Heineken Cup: Play our ‘A’ game and we will be okay, says Nick Evans

 
6 December 2013

Nick Evans says bottom-of-the-pool Harlequins will “throw the kitchen sink” at Racing Metro 92 when they take on the big-spending club in Nantes tomorrow.

Scrum-half Mike Phillips has just joined the French side, who also boast fellow Lions Jonathan Sexton, Dan Lydiate and the injured Jamie Roberts, France stars Benjamin Fall and Dimitri Szarzewski, Tonga’s Soane Tonga’uiha and Argentina wing Juan Imhoff.

However, Quins have form when it comes to seemingly lopsided challenges, having won at Stade Francais (2008), Toulouse and Munster (both 2011). With four successive Premiership victories boosting confidence, Quins head to France ready to prove they can still be a force in Pool Four.

This is one of the toughest pools in the competition and having collected losing bonus points from their home defeat by Scarlets and one on the road at Clermont Auvergne — a significant achievement — Evans knows it is time for Quins to prove they can mount a successful challenge.

“Having slipped up at home to Scarlets, it was important to get something at Clermont where we fought really hard,” said the fly-half. “Racing have a high-profile squad and the formula for us is pretty simple — we have to win.

“Our position is not a hopeless scenario and while it is a bit of long shot to qualify out of the pool, we have given ourselves a chance and victory tomorrow would be very significant. We have nothing to lose and can throw the kitchen sink at them on the back of four successive Premiership wins which has created momentum at the club.

“Not many teams are capable of going to places like Stade, Toulouse and Biarritz and win. Of course, Racing have a big squad and we will have to deliver our ‘A game’ to get the result.”

Evans expects to face Lions No10 Sexton, who joined Racing from Leinster after playing a key role in the series triumph in Australia.

“Sexton is a quality player,” said Evans. “The Lions trip will have given him an amazing amount of confidence and now he is surrounded by quality players at Racing which makes life a lot easier. He loves attacking the gain line and using his little chip kicks to get in behind the defence. We have to be right on the money with our defence.”

Chris Robshaw returns to captain the side after being rested at Newcastle while Nick Kennedy is on the bench for the first time since joining Quins in the summer. The lock — a Heineken Cup winner with Toulon — has been sidelined with a knee injury.

Brought to you by Amlin, proud sponsor of European rugby, in its fifth season as Title Partner of the Amlin Challenge Cup and Premium Partner of the Heineken Cup.

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