Harlequins captain Will Skinner is urging his team to be more clinical in their upcoming clash against European champions Toulouse.
Quins skipper believes team need more clinical approach
Harlequins captain Will Skinner is urging his team to be more clinical in their upcoming clash against three-time European champions Toulouse.
Quins were victims of a 20-6 defeat against Pool Five opponents Cardiff Blues in their first Heineken Cup game since the 'Bloodgate' fake injury scandal.
The Guinness Premiership club could not contend with tries from wings Tom James and Leigh Halfpenny, and Skinner admitted they missed valuable chances.
"We realise we had opportunities, but we just weren't clinical enough," said Skinner.
"They (Blues) stopped us from getting quick ball during the last 10 minutes - they played to the referee very well - and we got frustrated and lost a bit of patience.
"They upped the tempo during the first five minutes of the second half, and we didn't respond as well as we should have done.
"The frustration in the last 10 minutes was immense. We have got to be more clinical. We know it will be tough next weekend, but we will be up for it. You have to win your home games in this competition."
Quins' last European appearance against Leinster six months ago caused massive controversy, with the events of the quarter-final culminating in bans for their ex-rugby director Dean Richards, physio Steph Brennan and current squad member Tom Williams.
Head coach John Kingston, however, claimed to be "absolutely agog" that people still insisted on discussing the scandal.
"It is beyond me why the subject is still being raised," he said.
"We move on."
Absences
Absences in the squad could have hindered Quins' performance, with England stars Ugo Monye, Danny Care and Nick Easter being rested under terms of the elite player agreement between the Rugby Football Union and Premiership clubs.
Blues, however, managed to overcome considerable problems of their own, prevailing despite the loss of four players to injury, including both locks Paul Tito and Bradley Davies.
Tito was pole-axed following an attempted tackle on Quins centre Gonzalo Tiesi which incurred a seven-minute stoppage before he was stretchered off, while Davies followed him to hospital for a scan on his neck.
Prop John Yapp and wing Gareth Thomas were also injured with torn biceps and torn groin muscle respectively, meaning Yapp will be sidelined for four months with Thomas facing up to six weeks.
"It was an expensive win for us in terms of injuries," said Blues boss David Young.
"Paul Tito has gone to hospital for a scan following a bump to his head. He's not feeling too grand at the minute, but he is walking about and talking.
"A lot of our plans went out the window because we had to rejig things too much.
"When we get opportunities, we are still not scoring consistently. There have been two or three occasions this season when we have opened up a 10-point gap and then not kicked on."
The Blues next face a visit to Sale Sharks and Young admits there is room for improvement.
"We will need to be far more accurate and clinical," he added. "We are not going to go there, sit back and just see what Sale have got to offer."
