'We want to go as far as we can' - Saints eye cup knockout stages
James Craig says Saints are eager to test themselves in the knockout stages of the Premiership Rugby Cup this season.
The black, green and gold travel to Nottingham on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm) looking to make sure of a quarter-final spot.
They could even get a home tie should they win and other results go their way.
And Saints coach Craig said: “It's an opportunity for us to go and win something.
“The chance to play in quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals - we'll never get that enough, so we want to go and push on as far as we can in this competition.
“It's a chance for the younger group to keep playing together and for them to get that cohesion and learn those lessons they need to learn to keep developing.
“You look at the performance against Coventry (Saints won 50-23 last Saturday) and see the performance we produced with a pretty similar playing group that took the field against them earlier in the season, and it was so much better than the one away from home (which Saints won 19-10).
“The one away was good enough to win the game, but the one last Saturday was a significant step up so that's a real positive for us as a club and for those lads who can see significant improvements four months later.”
Saints beat Nottingham 31-29 at the Gardens back in November.
And Craig said: “It's another good challenge for us.
“It's a chance for the younger end of our squad to play together and it's a great opportunity which offers a lot of value in terms of development as individuals and as a team in the short term and long term.
“It's been a great competition for us and we're looking forward to Friday night as well as the opportunity to hopefully progress as well.”