Preview: Harlequins v Leeds (Round 7)

Injury-hit Harlequins have included a trio of youngsters in their squad for Saturday?s engage Super League clash with in-form Leeds Rhinos at the Twickenham Stoop.

The decimated Londoners, who could be without as many as nine first-choice players, have called up 21-year-old scrum-half Duncan James from Harlequins rugby union team who impressed coach Tony Rea in his side?s pre-season friendly win over Catalans Dragons.

Rea has also drafted in 20-year-old prop Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and loose forward Michael Worrincy, also 20, who spent last season on loan with Hull?s academy team.

Quins went into last Sunday?s match at Huddersfield without Jon Wells, Rob Purdham, Rikki Sheriffe, Paul Sykes, Mark McLinden, Solomon Haumono and Pat Weisner and lost three more players in the 64-14 defeat.

Full-back Zebastian Luisi was the biggest casualty and is facing a six-week lay-off with a dislocated shoulder while forwards Karl Temata and Lee Hopkins also joined the injury list.

?It gives a chance for some of the others,? said coach Tony Rea. ?We?ve got a big medical check but we will have Joe Mbu back and Pat Weisner should be okay.

?We?ve have to look at some of the young guys. We?ll be all right as long as we work hard. Strength and solidarity are the key words.?

Harlequins have taken just three points from their opening six matches and are two places off bottom spot in the table.

Rea is hoping to have his influential captain Mark McLinden back for the Powergen Challenge Cup fourth-round tie against Toulouse on Saturday week.

The former Canberra Raiders half-back or full-back has yet to play this season after tearing a hamstring on the eve of the season and he suffered a recurrence a fortnight ago.

?It?s a week-to-week proposition with Mark,? said Rea. ?We?ll see if he can get through a full week?s training and, if he does that, he?s only a week away.

?We?re pretty hopeful that will happen this week so he could be back for next week.? Leeds, meanwhile, are virtually at full strength, with Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock returning to the team after missing last week?s win over Salford with a knee injury.

Second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who has further aggravated a hip injury in training, is their only absentee.

Carl Ablett, who played the last five matches of last season on loan to London Broncos, and ex-Bradford and Salford centre Nathan McAvoy are included in the Rhinos? 20-man squad.

Harlequins RL v Leeds, Twickenham Stoop, Saturday March 25

Harlequins RL 18-man squad: Harlequins RL: Bradley-Qalilawa, Budworth, Clubb, Dorn, Gafa, Hartley, Heckenberg, Hopkins, Leuluai, Lolohea, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Mbu, Mills, Randall, Smith, Tookey, Weisner, Williams.

Leeds 18-man squad: Mathers, Donald, Walker, Senior, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Peacock, Lauitiiti, Ellis, Sinfield, Millard, Poching, Feather, Scruton, Kirke.

Ref R Silverwood