WE need a bonus-point win against Enisei-STM this evening to make sure we head to Brive with a chance of the quarter-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup and that means Nick Crosswell will have some calls to make.

'Crossy' will be captain tonight while I am given a breather and I am sure his experience will come through when faced with decisions.

We need to score tries and we want to play positive rugby but the old adage of building a score is appropriate.

As a captain it's almost easy to make decisions early on in the game because it's all about putting points on the scoreboard and applying pressure that way.

A side that is 3-0 down plays differently to a side that in behind by 12 points, they tend to chase the game and you can make the most of their mistakes.

On the whole we have been pretty good at Rodney Parade when building a score and we showed that last week by edging clear of Treviso in what was a pretty comfortable win in the end.

I've certainly learned my lessons this season as captain because when we played Zebre in our first home game of the year we were guilty of trying to play too much and we chased the killer blow too often and too soon.

It was a frustrating evening and I remember making the decision to go to the corner from penalties in the closing stages, which backfired because in the end they left with a bonus point from an 11-6 defeat while we were never going to score four tries at that stage.

I'd like to think that I have learnt my lesson and that's why I kicked the ball off at the end of our game against Edinburgh when we had scored three tries but had an eight-point lead.

Sure, we could've scored a long-range try but we could also have gifted a consolation to a side who we are battling for places with in the Guinness PRO12.

Hindsight can be a wonderful thing for a captain, just ask Chris Robshaw after the last World Cup.

Conditions didn't really allow us to chase the bonus point at the end of the game against Treviso but hopefully that will be different this evening.

However, there is no danger of us taking Enisei lightly after they did a job on us 38-18 in October.

I didn't play in Russia but it was clear from watching the footage that they were a very big, powerful team who can be devastating when carrying in the 22.

It's stating the obvious but we have to stop them getting in our territory and giving them opportunities to make yards with their one-out rugby.

I've started seven games on the bounce so have been given tonight off along with a few other boys.

It's been a pretty brutal schedule with the Worcester double-header, the derbies against Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys then last week's game against Treviso.

Rotation is healthy for the body and mind and it's also important that the boys coming in feel that they have a chance to stake a claim for a starting spot.

When you are given a rested week you pass into the jurisdiction of our head of strength and conditioning Ryan Harris.

The week doesn't involve so much work out on the training pitch and instead you are in the gym doing work that is specific to your position or any little niggles that you've had.

I've been doing the dreaded stair runs and a weekend off is essential because it's just not possible to start 20-odd games a year any more if you are to maintain high standards.

Kingsley Jones and the coaches have made changes for tonight's game but we know how huge it is and the side that takes to the field is more than capable of setting up next week's trip to France.