It was far from a disaster for Harlequins when the sides met in the opening round of the competition in Durban with the 2020-21 Premiership champions coming away with a bonus point.

Although the Sharks welcomed the South African sides to Europe in fashion with a 39-31 bonus point win. Makazole Mapimpi was on fire scoring two tries and will be a big miss for the Sharks today as they go in search of a home last 16 game.

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Despite the mixed response to the South African teams joining the Heineken Champions Cup, one thing that can’t be debated is the quality they have brought to the tournament.

Here are some of the notable Springboks in action today…..

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Dino Lamb returns from injury to the back row for Quins, while Josh Bassett starts on the wing and Scotland scrum-half Scott Steele is on the bench.

England’s Marcus Smith continues at fly-half after recently returning from injury.

Led by the Springboks' World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi, Sharks are without suspended winger Makazole Mapimpi, who was banned for two weeks for making "reckless" contact with the eye area of Bordeaux Begles' Maxime Lucu in their 32-3 win over the French club last weekend.

Curwin Bosch has recovered from a hamstring injury to return at fly-half.

Harlequins: David, Murley, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Bassett, Smith, Care; Marler, Walker, Louw, Lewies, Herbst, Lamb, Evans, Dombrandt (c).

Replacements: Head, Baxter, Kerrod, Lawday, Wallace, Steele, Allan, Beard.

Sharks: Fassi, Potgieter, Am, Tapuai, Abrahams, Bosch, Hendrikse; Nche, Van Vuuren, Du Toit, Etzebeth, Grobler, Kolisi (c), Tshituka, Buthelezi.

Replacements: Jooste, Mchunu, Sadie, Andrews, Notshe, Williams, Cronje, Venter.

It is the final round of the Heineken Champions Cup pool stages with so much still to play for.

Harlequins currently sit eighth in Pool A with seven points with the Sharks high flying in second with a near perfect 14 points.

Quins know a win against the Sharks will be enough to send them through, but defeat would leave them sweating on the results of games elsewhere.

Gloucester and Racing 92 in particular will be paying close attention to this one.

Image source, Getty Images