We'll fight for title - O'Shea

Conor O'Shea insists Harlequiins 'aren't giving up' their title without a fight
14 April 2013

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea warned his team's Aviva Premiership rivals that the defending champions were in no mood to relinquish the title after ending their recent slump with a 23-9 home victory over Bath at The Stoop .

Quins headed into the game on the back of three straight Premiership defeats and last Sunday's home loss against Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, but a trademark opportunist try from England scrum-half Danny Care and a 30th-birthday touchdown by winger Ugo Monye kept Quins' top-four play-off hopes firmly on course.

"That was a big mental test for us today," said O'Shea, whose side overturned a 9-6 half-time deficit in the rain, having just returned from a sunshine training trip to Spain. "Getting a break was an important thing to do.".

He added: "We've done so much right this season and met so many challenges and this was another challenge for us.

"We are looking forward to the run-in. We know we have one more game to win to be top four.

"But somebody is going to have to take this title off us because we ain't giving it up.

"We've already won a trophy (the LV= Cup) and been in a Heineken Cup quarter-final.

"Emotionally, we were pretty shattered to lose that but all 23, including the young lads, came on in difficult conditions and played their part.

"We can play a lot better, but days like today are tough days and I thought we saw a bit of energy and confidence go back into the side."

Defeat was a blow to Bath's bid for Heineken Cup rugby next season, but head coach Gary Gold said: "I thought the guys showed a huge amount of character throughout the whole game."

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