Geraghty is eager to make up for lost time and lost tempers

HEINEKEN CUP PREVIEW

Not every Shane had a ball in the Six Nations. While Williams of Wales was waltzing to a Grand Slam, England's putative inside- centre, Shane Geraghty of London Irish, sat and rested an injured knee and ringed in red the date of the Heineken Cup quarter-finals. Blood-red, perhaps - the club colours of Irish's opponents, Perpignan.

With six days to go to the possibly explosive tie in Reading, Geraghty cannot be sure what his role will be. He has not played since straining a medial ligament against Leicester on 17 February, although to speak to the super-confident 21-year-old and his club coach, Brian Smith, it seems that a strong training work-out this week will get Geraghty on to the bench at least for the club's first Heineken quarter-final.

"Whether he plays 80 minutes or only 20, it will be action- packed," Smith enthused. Irish think highly of Geraghty; a lot of other good judges do, too.

Irish and Perpignan fought out first and second places in their pool in back-to-back meetings in December. The Catalans were furious at having three players sent to the sin-bin at the Madejski Stadium, where Irish won 24-16. During a fiery rematch in France's deep south, Perpignan's England prop Perry Freshwater was hovering over a ruck when he flung out an elbow and caught Irish's Kieran Roche flush in the face, fracturing the flanker'seye socket. The London Irish website called the elbowing "sickening" and "cowardly".

"A lot went on in the two games and there's a lot of history," said Geraghty. "There were so many little niggles, obviously it's going to be feisty. They will want to get into us, like they did at their place. If we are going to win we have to keep our discipline, give them nothing."

Perpignan are on a hot streak domestically, taking Stade Franais's three-year ground record in Paris earlier this month. Their pack - not full of stars, much like Irish's - is epitomised by the bald hardnut of an Argentinian-born prop, Sebastian Bozzi. Then there is South Africa's Percy Montgomery sweeping up at the back and kicking goals like the star he is.

Geraghty showed his wide range of gifts for the England Saxons - born in Coventry to an Irish father, he switched allegiance after playing for Ireland Under-16s - in a win over Ireland A on the eve of the Six Nations and he trained with the senior side the following week, between the defeat by Wales and the victory in Italy. "I filled in for Toby Flood at 12 all week, because Floody was struggling with an injury," said Geraghty. "Brian [Ashton] said it was the best attack session since the start of the Six Nations." Geraghty was told he would be involved in the next match against France. But then came the costly collision with a London Irish team- mate - a very heavy team-mate at that, the prop Faan Rautenbach.

So after a hamstring strain last summer, a broken hand in the autumn and now the knee, Geraghty has yet to add to his two caps. He watched frustrated as England finished the Six Nations promisingly against Ireland, with Danny Cipriani - with whom he played in England age-group sides and at the Junior National Academy under Ashton - at the helm. "I texted Danny to say 'Chin up' when he'd got dropped and 'Good luck' for Ireland. I had a feeling he'd have a big impact and he did, he did the basics well and a bit extra. There was the outside break, which maybe England haven't seen for a few years."

Read that and weep, Jonny Wilkinson? Geraghty has the self- belief of all good No 10s, but is content for now to learn the ropes at inside-centre (the position Ashton sees him in) alongside his mentor and backs coach at Irish, Mike Catt. "Rugby's a simple game," said Geraghty. "My mindset is I want to attack the opposition, and for me that's playing flat and taking the ball hard to the line. I wouldn't say it's my only mindset, hopefully there's a good blend."

THE LAST EIGHT

Saturday

London Irish v Perpignan Perpignan are in fearsome form so Irish must use their home advantage to continue their best-ever European performance.

Gloucester v Munster Can Marco Bortolami's Gloucester pack dominate? Munster have the edge in experience.

Sunday

Saracens v Ospreys

Only one winner, based on last weekend's Anglo-Welsh Cup thrashing. The possibility of complacency in Ospreys minds is Sarries' best hope.

Toulouse v Cardiff Blues Clerc, Elissalde, Heymans - enough to give Cardiff the Blues? Martyn Williams and Tom Shanklin will need a dash of their Grand Slam magic.

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