SARACENS head coach Buck Shelford is under no illusions as to the importance of tonight's (Tuesday) crunch relegation clash with Bristol Shoguns at Vicarage Road, kick-off 7.45pm.

The Men in Black go in to the game, which features the two sides with the worst defensive record in the league, on the back of a heartbreaking Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final defeat against Bath on Saturday and are without a league win in six matches. Another loss would equal their worst-ever league run set in the old division one in season 1992/93 and defeat for either side, who are seperated by just one point in the table, would make the grim prospect of relegation a distinct possibility.

However, Sarries have won five of the last six Premiership matches against Bristol, with the West Countrymen's only recent success being a 28-26 win at Vicarage Road on last season's final weekend.

"The Bristol game is a one off and we have to front up three days after playing a big game," said the bullish Shelford, who has so far refused to contemplate the prospect of relegation in his first season in charge. "No-one said rugby was going to an easy game and we are actually at the business end of the season where we need to win.

"There's no point dwelling on the weekend now and the players know that we are now solely focused on Tuesday night.

"I believe that the players we have here are more than capable of doing the job and we need to hit Bristol hard. This is now is our Cup Final and we know that the players always perform better at home. The support we got down at The Rec was fantastic and we will need more of the same tomorrow if we are to make the most of our home advantage. I'm hoping the fact that the game is on Sky doesn't put you off from coming, you're no use to us in front of the telly, we want you here with us and we'll give you something to cheer about, we need to make sure that Bristol know that they're a long way from home."

Shelford has named a 25-man squad but is unlikely to name his side until the last minute. However, the head coach has been boosted by the return to fitness of Richard Hill and Thomas Castaigende, while Kyran Bracken, Tim Horan and Christian Califano appear to have recovered from knocks picked up on Saturday. However, Nicky Little has failed to recover from a leg injury he initially picked up in the semi-final first leg at home to Bath, which looks set to hand Andy Goode his first start since the beginning of March.

Bristol are currently propping up the table and their future is shrouded in uncertainty with Malcom Pearce, the club's owner, set to walk away after five years at the Memorial Stadium.

The West Country outfit have lost their last three outings in the Premiership but it is their performances in the second half of those games which is must be cause for concern for head coach Peter Thorburn. Bristol have actually led their last two games at half-time but scored only 18 points and conceded 82 after the break in their last three.

However, Shelford is not taking Bristol lightly.

"They (Bristol) have got a very big forward pack and some very fast backs and I think they are a team that can turn it on if you don't come well prepared," warned the head coach. "We have to prepare very well for this game in a short space of time and go out and do the business against them. Every team is there for the taking, it's about delivering."

The match intriguing pitches Shelford against fellow Kiwi Peter Thorburn, the Bristol Shoguns coach, who made Shelford captain at North Harbour during their seven-year stint together.

"I talk to him quite regularly and have a bit of laugh and a joke but we are both here to win," said Shelford, who took time out to sympathise with the situation Thorburn finds himself in at crisis-hit Bristol.

"It's not a nice situation for anybody to be in but it has happened to him and I think looking at it there could be a lot of uncertainty in the Premiership." Not least at Vicarage Road.

Sarries squad: Califano, Storey, Marsters, Ross, Robbie Russell, Cairns, Yandell, Benazzi, Hooper, Roques, Hill, Chesney, Skirving, Kyran Bracken, Morgan Williams, Andy Goode, Thomas Castaignede, Tim Horan, Kevin Sorrell, Tom Shanklin, Ben Johnston, O'Mahony, Haughton, Winnan, Sparg.

Bristol squad: Paul Johnstone, Andrew Sheridan, Chris Rowland, Emiliano Bergamaschi, Saul Nelson, Richard Skuse, Garath Archer (c), Scott Morgan, Alex Brown, Michael Lipman, Rhys Oakley, Craig Short, Matt Salter, Peter Richards, Agustin Pichot, Shane Drahm, Felipe Contepomi, Phil Christophers, Daryl Gibson, Andrew Higgins, Brendon Daniel, Matt Carrington, Jamie Williams, Lee Best.

April 29, 2003 11:00