Mallinder urges ruthlessness

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder has urged his players not to show opponents Castres too much respect tomorrow evening.

The Saints travel to France to face the Top 14 side in the second round of the Heineken Cup Pool stage, where they will aim to make it two wins from two following last week's victory over Glasgow. Castres, meanwhile, are searching for a response following defeat to Ulster in week one, but Northampton boss Mallinder has warned his players against letting their opponents dictate the play. "We need to step up. We know that when we're on the ball and on the money, we're a very good side," he said. "But when we take our foot off a little bit and relax and give them a little bit of respect, we're not very good." Victory for Northampton would take the team tantalisingly close to securing a place in the top two of Pool 4, which would guarantee the team's passage into the next stage of the competition. Elsewhere in Pool 4, Ulster travel to face Glasgow, where defeat for the Scots could spell the end of their qualification hopes even at this early stage.