OUR season is probably going to hinge on what happens this weekend and I don't foresee any of the players freezing on the big occasion.

Quite simply, we have been under pressure since the very start of the season and if we were going to freeze, it would have happened by now. I think we have a distinct advantage in that sense.

Depending on how Northampton get on when they play Wasps at Sunday lunchtime, we could secure safety but - whatever happens in High Wycombe - we know what we have to do in our match at London Irish and that is win.

I think as players we have to accept the fear and accept what is riding on the game but make sure we have got the ability to function.

On Saturday, we met a pretty good side in Bristol who are playing well at the moment.

We played some good rugby but ultimately we didn't do quite enough.

We have got to try to look at it as a positive though. When you consider the result in the game between Newcastle and Northampton, it didn't prove a bad weekend for us and now we have a great opportunity on Sunday.

Of course we were frustrated after the game and we wondered whether we had missed a big opportunity but straight away we decided to move on and start thinking about the next game.

At this stage of the season, we can't afford to dwell on the negatives and so we changed our focus to this weekend.

I think we can be pleased with the two tries we scored. Thinus Delport is absolutely on fire at the moment and he scored a great try.

Thinus is a match-winner and, in the situation we find ourselves in, we need guys who can win games for us.

Our good rugby was reflected in our first try. We are not that far away and everybody is feeling pretty positive at the moment.

I think we always expected Newcastle to win their game because they are playing some good rugby but you need an element of luck and it was a very useful result for us.

Northampton have now got a huge game against Wasps and, like us, they will know exactly what they have to do.

There are no second chances at this stage of the season.

As for our opponents, it will be London Irish's last home game of the season and they will have a big crowd there.

Although qualification for Europe might not mean much at the moment, they will still be determined to finish in the top six and they have got plenty to play for.

I expect them to come out very, very hard and we have got to be right on our game.

These sort of matches are often won between the ears and it is up to us to hold our nerve.