Amlin QF Preview: Harlequins v London Wasps

Wasps travel in hope of a wing and a prayer and a no more injuries as we try to live up to our Heineken Cup expectations. Quins rout to this quarter final has been largely an untroubled one and they have to be favourites to proceed to the semis.

Wasps have been forced into five changes - two in the backs and three in the forwards. Richard Haughton makes a timely return, this time to the wing, as Wasps reshuffles limited three quarter resources. Centre Ben Jacobs returns in place of injury-jinxed Dominic Waldouck, whose season is over.

Ben Broster switches with Zak Taulafo at prop and second-row youngster, Joe Launchbury, makes his European bow next our latest captain, Simon Shaw, at lock. Serge Betsen steps in for John Hart who is rested. On the bench, Seb Jewell returns to his former stamping ground by way of Esher.

London Wasps interim Director of Rugby Leon Holden said: “It’s no secret that we’ve been hit by injuries in recent weeks but I am pleased to be able to name such a strong team for what is now a vital match for us. Playing Harlequins is always a huge game for the team and our fans and we’re going into this on the back of a good week at the training ground. The players are really up for it and we’re hoping we can pull out a big performance and what would be a massive win.”

With unseasonably warm weather, Quins will aim to dominate with their pack before releasing messers Care, Monye and Brown. Wasps will need to keep the penalty count down or Nick Evans will have the game won before the third quarter is finished. It's all or nothing for Wasps, now that a top six finish is out of the equation. On recent form, it ought to be Quins by ten. What odds Wasps by three?

Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown; 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 George Lowe, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Ugo Monye; 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care; 1 Ceri Jones, 2 Joe Gray, 3 John Andress, 4 Ollie Kohn, 5 George Robson, 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 7 Will Skinner, 8 Nick Easter (Capt.)

Bench: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 James Johnston, 19 Pete Browne, 20 Tomas Vallejos, 21 Dave Moore, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Tom Williams


London Wasps: 15 Mark van Gisbergen; 14 Richard Haughton, 13 Ben Jacobs, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 David Lemi; 10 Dave Walder, 9 Joe Simpson; 1 Tim Payne, 2 Rob Webber, 3 Ben Broster, 4 Simon Shaw (Capt.), 5 Joe Launchbury, 6 Serge Betsen, 7 Dan Ward Smith, 8 Andy Powell

Bench: 16 Tom Lindsay, 17 Charlie Beech, 18 Zak Taulafo, 19 James Cannon, 20 Sam Jones, 21 Nic Berry, 22 Christian Wade, 23 Seb Jewell