Saints boss Boyd expects play-off race to 'go down to the wire'

And the Saints boss knows his side must not lose any ground when they face two of their top-four rivals during the next couple of weekends.

Boyd's men host third-placed Gloucester this afternoon (kick-off 3pm) before travelling to fourth-placed Harlequins next Saturday.

Fifth-placed Saints are currently nine points adrift of Gloucester and eight behind Quins with just five games to go.

And Boyd said: "We could get two wins in the next two weeks and still only be fifth.

"What we do know is that if we don't get wins we'll slide down the ladder so every point is vital.

"There are probably 10 teams where every point is vital for something.

"There's no let-up in this competition - it's going to go down to the wire."

Saints have been beaten in both of their meetings with Gloucester this season, losing at Kingsholm on Premiership opening day in September before suffering a narrow defeat at the same ground in the Premiership Rugby Cup in November.

And Boyd said: "They're a really good side and they deserve to be where they are.

"Their last away game, (the 29-7 win) against Harlequins, was particularly impressive.

"They haven't got a lot of weaknesses; they've got a big, strong forward pack and a bit of a pupeteer at 10 (Danny Cipriani), who runs the show really nicely for them.

"They've got some good attacking shapes and they're going to be a handful."