By Jason Harris
May 17 2003

Saracens head into the Wilcdard Playoff semi-final second leg match with Leeds knowing that their opponents have a huge mountain to climb if they are to overhaul the 36-point defecit after the first game in Watford. But coach Wayne Shelford is adamant that Sarries will be in Leeds to win leg two. Shelford said this week that although his squad is very tired as they go into their seventh game in just 22 days, they will go to Headingley with orders to take victory in the match, rather than defend the huge lead they amassed at Vicarage Road by beating the Tykes 57-21.

The former All Black makes minimal changes to his squad for a game which, if things work out for them, will put them just 80 minutes from Heineken Cup rugby for the first time in three seasons.

Captain and scrum half Kyran Bracken sustained a minor knock in the first leg and so won't feature this time. His place is taken by Morgan Williams and Dan Kirton covers half back from the bench.

In-form Richard Haughton, rested for last Wednesday's encounter, returns on the right wing in place of try scorer Tom Shanklin who will sit amonst the replacements.

The other two changes are in the front row. Matt Cairns is back at hooker in place of Robbie Russell whose throwing-in was a rare bad point in an otherwise brilliant Saracens performancei last time out.

Kiwi prop Mike Storey, fresh from a short sabbatical, returns in place of Christian Califano. Califano injured himself in the first leg against Leeds and with rumours of an impending return to his homeland rife in the press, the 65-time capped Frenchman may well have played his last game for the club should he not recover in time for the final on 31 May.

Leeds boss Phil Davies makes half a dozen changes of his own after being deprived of several key players in leg one due to injury and after he had possibly made some erroneous selections.

Mike Shelley, Cammy Mather, Chris Emmerson, Mark Regan, Dan Scarbrough and Derek Hegarty all come into the side. However, Davies is still without the services of points machine Braam van Straaten and England lock Tom Palmer; two very influential players.

It goes without saying that to lose an advantage greather than the equivalent of five converted tries would be more than a little careless. But Phil Davies remains defiant insisting that if Sarries could put 50 on Leeds at Vicarage Road, then his Tykes side are capable of doing the same at Headingley.

Unfortunately for Davies, the task his men will be out to complete will be even more tough than the Welshman's words. Leeds will want to go out on a high in front of their own fans by beating the team against whom they have a decent record.

Sarries will want to continue turning on the style and finally get their first away win against and English side in over eight months. I'll back them to go through to the final - who wouldn't - but after a similar situation in Newcastle earlier this season ended in relative disappointment, I'm not sure whether they will be switched on enough to win on the day.