By Jason Harris
April 28 2003

Forget the minor diversion that was the Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Bath. Forget any lingering hopes of qualification for next year's Heineken Cup. Forget Newcastle away on Sunday and Sale on the last day. THIS is the big one. Deafet would simply be catastrophic for Saracens. Mind you, Bristol are not out of it themselves. The side that lost in last year's Zurich Championship final find themselves bottom of the table and scrapping with Sarries, Bath, London Irish and Newcastle to avoid relegation and probably oblivion.

People are saying that this is Sarries' cup final. Well, no cup final is as important as this game. No international match - even a World Cup final - is as important. The stakes are at their highest as it is the players' livelihoods that are on the line, not a bit of silverware that will still be there next time around.

I spoke with a Zurich Premiership referee recently who told me that the pressure on the officials appointed to fixtures at the wrong end of the table is as immense as that on the players themselves. They too know that a disputed decistion here or there could see a club finished. For good. Each decision made will be considered carefully and not taken until the officials are 100% certain of its correctness.

Bristol fancy their chances for this one. Saracens have yet to win a league game in 2003 and their last-second exit at Bath has given the men from the Mem something to use in the mental war of attrition.

Wayne Shelford knew the importance of this game long before the final whistle at the Rec as he withdrew Kyran Bracken, Kris Chesney and Tim Horan in readiness for the Bristol challenge.

All three have been named in a 25-man squad announced on Monday along with Richard Hill and Thomas Castaignede, both missing at Bath due to injury.

Another international to return to the fold is Canadian Morgan Williams and his presence means there is no place for fellow non-EU player Nicky Little nor is there one for Dan Kirton who played his best game in a Sarries shirt to date when he replaced Bracken last Saturday.

It won't be a classic and any comparisons to games gone by, including the opening day stroll in the sunshine for Sarries when they racked up 45 points in Bristol, will be futile. This is a one-off and to the winner, a little breathing space for a few more days. To the loser, another downward step towards a very uncertain future.

Saracens squad
FORWARDS: Califano, Cairns, Ross, Storey, Marsters, Robbie Russell, Skirving, Yandell, Hooper, Benazzi, Roques, Chesney, Hill.

BACKS
Bracken, Williams, Goode, Castaignede, Horan, Sorrell, Shanklin, Johnston, O'Mahony, Winnan, Haughton, Sparg.