THEY MAY HAVE beaten a good opponent in a big European clash, but Conor O’Shea is experienced enough to know that unless his Harlequins side leave Dublin with something next week, it will have all been for nothing.
And he only has to look at Leinster’s reversal against Northampton last season to see how catastrophic it can be if you don’t pick up any points against your main rival.
That was probably why he was already bigging up next weekend’s game at the Aviva Stadium rather than basking in the glow of Quins’ 24-18 win over Leinster at The Stoop.
“We don’t have an advantage at all,” O’Shea said.
“Wasps are back in it as well and it is going to be unbelievable. These are great occasions to play in and not just for the older guys like Nick Easter, the younger guys like Luke Wallace will relish occasions like next week.”
Easter was immense for Quins in victory and his ability to wriggle his body into a try-scoring position was a crucial point in the game.
The Harelquins boss was asked whether a future international call-up might be possible for the veteran back row – Easter famously said ‘There’s £35k just gone down the toilet’ after getting knocked out of the 2011 World Cup – and O’Shea also commented on the fact that the Number 8 is still going strong at 36.
“Is that all he is?,” O’Shea laughed.
“I thought he was 63. I’ve always said it [that Easter could be back in the England squad] because he can cover a few positions.
“He is an old head and sometimes when you are in those sort of matches you need an old head. We have a lot of youngsters who are learning on the hoof but when he plays like that he is a very special player.”
Joe Marler had a very effective day for the home side, shining in the loose and the tight – his scrummaging was particularly destructive and he put Mike Ross under all sorts of pressure.
As captain, Marler opted to go for the corner at 9-12 down rather than kick to tie the game and O’Shea applauded his captain’s guts.
“When your back is against the wall, we have a little catchphrase, ‘one shot, one kill’ and we don’t want to die wondering,” O’Shea said.
“He went for the corner and Nick Easter scored. If he hadn’t everyone would have jumped on him. He’s got bottle and he wanted to go for it. Those are the things you live and die by.”
That mentality was evident late on as well as Harelquins tried to get an insurance score to deprive Leinster of a losing bonus point as they tried to set a maul in the away side’s 22. Leinster were able to hold off the onslaught but O’Shea still admired his side’s willingness to go for the kill.
“We went for it off that maul and you saw the endeavour when we got the turnover before that,” O’Shea said.
“We didn’t get the maul set and I think when you have been through what we have been through – if the belief had been there – you just want to see the game out.”
