Melville gives up Tigers chase

London Wasps have set their sights on a top-four finish in the Zurich Premiership and a place in the Heineken Cup next season after giving up hope of catching leaders Leicester.

Third-placed Wasps trail the Tigers by nine points and director of rugby Nigel Melville said: "I don't think we are focusing on winning the championship, everyone's fighting for the top four. "There are about eight teams going for the three places behind Leicester."

Tomorrow Wasps face a tough test at in-form Northampton who are second in the table thanks to six wins in a row.

The Saints still harbour dreams of catching Leicester and their director of rugby John Steele said: "If we can beat Wasps and then win at Bath we will have gone some way towards giving ourselves a chance of the league.

"But it would be foolish to say that trying to catch Leicester is going to be easy."

Saracens entertain Bath tomorrow buoyed by their 30-14 victory over Harlequins on Wednesday when they ran in four tries. There are doubts over back-row forward Richard Hill, who is struggling with an ankle injury, and prop David Flatman, who has had flu.

London Irish face bottom-of-the-table Rotherham at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow.

The Exiles' director of rugby Dick Best is expecting to give a run out to some of the play-ers who have not been in the thick of the action during a tough Christmas schedule.

Best said: "Everyone is in bits going into a third game in a week so we will have to use the bench properly which is why I am pleased that players like Richard Kirke and Ryan Strudwick are available again after injury."