By Jason Harris
April 10 2007

When it comes to this buesiness end of the season, the pressure mounts and the re is plenty of pressure, albeit different kinds, on both Saracens and Glasgow Warriors as the two teams meet for the third time in the 2006-07 European Challenge Cup; this time at the quarter final stage. The pressure on Saracens comes with the burden of being pre-tournament favourites and also from being third in the Guinness Premiership with three games let to play. A home win is expected by many at Vicarage Road as the Men in Black have hit form at the right time, losing just once - 20-14 at Newcastle - in the nine games they played since the New Year's Day defea at Leicester.

This is a really big deal for Glasgow, meanwhile, as they have the hopes not only of rugby supporters in the city, but also those in the whole of Scotland after a wretched time north of the Border in recent weeks.

The national side finished rock bottom of the Six Nations table and only this week, the Scottish Rugby Union announced that in order to cut costs, the Borders professional side is to be disbanded at the end of this season.

As with the two previous meetings between these two teams in this competition this season, the weather is likely to play a major part in how things are going to go. In the Pool games at Vicarage Road in October and Hughenden in January, the rain was relentless and neither side could really show what they could do with ball in hand.

Given Saracens' recent form against Bristol and London Irish, a dry day should favour them as Glasgow seem to have more of the attrional than the artistic about them.

Nonetheless, Glasgow coach Sean Lineen is convinced that although his opponents have been turning on the style to go with the power they exerted in the opening Pool match, that Glasgow can still win on their day, despite being third from bottom of the Magners League.

The seriousness of the Warriors wanting to be the first Scottish team to progress into a European semi-final was highlighted earlier in the week by skipper Al Kellock writing an open letter to all Scottish rugby fans, including those in London, to turn up at Vicarage Road and get behind his men.

Whether the hordes will turn up remains to be seen, but there will be a strong Scottish media presence which will put the pressure on Lineen and his charges as they are right in the spotlight, and if the game is lost then the Warriors season will be over. Meanwhile, in slight contrast, Sarries go into the match relatively unnoticed as most of the English press and television attention will be on Northampton and Leicester in the Heineken Cup, and there is still the possibility of a play-off place in May to look forward to should they not make a home date with Bath in three weeks' time.


Saracens: T Castaignede; D Scarbrough, K Sorrell, A Farrell, K Ratuvou; G Jackson, N de Kock; K Yates, S Byrne, C Johnston, I Fullarton, S Raiwalui (capt), K Chesney, R Hill, B Skirving

Replacements: M Cairns, N Lloyd, T Ryder, P Gustard, M Rauluni, A Powell, R Penney

Glasgow Warriors: R Lamont; H O'Hare, G Morrison, A Henderson, T Evans; D Parks, G Beveridge; J Va'a, F Thomson, E Murray, A Newman, A Kellock (capt), S Swindall, J Beattie, J Barclay

Replacements: S Lawson, K Tkachuk, D Turner, A Wilson, D Macfadyen, C Gregor, C Shaw

Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)