Glen Jackson today paid tribute to the team spirit created by ex-director of rugby Eddie Jones which is underpinning Saracens' bid for a first trophy in 11 years.

Jones opted to quit the club in February in the face of what he believed was a South African "takeover" of operations at Vicarage Road. The transformation started with the £6million input of cash from an investment company followed by the arrival of a new chief executive, Edward Griffiths, and will be completed when former Springbok centre Brendan Venter assumes Jones's role next season.

Saracens take on Northampton tonight in the European Challenge Cup semi-final knowing the winner of the trophy will earn a vital qualifying place in next season's Heineken Cup, something the club failed to ensure by finishing in the top six of the Premiership.

Sarries' only trophy in the professional era was the English Cup in 1998, yet fly-half Jackson believes the work Jones did before his departure has ensured the club did not fragment, even when Venter told more than a dozen players they were no longer required.

He said: "We have had lots of ups and downs and what happened with Eddie leaving put a bit of a dent in the season. We have come back strongly and still have the chance to win a bit of silverware. It feels as if we have had three seasons in one.

"Eddie helped create a tight team and in previous years it was a club with a couple of splits but he really focused on ensuring that didn't happen. Credit has to go to Eddie for achieving this and we have been together for a while which has helped deal with the changes."

Jackson, who topped the Guinness Premiership points table with 239 in the regular season, is committed to another year at the club and there are reports that All Black lock Chris Jack may stay even though he was named as one of the key players leaving at the end of the season.

"I have a year left on my contract and I will definitely be here but other guys are keeping things close to the chests," added Jackson.

"I don't think anyone knows who is exactly leaving but the core of the team is remaining, which is important for Saracens.

"We were within a score of reaching the Heineken Cup Final last year against Munster and so we know we can do well at that level. We should be in the Cup rather than a second-rate competition that no one is really interested in. Personally, I want to be playing Heineken Cup rugby next year and I know that's what the boys want.

"We missed out on qualifying through the Premiership and this year that was a very tough route to negotiate with so many good teams in the mix.

"I don't think we scored as many tries as we could have done and if we can work on this area we can make a big improvement. I was lucky to steer clear of injury again this season and that allowed me to kick those points.

"Our way of making the Heineken Cup now is by winning the Challenge Cup and we fancy our chances against Northampton. Our defence has picked up and with Neil de Kock back at No9, our attacking play is good."

Jim Mallinder, the Northampton director of rugby, is wary of Sarries' threat and said: "They are playing well at the moment but we've got a good chance of making the final. However, a lot of their players have plenty of experience of playing international rugby and winning silverware."

Northampton will put their faith in livewire full-back Ben Foden to crack the Sarries defence alongside skipper Bruce Reihana, while up front they have Scotland tight-head prop Euan Murray, who is expected to be the Lions Test No3 in South Africa.

* Tonight, 8pm, Sky Sports 1