By Bryn Palmer

Sarries earned some breathing space by beating Bristol

One is into it up to their necks; the other three could yet be dragged down into the relegation quicksand.

The lower reaches of the Zurich Premiership are not a pleasant place to be right now, and the tension is set to rise several notches over the next week.

In that period, the fearful four trying to stave off the financial calamity of losing their elite status each play their final match of the campaign.

Pretty it will not be. Anxious, brutal, excruciating, it will.

Big-spending Saracens, after moving five points clear of the bottom despite losing to Newcastle, can afford to breathe a little easier than the rest.

Bath would need to win, gain maximum bonus points for scoring four tries or more and improve their points difference over Sarries to cause the Londoners to contemplate a drop into Division One.

Bristol and London Irish would also need to gain maximum bonus points for Saracens to be relegated.

Bath are up to their necks in trouble

Bath, six-times English champions and European Cup winners as recently as 1998, have been in freefall for the past two years.

No wonder director of rugby Jack Rowell, who guided them to a series of triumphs in the 1980s and 90s, describes the next week as "a crucial part of the club's history." "The season is on a knife-edge and it is not good for anyone's nerves," Rowell said.

"Which way the chips are going to fall, no-one can tell. But we need to be together on and off of the field to tip the scales our way."

The club are undoubtedly in the most precarious position, bottom of the league with 32 points after the defeat to Bristol. Victory against Newcastle, therefore, is vital.

Both Bath and Bristol have made the headlines this week off the pitch, with news of a possible merger between the two teams.

Such a move may be a smart way of offsetting the conseqeuences of relegation for either club, but is hardly likely to have supporters reaching for the cider.

Bristol will survive if Bath lose to the Falcons, although bonus points may be required against London Irish if their near neighbours win.

As to whether any of the players will still be around next season, coach Peter Thorburn remains philosophical.

"I've no control over it," he sighed. "Whatever happens is in the hands of other people. All we can do is go out and avoid relegation."

Irish are in a marginally worse position, one point shy of Bristol before Saturday's crucial game.

"It is getting more like the last chance saloon for us with every week," director of rugby Conor O'Shea said before the crucial victory at Leicester last Saturday.

For one of the four teams, that particular bar will run dry this Saturday.