There was a time when clubs considered the Heineken Cup a disruption to the season. That has all changed and it is now, I believe, the ultimate club competition in the world.

It offers a bigger stage than the Premiership because the best of England are playing the best of Europe and consistency across the board is the aim.

The key to our success at Harlequins will be making the team believe that when we put it together for a full 80 minutes we are capable of beating anyone.

One of the key men for us when we travel to Llanelli to face Scarlets tomorrow will be our England scrum-half Danny Care. Harlequins are a young side that's getting better and his play is a key factor.

Danny is in great form and it's a measure of his ability that he has continued at the same high level he showed at the end of last season.

With the November internationals on the horizon, Danny is showing everyone what a great footballer he has become. He is a tremendous athlete and could have been a success in a number of sports but, despite having this incredible natural talent, Danny recognises he must keep working at the technical parts of his game.

Being a great athlete at No9 without a great pass means you won't get a look in at the highest level and Danny works extremely hard on all aspects of his game.

Andy Gomarsall, who has a huge amount of experience at No9, has been working well with Danny on those key areas and will only make him a better player.

Sadly, this week we have lost Danny's international team-mate David Strettle to a foot injury for the third time and it's hugely disappointing that he won't be able to play in these early matches in the Heineken Cup.

Strets was performing really well and had been one of the key factors in our start to the season. He was hoping to get more England honours by breaking back into the squad and now it's a case of dealing with the rehabilitation to ensure he is back and firing on all cylinders as soon as possible.

Injuring the same foot again is a real concern and it's important we get the right advice from the experts to make sure it doesn't happen again. We are looking into every avenue and we have said five to seven weeks out for Strets and it may turn out be a bit longer.

Injuries are just part of professional sport and it means someone else in the squad will get the chance to play tomorrow.

Compared to the Heineken Cup last season, there is far more international experience in our squad and we are starting to mature as a side. Last season we brought in Springbok hooker Gary Botha and we now have All Black fly-half Nick Evans, who is recovering well from injury and should be available shortly.

Ceri Jones has won a couple of caps for Wales while another prop Mike Ross, has gained experience and is developing well.

The Scarlets also have some fantastic players and we expect a quality performance from a quality team. I never played at Stradey Park for Leicester and so it will be fascinating to be a part of the penultimate match there.

As a result of the Scarlets' impending move to a new stadium, there will be a lot of emotion involved in this match, but if you focus on your job and put other things to one side then I don't see it making a big difference.