Portsmouth are told to play with control

The senior coach feels the team that makes the fewest mistakes will come out on top.

It is a huge game for both sides. Portsmouth sit second and Battersea are two points and two places below them.

And McRoberts has demanded his troops not to '˜do anything stupid' at Rugby Camp. 

He said: '˜This is a massive game and another win will set us up nicely and continue our momentum.

'Our focus has been on making sure we don't have a big error count. This will be a big factor in who comes out on top.

'We know the conditions are likely to be damp and greasy. We may have to rein some aspects of our game in.

'It is up to us to adapt our game to deal with that.

'The team that plays the most conservatively and makes the fewest number of mistakes will have the best chance of winning the game.

'˜We have to show good control and not do anything stupid.'

The hosts are boosted by the return Ben Lanigan and Rhys Bowen.

The forwards could have a big part to play, with conditions expected to be tricky.

McRoberts added: '˜We must look to control the patterns of play and make it count near the try line.

'It is when you try to force things that mistakes are made.

'We have to make sure that we're 100 per cent ready and be clinical in our finishing. The conditions will suit us providing we play our phases.

'˜If it does dry out a bit then we also possess the three-quarters to hurt teams.'