Harlequins may have been given a tough pool draw in the Heineken Cup but the challenge is one Conor O'Shea is relishing.

Quins were drawn in pool six alongside last season's semi-finalists and the most decorated team in the competition's history, Toulouse, the team that finished third in the Premiership, Gloucester Rugby, and Irish team Connacht, who they beat on their way to Amlin Cup glory last season.

"I am pretty excited," said a visibly happy O'Shea, Quins' director of rugby.

"It is good to be in the tournament where we feel we should be.

"The guys want to play against the best and we have drawn the best team in the history of the competition in Toulouse and it will be great to play them.

"Gloucester we know well having had two good games against them last year and we have Connacht again.

"It is a difficult group like every Heineken Cup group is and I think it is an exciting one for us, everyone is pretty happy we have drawn that group.

"We want to be competitive with the best and it is a draw with a lot of possibilities."

One player who will not join the Quins' Heineken Cup journey is wing Gonzalo Camacho, who has left the club and reportedly joined Exeter Chiefs.

The Argentine's last action was to score the try that won the club the Amlin Cup and O'Shea says he goes with the club's best wishes.

"We are disappointed on that front," he said.

"But if you want to leave you want to leave on something you can be proud of and Gonzalo goes having etched himself into Quins history with that try.

"With such a young squad, when they come out of contract you have to pay more to keep them but something was going to have to give with the way the salary cap is.

"Gonzalo was understanding on that front and he will always be a fans' and players' favourite here."

O'Shea has also backed full-back Mike Brown to snatch a place in England's World Cup squad this year after he scored two tries in England Saxons' 87-8 win over USA last Sunday.

"I 100 per cent back him for England," said O'Shea.

"I have known Browny for a long time and although Ben Foden is the outstanding full back at the minute, Browny is everything you want from a full back.

"At 25 he has a lot of Premiership experience and I think he has been outstanding all year."