Harlequins captain Will Skinner expects England's most lethal attacking force to face a serious test of their self belief against Llanelli Scarlets in the last Heineken Cup game at Stradey Park on Saturday.

Scarlets are preparing to bid farewell to one of the most famous club grounds in world rugby before moving to a new stadium. After this game, only the EDF Cup match with Bristol on 24 October will be played on the pitch and there is bound to be an electric atmosphere.

To silence the crowd, Skinner needs his men to produce the attacking rugby that has been such a counter point to the endless kicking for position which has, largely, blighted the Guinness Premiership season to date.

The loss of England wing Dave Strettle is a setback. Strettle has suffered a third foot injury that will keep him out until Christmas but Skinner, who is also the England Saxons captain, is confident team spirit will be unaffected by his absence in Wales.

Skinner said: "We are all disappointed for Strets but injuries happen in professional rugby and we know the medical team will give him every help. Strets has been playing really well and, having come back from a similar setback before, he knows what is required.

"Someone will step into his role and we have a very strong belief and confidence in the squad.

"We all know that if you make a break then someone will be on your shoulder to back you up."

Quins are the top try scorers in the Premiership and their brand of rugby has won plenty of praise.

However, they have failed to finish off matches they controlled and this fallibility will be exposed if repeated in Europe's premier club rugby competition.

"People tell us we are producing exciting, attractive rugby which is some of the best they have seen," said Skinner. "But we are keeping our feet on the ground and recognise we haven't done that for the full 80 minutes yet.

"In the Heineken Cup, you need to be at that level for the entire match and that's the challenge we face, otherwise opposition teams will take control. We are a young side and playing the final Cup fixture at Stradey Park is going to be a huge experience for everyone.

"It is all about testing ourselves in these kind of matches against top teams on a very big stage."

Skinner is enjoying a new lease of rugby life at The Stoop having been deemed surplus to requirements at Leicester.

Dean Richards, the Quins director of rugby, held that role at Tigers when Skinner first arrived and never lost faith in the openside flanker's ability.

Skinner said: "Leicester decided not to renew my contract and I think it was a blessing in disguise because, if they had kept me on, I probably wouldn't have played that much rugby."

Meanwhile, Northampton's Neil Best will be suspended until 27 January after losing his appeal against an 18-week suspension for eye-gouging Wasps flanker James Haskell.

The ban covers eight rounds of Guinness Premiership action, all of Northampton's European Challenge Cup and EDF Energy Cup pool matches plus Ireland's autumn schedule.