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Cunningham-South one of four Quins players set to return for Bordeaux
By PA
Harlequins director of rugby Billy Millard is confident his players can bring “a bit of everything” as well as their own special “Quins moments” into the Investec Champions Cup quarter-final against Bordeaux Begles.
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Quins eventually saw off Glasgow Warriors 28-24 at The Stoop last Friday night to win a knockout match in Europe’s premier competition for the first time.
The challenge ahead if Quins are to progress past the last eight stage is, though, certainly a daunting one – given the manner in which Bordeaux dismantled Saracens 45-12 in their last-16 encounter.
Millard, however, feels Quins can make the most of their own in-depth analysis of the match – during which Bordeaux scored six tries and also saw five in the first half ruled out – to gain an edge when they head to France for Saturday’s showdown.
“Knowing Sarries so well and seeing their game (against Bordeaux) has kind of helped us frame our approach,” Millard said.
“We are going to have to be good and we are going to have to have a bit of everything to compete.
“They are physical, but we have to match that physicality and then on the back of that, as we always say, we can have our ‘Quins moments’.”
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Millard added: “This is an unbelievable opportunity and experience for us to head to Bordeaux and play in a unique environment that is probably the closest to Test match level which some of these boys will have felt.
“It is an exciting week – but one we have to get right if we are going to compete.”
Quins expect to have forward Chandler Cunningham-South, scrum-half Will Porter, centre Luke Northmore and fly-half Jarrod Evans all back in contention for the Bordeaux trip.
Flanker Cunningham-South made his England Test debut during the Guinness Six Nations campaign, impressing as a ball-carrying impact substitute, but picked up a calf problem in the closing stages of the victory over Ireland which ruled him out of the squad for the France game.
Australian coach Millard admits he has a “massive soft spot” for the “wild” 21-year-old back-rower – and feels there is plenty more to come.
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“Chandler went into that (England) environment and has come back a better human and a better rugby player. He is absolutely chomping at the bit,” Millard said.
“It is all in front of him. It is getting that balance of accuracy and composure, but you don’t want him to lose his wildness.
“I always say to him ‘stay wild’ – but to play at the level he needs to play on the weekend and then with England, he also needs to be really accurate and also (with) his (game) knowledge. That is what he has come back with.
“I am really glad to have him on board and I think there is a lot more to come.”
