Saints and Bristol call up reserves for vital game

Both Northampton and Bristol are drawing on reserves and Academy players for tonight's crucial Premiership encounter at Franklin's Gardens.

Northampton's head coach, Wayne Smith, has drafted in the Academy players Ian Vass, Darren Fox, Dan Richmond, Mark Tucker and Robbie Morris to start after injuries to Nick Beal, Chris Hyndman and Matt Lord.

As the Saints attempt to bounce back from their defeats in the Heineken and Powergen Cups, Smith said: "The losses at Twickenham and Toulouse have increased the importance of the match against Bristol. We have to win the remaining Zurich Premiership matches to give ourselves a chance of appearing in Europe again next year."

The game will mark Dan Richmond's last match for the Saints before he has knee surgery tomorrow, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

Bristol are in danger of relegation after dropping to second from bottom place. As they try to dig themselves out of trouble, they have recalled Richard Skuse from Welsh side Caerphilly, even though the recall deadline was 1 March. Documents to prove that front-row regulars Julian White, Darren Crompton and Emi Bergamaschi were injured had to be shown to the Rugby Football Union for permission to be granted for Skuse to play. Skuse will make his league debut at Franklin's Gardens and his head coach, Peter Thorburn, said he has confidence in the youngster.

"I have no fears over Richard Skuse," Thorburn said. "He played well against the American Eagles a fortnight ago. Caerphilly have done a good job with him."

Northampton's international winger Ben Cohen has protested his innocence after appearing to kick Toulouse winger Vincent Clerc in the head during Saturday's Heineken Cup defeat. The incident happened just before half-time, when the pair clashed and Clerc had to visit the blood bin due to a cut on his head during Toulouse's 32-16 semi-final win.

But Cohen said he did nothing wrong, claiming "these things get blown all out of proportion". He added: "Anyone who looks at the episode again on video will be able to see that the only part of him that my foot made contact with was actually his armpit and that was accidental as I was falling at the time."

European Rugby Cup confirmed that Toulouse have made no official complaint over the matter.