Magician Marcus has bounty on head

LONDON Irish stalwart Blair Cowan has identified Marcus Smith as the man to stop if his side are to get their show on the road with a win after a three-week hiatus.

- NEALE HARVEY

With Covid-19 related issues forcing their last two games to be cancelled, back rower Cowan says the Exiles are desperate to prove they are a team to be reckoned with.

Cowan, who starts today, told The Rugby Paper: “It’s been a challenging time but everyone’s just been so excited to be training again, with something to really play for.

“We’ve been supersharp with ball in hand and just want to get out there and play rugby – it’s an exciting game to come back into, we love a local derby.

“Quins have always been a good side regardless of who’s coaching them and they’ve got a fantastic ball player in Marcus Smith, who’s been hugely impressive.

“Even when they’re going backwards and things aren’t going so well for them, he still manages to pull some bits of magic out of the bag. We’re well aware of their capabilities and we’ll pay respect to that by doing as much homework as we can.”