Director of rugby Conor O'Shea has warned fly half Nick Evans he must earn the right to displace Ben Botica in the Quins number 10 jersey.

Evans has returned to fitness after leg surgery in February and will take a place on the bench for Friday's European Challenge Cup semi-final visit of French Top 14 side Grenoble.

Botica, who missed a late penalty that would have secured a losing bonus point from Saturday's 22-12 defeat to Saracens at Wembley, has been the former All Black's stand-in since he was carried off during a 28-6 defeat at Gloucester.

And O'Shea has revealed he will resist the temptation to throw Evans - originally ruled out of action until May - straight back in to starting action this weekend.

"Nick is back a week or two ahead of schedule and is 100 per cent fit," said the Stoop chief.

"You are always given a timescale for these things of eight to 10 weeks or whatever, and you never know which way it will go.

"We are delighted to have Nick back. He has done everything right and got himself back fit in time to make a contribution to the season."

He added: "Ben Botica has fronted up brilliantly and until his miss on Saturday, had a 100 per cent kicking record on the day.

"When Nick got injured our other fly half Tim Swiel got injured too as did our academy fly half and that was just after the deadline for emergency signings.

"Nick will go straight on to the bench. Just because he is fit that doesn't mean he goes straight back in, because Ben has been brilliant."