"THIS is D-day for us. We've got to perform. We've been having good success as a club for a while now, but this is game when we have to bring it all to fruition."

For a man focused on not letting the hype get to his men in the build-up to tomorrow's Powergen Vase semi-final against Heath at Sandylands, Skipton captain Declan Hayes is obviously not wanting to over-state the importance of tomorrow Powergen Vase semi-final against Heath at Sandylands (2.30).

When the passions and the invective are allowed to flow in the inner-sanctum of the pre-match dressing room it seems that the relatively fresh paintwork will be at risk and that a working party may be needed.

In the build-up, he has been at pains to keep the lid on the nervous tension which is unavoidable as the team faces arguably its biggest post-war match, with a trip to Twickenham the prize for the winners.

"I've been in a handful of semi-finals in various competitions in the past and I've found that the outcome can often depend on how teams approach these games and the amount of hype that is allowed to build-up in advance," says Hayes. "We had an extra session on Tuesday to make up for one that was lost to the weather last week, but that was more of a light workout and a quiet chat rather than anything heavy.

"I've wanted us to try to stay fairly calm, although I know that the game will be on everyone's mind all week. It's a big game for us and we can't avoid that, but it's very important that we progress steadily towards it rather than allowing the hype and the excitement to take over."

Hayes is also well aware that the threat posed by Heath cannot be minimised and that his team will need to be at their best to be sure of progress to the showpiece at Twickenham on April 20.

"Last season Heath beat us at Sandylands in the opening weeks of the season and we managed a draw over at Halifax," he says. "On the latter occasion I can remember that we were very disappointed with the result whereas they were quite relieved, but that doesn't lessen our awareness of the threat they pose.

"They may be a division below us, but I'm sure they are as good as any team in Yorkshire Two. They are doing really well at the top of their section and above all, they are a team which has developed a winning habit. We've had some good wins ourselves, but getting the better of a team which has been winning consistently is never easy. But that's what we have to do.

"We came through a stiff test against Northallerton last week very well. It was a fairly physical affair and their back-row left us with a few bruises, but they didn't cross our line and we won. Heath have only conceded 81 points in 15 league games, so I expect it to be a very tight game.

"We've been together now for three years and we've progressed well. We're not short of confidence and I'm sure that if we can produce our best form, we will win."In personnel terms, it seems that both sides should be at strength, although Heath have the Gillespie brothers, both key men, to check on before naming their side.

The only absentee from the Skipton squad will be Neil King, who is on 'best man' duties, but Kiwi Duncan Brown returns at scrum-half after missing his first game since joining the club last weekend as a precautionary measure.

Also back on the bench are lock Andy Townsend, who is back from holiday, and Chris Howarth, who damaged a rib in the win at Millom.

Opinions vary as to the exact status of the game in terms of the club's proud record, but there will probably be general agreement that it ranks alongside anything that has happened at the club since the Yorkshire Cup final in 1949.

Skipton: D Howson; P Lacy, A Maldera, A Porter, M Beech; A Oldfield, D Brown; R Birks, D Hayes, G Newhouse, A Winthrop, M Davison, I Scrivin, J Morgan. Replacements: C Howarth, C Watts, A Townsend, M Jones, G Heims and A Hill.