Grayson warns Saints not to get erratic against Timisoara

James Grayson is ready to take on Timisoara (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

With the black, green and gold big favourites to beat the Romanian minnows at Franklin's Gardens, Saints could be forgiven for showing plenty of early adventure.

But with a place the Challenge Cup quarter-finals on the line, they can't afford any slip-ups as they pursue a bonus-point success that would set up an away tie in the last eight.

Timisoara have been heavily beaten in all of the pool one matches they have played this season.

But Saints fly-half Grayson said: "This week's about us sticking to our processes and making sure we're as accurate as we can be.

"We've got lots of changes, boys coming in, coming back from injury, lacking game time and it's about us settling into the game early.

"We can't get erratic and wild with how we're trying to play.

"We've got to settle in and tries will come later in the game.

"We've not been able to see much of them so we're just talking about ourselves, what we do well, what we didn't do so well last week and how we're going to come out flying on Friday night."

Grayson showed his maturity last Saturday as he came off the bench after just 10 minutes in the 48-40 defeat at Clermont Auvergne.

It was a strong showing from the 20-year-old, who replaced the injured Dan Biggar.

And Grayson revelled in the experience of coming up against one of Europe's best sides on their own turf.

He said: "It was cool, a good place to play rugby and we played some pretty good rugby as well.

"It was nice to be involved in.

"We're obviously disappointed we came up just short - it felt like it was there for the taking at the end - but to go there and put that kind of performance in is pretty positive for us.

"I prefer it (coming on early) a little bit.

"I'd just sat down on the bench and was just getting warm, but coming on early gives you a chance to get settled into a game.

"You've got time to put your mark on the game whereas if you come on for the last 10 or 15 minutes you try to do it and you can end up making mistakes.

"I just tried to settle in and steer the ship."