Tom Wood cautious of wounded Saracens heading into semi-final showdown

Tom Wood has insisted that Northampton Saints' recent success against semi-final opponents Saracens "will count for very little" when they come face to face this weekend.

The two teams meet at Franklin's Gardens in the final four of the Aviva Premiership playoffs, aiming to secure a place in the end-of-season showdown.

Saints, who finished top of the regular table, beat Saracens 24-20 after extra time in a dramatic final 12 months ago, while also claiming a first league double in more than 10 years against their rivals earlier this season.

"It was only a few years ago that they seemed to beat us regularly, and on the big occasions as well," England flanker Wood told Sky Sports News. "They did us the year before I arrived here in a semi-final.

"We seem to have bucked that trend slightly at the minute, and we are having the run of things, but all that will count for very little at the weekend. It is a one-off game on the day.

"We know what a quality side Saracens are. They went furthest of all the English teams in the European Champions Cup this season. We have beaten them twice this year and hopefully we have got them figured out, but we won't be counting our chickens because we know what quality they will bring."

Bath Rugby take on Leicester Tigers in the other semi-final this weekend.