By Jason Harris (filed: 14/1/04)
January 14 2004

Saracens coach Rod Kafer has insisted that his side goes into Friday night's Parker Pen Challenge Cup second round second leg match away to Glasgow thinking that the tie stands at 0-0 and to put their comfortable 31-point advantage out their minds. The club's official website said that Kafer wants to focus the team on what will be a tricky return leg in Scotland after a comprehensive 37-6 victory at Vicarage Road last Sunday.

Sarries have been in a similar position three times in the past twelve months where they have chalked up easy wins in first legs played at home, only to lose the return.

The first two occasions were in last seaons's Parker Pen competition when they beat Newcastle and Bath comfortably in Watford, only to go down at Kingston Park and the Rec. And that loss in Bath led to a semi-final exit by the narrowest of margins as, with the scores tied 57-all after 160 minutes of rugby, the Men in Black lost 6-5 on try count.

The third game was effectively a dead rubber against Leeds in the Wildcard playoffs - a competition that will be a straight one-match knockout this year - after Sarries blitzed the Tykes, scoring over a half century of points. Leeds won that game comfrotably as Sarries looked disinterested after putting the tie beyond reach in the first leg.

Though Glasgow have a mountain to climb and Sarries are likely to hold onto that 31-point lead, the Scots will be out to salvage some pride and give the visitors a scare.

Glasgow will be used to the freezing conditions forecast for Friday night and will hope to turn them to their advantage. Saracens, meanwhile, are looking to win their third game in a row to remain unbeaten in 2004.

Montferrand or Newcastle await the winners of the tie and the first leg will be away on Sunday 25 January. The return leg, should Saracens be the team to progress, will be at Vicarage Road on Sunday 1 February at 3pm.

There will be live updates on BBC Three Counties Radio on FM 95.5 (Beds), 103.8 (Herts) and 104.5 (Bucks) until 8pm during Friday's Three Counties Sport programme (which starts at 6pm) and on MW 630 and 1161 throughout the evening until the final whistle.