Alex Dombrandt: No fear as Harlequins enter biggest week in club’s history
It is Quins’ first semi-final appearance in the flagship club competition.
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Alex Dombrandt says that Harlequins are relishing “the biggest week in the club’s history” as they prepare for an Investec Champions Cup showdown with French giants Toulouse.
While it is Quins’ first semi-final appearance in the flagship club competition, record five-time winners Toulouse are one victory away from reaching an eighth final.
Dombrandt and company have already posted significant Champions Cup victories in France this season, beating Racing 92 and then stunning quarter-final opponents Bordeaux-Begles 42-41.
But the low point was a 47-19 home loss to Toulouse during the pool phase, underlining what a huge task Quins face in south-west France on Sunday.
“I haven’t seen any fear this week,” Quins number eight Dombrandt said.
“I have just seen excitement and smiles on faces. It is the biggest week in the club’s history. We wanted to go deep in both competitions (Champions Cup and Premiership), and we are doing that.
“The belief is strong among the group. We have won in France a couple of times – we went to Racing and beat a very good team, and we beat a very good Bordeaux team that was on fire.
A European semi-final, you have got to come out of the blocks, start fast, be physical and up for the fight
“They (Toulouse) are a team of superstars across the board, and we also know we are going to have to go there and score tries, so we are going to go there and attack.
“A European semi-final, you have got to come out of the blocks, start fast, be physical and up for the fight.
“We know the challenge that is coming, but we know we have shown this season when we are there physically, when we start fast, we score early, we do really build and grow into the game.”
Toulouse have cruised into the semi-finals, totalling 273 points in just six matches, including half-centuries against Exeter and Cardiff.
Quarter-final opponents Exeter went toe-to-toe with them, trailing just 17-16 at the interval. But then it was exhibition rugby as a Toulouse team inspired by genial half-backs Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack racked up 47 more points.
Quins head coach Danny Wilson added: “This club has never been in a Champions Cup semi-final, and we are fully aware that we will go there as pretty decent underdogs, but what an opportunity that we have.
“This is the business end of the season. These are the games you want to be involved in.
“We are into May, and we are in the semi-final of the Champions Cup and fighting to be in the league play-offs. There is one other English team (Northampton) in that same position, no-one else.
“We are excited about it, we are not seeing it as something you have got to endure. You have got to throw the kitchen sink at it.
“We need to be aware of what they bring and how we deal with it, but we have also got to put our identity on this game because we are going to have to score tries to win.
“We are not going to go there and go three points, six points, nine points – that’s not going to happen.”