Cardiff in their first game, the Quins welcome the French side – 36-17 conquerors of Sale last week – to the Twickenham Stoop in a match that could throw Pool Five wide open. A second defeat will leave Quins with a qualification mountain to climb if they are to reach the quarter-finals, while a Toulouse victory will make them clear favourites to progress.

With his international career for the All Blacks on hold, the Quins’ Kiwi outside half Nick Evans, the player at the centre of the Bloodgate substitution saga, wants his side to tame Toulouse and go on a lengthy run in the competition.

“The Heineken Cup last season was awesome – I enjoyed every minute of it,” said Evans, who – despite going off injured earlier in the match – returned to the field against Leinster after wing Tom Williams bit a fake blood capsule in the teams’ quarter-final clash last year.

“The tournament, the intensity of it and the hype surrounding the games was really exciting. Our group in this Heineken Cup is an interesting and exciting one. How good would it be to beat Toulouse home and away – that is the challenge we’ve got,” added Evans, who has scored 103 points in 15 Tests for the All Blacks.

Evans’s half back partner, England scrum half Danny Care, is another Quins player prioritising European glory.

“We all want to play in the Heineken Cup – it’s the pinnacle of playing for your club,” he said. “We want to go one step better and get into a semi-final – and possibly the final – this year.”

Elsewhere, having beaten Leinster 12-9 in Ireland last week, London Irish welcome Llanelli Scarlets – who saw off Brive 24-12 in the opening round – to the Madejski Stadium in Pool Six.

Dan Murphy, Ryan Lamb and George Stowers have all been recalled to the home side’s starting XV, and with England flyer Steffon Armitage rested, London Irish head coach Toby Booth has mixed things up for the key home tie.

“History in the Heineken Cup suggests that you’ve got to win your home games if you’re going to progress in the tournament,” he said. “Scarlets played well against Brive last weekend; they took their chances and recorded a great win.

“We’ll be going all out to continue our good start and we’re expecting another testing 80 minutes,” added Booth.

In today’s other games, English sides Leicester and Gloucester face away matches at Viadana and Biarritz respectively, while Munster welcome Italian side Treviso, shock winners against Perpignan last week.

Other action sees Brive host last year’s Heineken winners Leinster, while Edinburgh, thrashed 31-7 by Stade Francais last week, will look for their first win in Pool Four when they face Ulster.



emegson@thenational.ae