LONDON Irish are over-whelming favourites when they face Newport Gwent Dragons in the Heineken Cup tomorrow (kick-off 1.30pm), but the team have been warned against complacency.
The Irish have no injury problems and are expected to be at full strength in sharp contrast to the Dragons who have got a staggering 15 players unavailable for selection.
Whereas the Dragons are out of the competition, having lost three of their four pool games London Irish lead the group by a point from Perpignan and they are well aware that bonus point victories in their remaining two games against the Dragons and Treviso will guarantee them not just a place in the quarter-finals but a home draw as well.
"We're in control of our own destiny which means we don't have to rely on other sides," admitted forwards coach Toby Booth.
"We need to stay ahead of what Perpignan are doing and two wins with bonus points will determine whether we get a home draw."
Booth refuses to accept the full five points is pretty much guaranteed tomorrow especially after London Irish scored 45 points against them at Rodney Parade in November when the Dragons fielded a stronger side than the one they are putting out in the return.
"It was a freak 30 minutes when anything we touched came off," said Booth. "When that happens for you, you wish you could bottle it.
"We are not expecting it to be the same situation this time. If you look at it from a form point of view, irrespective of injury, after the Dragons got two good results against Llanelli Scarlets and Glasgow there is no way in the world we would underestimate them.
"We have worked hard to get into this position and we don't want egg all over our faces by not being at the races or not turning up.
"We have got to be careful we don't take out eye off the ball. "The surface at Reading is one of the best in the Premiership and we like to play any side there while Tommy' Turner also likes to play attacking rugby.
"He's got some pace in the backs and with Ceri Sweeney lying flat they'll be an attacking threat.
"We're expecting a very spirited, committed performance. They have got nothing to lose and if we write them off and don't give them respect we will end up with egg on our faces."
But the signs still look ominous for the Dragons after London Irish beat Sale last week and have since had six players chosen for the England and England Saxons squads.
"Even the Leicester game we lost by only eight points when we were in a position to win and we might have picked up another victory," said Booth. "We've been playing well and we've got to keep believing in ourselves."
Dragons team: A Thomas, R Mustoe, P Emerick, A Smith, R Fussell, C Sweeney, W Evans, A Black, B Daly, G Robinson, A Hall, P Sidoli, J Bearman, M Owen (captain), J Harris. Replacements: K Crawford, H Gustafson, A Jones, L Evans, A Walker, P Dolman, G Wyatt. Kick off 1.30pm.
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