Harlequins v Bristol: Teams
Tani Fuga and Steve So'oialo return for Quins, while Bristol remain wary of the threat posed by in-form Chris Malone.
Last Updated: 05/10/07 4:15pm
Harlequins join the Premiership clubs who have welcomed Samoa's early departure from the World Cup after they named Tani Fuga and Steve So'oialo in their squad to face Bristol.
The duo return from international action in France to bolster the Quins ranks, with hooker Fuga replacing Aston Croall and So'oialo handed the No.9 shirt ahead of short-term signing Billy Fulton.
The inclusion of Croall and So'oialo are the only changes for the Quins from the starting XV that was just edged out by Newcastle last time out.
However, director of rugby Dean Richards has shuffled his bench options with the first appearances for John Brooks and Chris Hala'Ufia.
Summer signing Brooks gets the nod ahead for Ricky Nesbitt, while Hala'Ufia has shaken off injury to replace Phil Davies. Also Charlie Amesbury is preferred to Seb Stegmann.
Bristol coach Richard Hill has pinpointed Quins fly-half Chris Malone as the man to watch when his side travel to the Stoop.
Malone has been in fine form since swapping Bath for the capital, and currently sits joint top of the scoring charts for this season.
Threat
And, having had Malone briefly on loan at Bristol, Hill knows only too well about the playmaker.
Hill said: "Chris is a constant threat. He does these little chips over the defence for his centres or himself. He knows all the tricks of the trade.
"If he is on form he will steer Quins in a better way than what we saw of them in the pre-season match.
"I do know him well and he plays with a smile on his face. He is a very relaxed player. You cannot get at him - it is difficult to wind him up."
Hill has made just one change to his starting XV, with Mariano Sambucetti replacing Nathan Budgett, who has a claf strain.
Dave Attwood takes Sambucetti's place on the bench with returning Samoan international Alfie To'oala also named among the replacements.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Hal Luscombe, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Simon Keogh, 10 Chris Malone, 9 Steve So'oialo, 1 Ceri Jones, 2 Tani Fuga, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Ollie Kohn, 5 Jim Evans, 6 Chris Robshaw, 7 Paul Volley (c), 8 Tom Guest.
Replacements: 16 Christophe Laurent, 17 John Brooks, 18 Nicolas Spanghero, 19 Will Skinner, 20 Chris Hala'Ufia, 21 Tosh Masson, 22 Charlie Amesbury.
Bristol: 15 Josh Taumalolo, 14 Tom Arscott, 13 Rob Higgitt, 12 Sam Cox, 11 David Lemi, 10 David Hill, 9 Brian O'Riordan, 1 David Hilton, 2 Scott Linklater, 3 Darren Crompton, 4 Roy Winters, 5 Mariano Sambucetti, 6 Matt Salter (c), 7 Joe El Abd, 8 Dan Ward-Smith
Replacements: 16 Ryan Prosser, 17 Jason Hobson, 18 Dave Attwood, 19 Alfie To'oala, 20 Graeme Beveridge, 21 Jason Strange, 22 Neil Brew.
