'Same guys, different order' - Ferguson discusses Saints' coaching setup for cup clashes

Ferguson will again be at the helm, as he was for the game at London Irish last Tuesday, when Saints host Saracens at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

Director of rugby Phil Dowson and head coach Sam Vesty will still be in attendance, but it is assistant coach Ferguson who is given the task of guiding the team.

And when asked how much difference that will make to his night's work, Ferguson said: "Very little - I just get to talk to the backs for a little bit, which I don't normally do.

"We're a very integrated coaching group and actually it's an opportunity for Jake Sharpe to lead on the attack with (Sam) Vesty looking over his shoulder rather than vice versa.

"I'm the greyest so therefore I'm asked to sit in that role.

"It's nothing significantly different because all of our coaches will be there.

"It's a good opportunity for me to speak to a team in terms of leading the theme of the week and before a game.

"I'll get some feedback from Dows on how he thought that went, but it's nothing significantly different and I have no ambition of being a long-term No.1, for sure.

"It's the same group of guys but maybe in a different order."

Saints go into tonight's cup clash seeking a victory, having lost four of their five games in all competitions so far this season.

"The frustration is that we talk about if we perform, more often than not the result will take care of itself," said Ferguson, who saw Saints suffer a 35-29 Gallagher Premiership defeat at Harlequins on Sunday.

"If you look back at all the games, our performance hasn't been good enough for long enough.

"We haven't put our game on the park for long enough.

"I don't think it matters who you play, if you give opportunities to teams to get points and apply pressure you're going to struggle.

"If we actually feel we perform well for 80 minutes and put our game on the park, it will take a very good team to beat us.

"There have been periods that have gone well but we've just fallen away and given teams ins.

"It's a different feeling to if you're playing poorly and struggling to get things together.

"Teams have scored too easily from their pressure and we haven't made enough of ours - that's the headline for me."