Harlequins coach Conor O'Shea has warned Leinster that they will face a searching test when they travel to take on Wasps in next weekend's crunch Champions Cup Pool 2 clash at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
The former Leinster and Irish fullback was speaking after his own side’s quarter-final hopes took a hammering when Wasps carved out an impressive 23-3 win at The Stoop on Saturday night.
Leinster were given fair warning of the superb rearguard which Dai Young and defence coach Brad Davis have developed with Wasps easing to victory despite only having 33 per cent of possession, conceding 70 per cent territory and surviving a busy tackle count of 182 to 76 for Harlequins.
O’Shea, whose side head to France to play Castres needing a bonus-point win to have any chance of advancing, said that Leinster can expect a daunting challenge from a revitalised Wasps side.
“Wasps are a very good side, strong backrow, great outside backs, a 10 who controls the game well and a nine who is a threat. They are a good side and we played some fantastic rugby against them but just weren’t accurate in the first half.
“We gave an intercept try and it is very hard to take. I always talk about the players putting it in out on the pitch what they are about. You couldn’t fault in any way, shape or form, what they tried to do.
“Can you fault the accuracy or how clinical they were? Of course you can, but not the effort. That’s the biggest thing, we have to do it next week, we are not out of it and as far for Leinster and Wasps, leave them look after themselves,” said O’Shea.
His men trailed 17-0 at the break following an intercept try from England international Christian Wade after 11 minutes was followed by one from scrumhalf Joe Simpson.
Wasps, who went down 25-20 to Leinster at the RDS in October, saturated enormous pressure in the second half but still won that period 6-3 with outhalf Andy Goode impressive throughout.
