London Irish director of rugby Conor O'Shea hailed The Kassam Stadium as "outstanding", ahead of Saturday's Parker Pen European Shield semi-final clash between his Powergen Cup-winning side and Pontypridd.

Dale McIntosh, of Pontypridd, and Kieran Dawson, of London Irish

With a sell-out crowd expected, O'Shea said that The Kassam boasted some of the best facilities around, and he was eagerly awaiting the big match, which kicks off at 5.30.

"The Kassam is an outstanding facility for rugby, and the pitch is in fantastic condition. It is going to be beautiful to play running rugby on, and I can't wait for the game."

O'Shea added that the atmosphere he expects inside The Kassam will be electric, as his team bid for more trophy glory following last weekend's sensational victory over Northampton in the Powergen Cup at Twickenham.

"It's sure to be a full house, and with both ourselves and Pontypridd having such passionate support, it will sound more like a hundred thousand inside the ground instead of twelve."

London Irish and Ireland flanker Kieran Dawson was also full of praise for the semi-final venue, and added that the choice is not only good for rugby, but also for Oxford.

"If we fill this stadium, it's going to generate a terrific atmosphere," he said. "It's good for the Oxford area, and hopefully it will prove that it could very easily stage top-flight rugby in the future.

"Rugby isn't just about the 80 minutes on the pitch, it's about entertaining afterwards, and it's clear that The Kassam has it all to offer.

"The pitch is in beautiful condition. It's almost as if it were September 1, and not mid-April. The groundsman has done a great job, and I just hope he doesn't lose any sleep when he sees some of the scrums and tackling out there."