THERE was no fairy-tale homecoming to Franklin's Garden for Buck Shelford who saw his Saracens side out-muscled and out-played by Northampton Saints on Saturday, February 8.

Shelford, who achieved cult status during his spell at Northampton in the mid-90's, was far from happy at his side's languid performance and admits he is still searching for a solution to solve the Men in Black's chronic away form which is undermining their bid to break into the top six.

"I was disappointed with our performance," lamented the head coach. "We just weren't in the game and we must get away from this home and away scenario where you are really up for the home games and then go away and just don't perform.

"We competed for the opening minutes and then after we lost a couple of players through injury we just folded and made so many unforced errors that there was no way we could keep our hands on the ball.

"I don't want to make excuses, but we weren't helped when we lost Abdel and Kevin in the same minutes and this disrupted us.

"We'd talked so much leading up to the game about looking after the ball and playing the game our way but on the day we let Northampton dictate the game and just handed over possession.

"Northampton played pretty well, but we didn't play that well and we made a lot of errors. We scored three tries which is very encouraging but our handling mistakes were terrible. We will keep fighting and we have five more home games left which is good."

As the Six Nations takes centre stage, it provides an opportunity for the non-international players to re-charge their batteries ahead of the run-in.

"It's a good time to get on top of injuries that's for sure," said Shelford. "There are a lot players carrying niggles and players like Kris (Chesney) have played a lot of rugby and need a chance to recoup.

"When I say the players are taking a break I don't mean from training, just from the impact of the game situation. This week we're going to be doing weights and fitness work along with a lot of skills sessions, even though we haven't got a game for a few weeks we have to keep the fitness levels up, otherwise when we come to play Bath the only guys that will be ready are the ones returning from international duty.

"I wish all the guys luck in the Six Nations and just ask them all to come back in one piece. Bath away is our next game but we'll have to wait until the week before until we can really start to look at what sort of team we will have with the demands on our top guys from their international duties."

Meanwhile, Kevin Sorrell's season was left in tatters after it was revealed that the centre suffered a fractured skull during the defeat at Northampton on Saturday and will be out of action for two and a half months.

The 25-year-old left the field clutching his face after a collision with Andrew Blowers and was rushed to hospital. Initial results show fractures to the skull which will keep the vice-captain sidelined for up to ten weeks with the decision on whether he needs an operation to be made after further tests.

Tim Horan will appear before an RFU Disciplinary Panel at the High Wycombe Holiday Inn on Tuesday February, 25 after being cited for punching Marcel Garvey in the Zurich Premiership clash at home to Gloucester at the start of the month.

Gloucester's Robert Todd will appear before the same panel after also being cited in the same match for a reckless high-tackle that left Kyran Bracken concussed.

Saracens Zurich Premiership fixture away at Bath Rugby, due to be played on Saturday 19th April, has now been brought forward to Saturday March 1, kick-off 2.15pm.