Investec Champions Cup: Harlequins face Bordeaux as Chandler Cunningham-South returns

Harlequins have made three changes for the trip to Bordeaux Begles in the Investec Champions Cup quarter-final.

Scrum-half Will Porter comes in for Danny Care after the win over Glasgow.

Bordeaux make two changes to the side that beat Saracens as Pablo Uberti is named on the wing and Lekso Kaulashvili starts at prop.

The Top 14 side blew away Saracens 45-12 in the last 16 but Quins director of rugby Billy Millard says his players can learn from the demolition of their London neighbours.

“Knowing Sarries so well and seeing their game has kind of helped us frame our approach,” Millard said.

“We are going to have to be good and we are going to have to have a bit of everything to compete.

“They are physical, but we have to match that physicality and then on the back of that, as we always say, we can have our ‘Quins moments’.”

Quins, who claimed their first knockout win in Europe’s top-tier competition with victory over Glasgow, welcome back England flanker Cunningham-South from a calf injury.

Australian coach Millard says he has a “massive soft spot” for the “wild” 21-year-old back-rower, feeling international experiences have served him well.

“Chandler went into that environment and has come back a better human and a better rugby player. He is absolutely chomping at the bit,” Millard said.

“It is all in front of him. It is getting that balance of accuracy and composure, but you don’t want him to lose his wildness.

“I always say to him ‘stay wild’ – but to play at the level he needs to play on the weekend and then with England, he also needs to be really accurate and also his knowledge. That is what he has come back with.

“I am really glad to have him on board and I think there is a lot more to come.”

The hosts are without France’s Damian Penaud, who is replaced by Uberti, but former Toulon wing Chris Ashton says the French outfit could “go very far” in the competition.

“Bordeaux have had the biggest average crowd in the Top 14 for years,” Ashton told BBC Rugby Union Weekly.

“It has just taken them a bit of time for them to get their recruitment right and the blend of the team to make everyone happy, pushing in the right direction.”

Line-ups

Bordeaux: Buros; Uberti, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Garcia, Lucu (capt); Kaulashvili, Lamothe, Tameifuna, Cazeaux, Coleman, Miquel, Samu, Tatafu.

Replacements: Maynadier, Boniface, Sadie, Douglas, Petti, Vergnes-Taillefer, Lesgourgues, Tambwe.

Harlequins: T Green; Lynagh, Beard, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Collier, Launchbury, Lewies (capt), Cunningham-South, W Evans, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Riley, Kerrod, Lewis, Herbst, Hammond, M Green, J Evans, Northmore.