Venter unimpressed as in-form Saints await

LV= CUP

SARACENS rugby director Brendan Venter has warned his players they will not win the Guinness Premiership if they make the kind of mistakes he sat through at Vicarage Road yesterday.

Despite losing 23-22 to an impressive Newport Gwent Dragons side, the complex regulations of the LV= Anglo-Welsh Cup mean Saracens go through to a semi-final at Northampton on March 14 by virtue of the losing bonus point.

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Had they beaten the Dragons, Saracens would have faced Cardiff away on the same day but reaching the last four was Venter's target – although the error count against his team left the former South African centre less than impressed.

Venter, whose side's 28-5 win at Leeds 10 days ago was crucial for their progression, said: "We will not win the Premiership if we play like that and I have told the players it's important that we learn from this experience. If we want to be the best in the league we have to eradicate those mistakes."

Saracens scrum half Neil de Kock said: "We could have handled the end of the game better but we are in the semi-final now and that's what matters.

Gloucester provide the opposition for holders Cardiff in the last four –in a repeat of last year's Anglo-Welsh final – after they secured their place in the last four with a last-gasp 31-29 away win over Harlequins.

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Fly-half Tim Taylor's last-kick conversion after full-back Tom Voyce grabbed Gloucester's fifth try in the final minute enabled Brian Redpath's side to edge out Welsh side Scarlets at the top of Pool Two.

Taylor, bidding for a contract for next season after joining Gloucester on loan from Championship side Nottingham two weeks ago, kept his cool to secure the bonus-point victory after his side had trailed 20-0 after 25 minutes.

Northampton – England's sole representatives in the last eight of the Heineken Cup – continued their assault on three trophies when they defeated an error-strewn Leicester Tigers 23-11 to complete the pool stage as the only unbeaten side.

Saints forwards coach Dorian West said: "This was our 11th win in 12 matches and winning is a good habit to have. We prepare to win every game and with a small squad it is an exceptional achievement that we are still competing on three fronts.

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Cardiff Blues revealed they adopted a positive approach to their derby clash with the Scarlets in order to make sure they got the bonus-point win that booked their semi-final place.

They won 38-23 at Parc y Scarlets and Blues No 8 Xavier Rush said: "We knew we needed to get the four tries and the five points, and that's why we didn't take any shots at goal earlier."

Newcastle rugby director Steve Bates played his fringe players in a 9-3 defeat to Wasps that left Falcons without a win in any of their four pool games.