Harlequins Ladies are in confident mood ahead of their Tyrrell’s Premier 15 semi-final showdown with Loughborough Lightning according to wing Jess Breach.

The Quins flyer who has taken club and international rugby by storm over the last 12 months was aware of the threat Sunday’s visitors to The Stoop possess, but believes her Quins side are peaking at the right time.

Quins and the Lightning have met twice already this season, sharing one win a piece, but 21-year-old Breach believes it was their last meeting, a 43-7 win for Quins, that fans saw what the west London outfit are about.

“We played them early on when we had a few injuries and I don’t think we had gelled enough by then,” the seven-cap England international said of their 41-17 defeat in August.

“We played them later in the season and I think that game was the real Quins, where we showcased what we can do.

“But Loughborough are a strong team and will be confident so it should be entertaining.”

Surrey Comet:

Peaking at right time

Quins and Breach come into the game on the back of a 62-0 mauling of Gloucester-Hartpury a fortnight ago, a result that has put the quarter-colours heavy favourites ahead of Sunday’s encounter.

“We can take a lot of confidence from the Gloucester game,” Breach continued.

“We put a lot of good phases together and playing at The Stoop again, we’ll be use to a big crowd getting behind us and it’ll definitely lift our game and spirits to another level again.

“We want to put on a performance, make it entertaining and show what Women’s Rugby can do, we did it against Gloucester and hopefully we can do it again against Loughborough.”

“Gloucester aren’t a bad side, they were fifth in table, and we nilled them.

“It shows we’ve got better as a team throughout the whole season.”

Quins are looking to go one better than last year where they were beaten in the final to Saracens, and Breach believes that with the increased support from the Club to promote the Women’s game, it has given them the platform to do so.

“We’re in a different place to last year, and we want to improve again and hopefully we can win two more matches.

“At Quins it’s very much a ‘One Team, One Club’ ethos.

“Everyone behind the scenes puts so much into it, with the crowds, using The Stoop, the training facilities the men use, and I think it translates into our performances on the pitch.

“Hopefully the scoreline will reflect that on Sunday.”