London Irish: Confident Cowell ready for Harlequins challenge in Premiership ...

Cam Cowell says London Irish have nothing to fear going into the Premiership Rugby Sevens series final night.

The Exiles qualified for tonight’s showdown at Twickenham Stoop after winning two out of their three Group B games in Gloucester last Thursday.

They now face Harlequins in the quarter-final (6.50pm kick-off), and Cowell, who will be playing as a winger, admits it will be a stern test for the Exiles.

He said: “I’ve played with a couple of Quins players with England. Ollie Lyndsay-Hague is a great player, not just on the 7s circuit but as a 15s player too.

“So they will have some big names out. But there is nothing we can’t handle. We’ve done a bit of analysis on them and it will be a challenge but hopefully we can come out on top.”

He added: “We’re not the best players but we’ve got good work-rate and that’s what gets us through.”

The 18-year-old, who scored a try in last week’s 7s victory over Exeter Chiefs at Kingsholm, admitted fitness will play a key role in Irish’s chances.

“It was hard last week,” said Cowell.

“I didn’t realise it was going to be that tiring and it was quite physical. You’ve got to be a lot fitter in 7s. In this form of the game, you’re running the whole time whereas in 15s you switch on and switch off.

Cowell was with Irish’s AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence) last year and is in his first year as a professional at the club.

The full-back, who has played for England under-18s, is now part of the Irish Academy and has set his sights on a first-team appearance this season.

“I want to excel as much as I can,” he said. “I’d like to maybe get a start or get on the bench.”

And Cowell cites first-team full-back Tom Homer as someone to look up to at the club.

He said: “We’re similar players and have both got good foot-work. When the first-team squad have a session the academy trains with them as well so it’s good to watch what they’re doing.”

Irish’s Academy director Nick Kennedy says he is under no illusion about the size of the task facing Irish tonight.

He said: “We’re probably playing the best team in the competition so we can’t afford to have a slow start.

“I’ve watched Harlequins play and they’re such a good team.

“I’d rather have had anyone else but Quins because they’ve got such skilful players.

“They’ve got Howard Graham who is a Sevens expert as their coach, so we’ve really got our work cut out against them.”

Irish have made four changes to the squad from last week, with Will Harries, Ollie Williams, Jamie Hearn and Theo Brophy Clews all coming in.

Kennedy said: “We’ve lost two excellent players in Scott Steele and Mat Turner – a first-team nine and an England 7s player. They’re both very talented so I’m not going to lie, that’s going to hurt our team.

“We’re really looking forward to it, but it’s going to be very tough.”

London Irish squad : Simon Hunt, Connor Murphy, Ollie Curry (c), Patrick O’Grady, Will Harries, Ollie Williams, Cam Cowell, Johnny Williams, Jamie Hearn, Theo Brophy Clewes, Declan Williams, Ollie Adams.

Fixtures

Quarter-finals: Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers, Gloucester v Northampton Saints, Harlequins v London Irish , Newcastle v Newport Gwent Dragons.

Plate Semi-Final: Loser Game 1 v Loser Game 2.

Cup Semi Final: Winner Game 1 v Winner Game 2.

Plate Semi Final: Loser Game 3 v Loser Game 4.

Cup Semi Final 2: Winner Game 3 v Winner Game 4.

9.20-9.40 Plate Final.

9.45-10.05 Cup Final.

London Irish: Confident Cowell ready for Harlequins challenge in Premiership ...