Harlequins will be massive step up for Saints: Wilson
Saints No.8 Roger Wilson has warned his team-mates tomorrow's clash with in-form with Harlequins will be a massive step up in class after back-to-back wins in Europe.
Northampton return to Premiership action at Franklin's Gardens after running in 14 tries in beating Bristol home and away to secure their quarter-final spot in the European Challenge Cup.
But Harlequins have been wowing Europe by doing the double over French powerhouse Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup, with the first win coming in front of 78,000 Parisians.
They come to the Gardens bang in form and full of confidence and a real threat to Saints' 24-game unbeaten home run as Jim Mallinder's men look to extend their four-point cushion over bottom-side Bristol.
Wilson said: "If we can continue our home form we should do quite well, but we mustn't get complacent with the last couple of weeks, because it is a hell of a step up.
"They were quite impressive in beating Stade Francais, especially that win in Paris, you don't do that without being a good team. They are one of the top four or five teams in the Premiership.
"There is quite a big difference from the Challenge Cup to the Premiership. Winning at Bristol, our first away win in England this season, has kind of lifted a bit of pressure off us and give us a bit more confidence and a bit of momentum into this week. But this will be a massive step up, Quins have just had two massive wins, so they will be on a high."
And Wilson feels Saints have to slow down Harlequins' young and nippy backline led by England's effervescent Danny Care at scrum-half if they are to win.
"They like to speed the game up as much as they can from lineouts, free-kicks, anywhere," said Wilson. "They just want to get the ball in and play rugby.
"We are actually not too dissimilar ourselves, we like to speed the game up at times too.
"For them we want to slow it down, for us we want to speed it up. We have to watch out for Danny Care, especially his tap-and-goes at penalties. We've had that drilled into us all week. He likes to have a go the whole time, so we have to be on our toes."
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Tributes paid to Niamh Curry as brave five-year-old loses battle against cancer
- BREAKING NEWS: Pensioner dies after collision at Northampton shopping centre
- Man tied to tree and beaten on Northampton Racecourse
- BREAKING NEWS: Woman’s body found after ‘suicide’ in Northampton hotel room
- BREAKING NEWS: Seven-year-old boy dies following house fire in Northamptonshire
- Staff strike at Northampton school over academy plans forces closure
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Saints’ stadium plans get support as long as traffic issues solved
- Eastern European pupils helping school standards across Northampton
- Exclusive: PM David Cameron says Northamptonshire Police Commissioner role is “a big job for a big local figure”
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
