By Jason Harris
December 13 2002

Saracens head for Colomiers on Saturday night with a precarious looking 10 point advantage over the French side. Can the Men in Red hang on after their second half disappointment last week? "We're going over there to win" said coach Wayne Shelford on Thursday. No two ways about it, then. But as Sarries failed dismally to capitalise upon a very healthy 16 point advantage at half time in the first leg, questions must be asked about whether they have the staying power to go through to the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quater finals.

Colomiers are also going out to win, according to their web site. GAGNER! it says. A pretty simple message. After keeping Saracens scoreless in that dour second half last Sunday, the Frenchmen are confident that they can overturn the arrears and dump the Men in Red (European game, red shirt, remember) uncerimoniously out of the competition before Christmas.

The game is being billed as one for the return of prodigal sons Benazzi, Califano and Castaignede, all of whom are in the Sarries starting lineup.

Shelford is mindful of that second half in the first leg and has named a huge set of fowards to counteract the disruptive Colomiers pack.

"Basically" he said "in the forwards I've gone for the biggest pack I've got moving Abdel [Benazzi] to blindside and Richard [Hill] to open."

"We want to shunt them around like they did to us in the second half last Sunday but do it for a whole game."

It is a risky stategy, especially as French teams on their own turf can turn on the speed and style that can neutralise a sustained forward battle. But Shelford is banking on Sarries superiority in the fitness deparment to win the day.

Winning the tie over two legs could come easy, providing Sarries hit the ground running and get some points on the board first early on. Pushing the overall advantage over two legs out to 20 points or so could make Colomiers wave the white flag.

Even if the home side rallies to make up the increased deficit, they could play into Sarriers hands and just push the pass that little too much.

However, if it's Colomiers that first trouble the scorers, we could be biting our nails right down to the quick in what could well be the longest 80 minutes this season.

Frankly, it's too close to call.