By Jason Harris (filed: 31/12/03)
December 31 2003

With a gap of six points between themselves and Leeds in the Zurich Premiership table, Saracens know that nothing short of a win at Vicarage Road on New Year's Day will do if they are to stay in the race for a Wildcard playoff spot. A Leeds win could spell the end of the season for the Men in Black. Sarries will be without the services of Richard Hill who undergoes surgery today for a broken nose sustained while on duty for England against New Zeland Barbarians just before Christmas.

So coach Rod Kafer has kept faith in the 22 players who made up the squad for last Saturday's narrow defeat to league leaders Bath.

There were many positives to take from the Bath game and Kafer belives that the squad is the right one to turn around the 41-31 defeat to Tykes at Headingley in October.

Sarries that day rallied from 28-8 down to level matters at 31-31 before throwing the ball and the game away by handing Leeds two tries right at the death.

Leeds, meanwhile, have been going about their business in the league without too much attention being paid. As the rejuvinated Bath make all the headlines at the top of the pile and Rotherham struggle at the foot, many of the teams inbetween save for Sarries (perennial underachievers), Leicester (club in crisis) and Wasps (scorching the turf with red-hot rugby)are not being noticed outside their own towns.

Phil Davies has recruited well this season, but as his side have faced a tough Heineken Cup baptism, their league form has not been as good as that of last season.

The former Wales no8 has named a strong side and he also now has a strong bench at his disposal. When he can affort not to start the likes of Dan Scarbrough, Dan Hyde and Aaron Persico, then you know that the Yorkshire outfit has strength in depth.

Opinion is divided amongst the pundits on which side will be on top. Some think that the Sarries slump will be never-ending, others believe that the performance against Bath was a sign that things are finally on the up at Vicarage Road.

I'll lean towards the latter and I think that Sarries will come out of the game with the win. Primarily because the consequences of being 10 or 11 points adrift of 10th place come Saturday night when the result of Leicester v Gloucester is known will be far-reaching. Putting it bluntly, if Leeds and Leicester win their games this weekend, Sarries' league season, at leat, will be over.

Sarries to win. Because they simply must.

Saracens: Haughton; Cech, Johnston, Bailey, O'Mahony; Castaignede, Bracken; Sparks, Ibanez, Visagie; Raiwalui, Codling; Chesney, B.Russell, Randell.
Replacements: Bergamaschi, R.Russell, Skirving, Peacey, Williams, Kidd, Winnan.

Leeds Tykes: Cardey; Botham, Snyman, Davies, Christophers; Ross, Walker; Shelley, Regan, Powell; Palmer, Hooper; Rigney, Ponton, Salter
Replacements: Cusack, Holt, Murphy, Hyde, Persico, Walsh, Scarbrough

Referee: Ashley Rowden