WINGER Seb Stegmann hopes 13 does not prove unlucky as Harlequins prepare to face their ‘bogey team' this weekend.

Top plays bottom in the Aviva Premiership on Sunday as Newcastle Falcons visit The Stoop, with Quins looking to preserve their record of 12 wins from their first 12 games.

But Stegmann is expecting a testing game against the side that beat them in the semi-finals of the LV= Cup last season, the last side to take a win away from The Stoop.

He said: “The word bogey team has been bandied around a bit. They’re a tough side, and on their day they can beat anyone.

“They will go against us with no holds barred seeing as they’ve got nothing to lose in a way, and they’ll want to prove themselves.

“Newcastle have got some good players. They’ve got hard runners and some speedy backs, so they’re going to test us. and it’s going to be far from a walkover. But we are definitely going to take it to them”

Newcastle, like Quins, have won two European ties in the last fortnight, albeit in the less prestigious Challenge Cup, and Stegmann insists his side will be under pressure as they go in search of victory number 13 in a row.

He said: “With the run of wins we’ve been having we’ve still got to prove ourselves, we’ve got to keep the pressure on.

“Every game’s tough, and I think the fact we’ve had all these wins means we’ll make it tough on ourselves going on and on.”

Stegmann has featured in nine of the games in Quins’ record-breaking run, and described a positive vibe around the squad mixed with a grounded mentality instilled by director of rugby, Conor O’Shea.

He added: “There’s a great buzz around the forwards and the backs, and everyone’s excited. It’s an amazing feeling, but at the same time we focus week by week, and you almost forget the amount of wins.

“The boss has got a very clear mind-set each week and for the whole season. He keeps us very level-headed and grounded. He keeps reiterating to us that we haven’t won anything yet, and doesn’t let us to get ahead of ourselves.”