LEAGUE-leading Saints will take a very young squad to London on Sunday - but Justin Holbrook insists they are still going with a winning mindset.
A 10-point lead at the summit means that, a week before the Challenge Cup semi-final with Halifax, they have the luxury of resting a significant number of first team regulars.
Last time out at Ealing they omitted four key men and lost to the relegation battlers.
This time an even greater number of senior players will sit it out, but Holbrook maintains they are going to the capital to win.
He said: “There is a much bigger picture for us.
“We want to win this week, but we have to be smart about it.
“We will give a lot of guys, who have been waiting for an opportunity, a go.”
He accepts fielding a weakened team could be a red rag to the London bull, and his players will be prepared for that.
“Whenever you rest players you give an incentive to the opposition.
“They are going to use this to say it is disrespectful but it has just fallen on the right time for us to give blokes, who are carrying bumps and bruises, a rest. I will probably rest at least nine or 10.
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“I definitely know that Cootey, Tommy, Jonny, Theo, Dom Peyroux, Kevin Naiqama, Big Al, and possibly Tommo won’t play.
“I don’t think we will play Robes this week, either.
“It is a danger game this week for those reasons and London are going to look at it and think it is the same again, but we are still going there to win the game,” he said.
Mark Percival is also expected to be among the Saints absentees.
Teenage centre Josh Simm - the grandson of former Saints skipper Geoff Pimblett - is likely to make his debut.
The back is likely to be formed by Joe Batchelor, James Bentley and Morgan Knowles.
There could also be an opportunity for Callum Hazzard and hooker Josh Eaves.
“Last time down in London we picked a side good enough to win, but fell just short.
“We will be going down there to win but we need to go there and execute better,” Holbrook said.
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