RANGERS defensive legend Colin Jackson reckons it is vital Walter Smith's troops deliver a no-nonsense defensive display against Hibs at Ibrox on Saturday.

The Light Blues have shipped damaging goals at the set-piece against both Hearts and Dundee United in recent weeks that has seen questions raised about the Ibrox central defence.

But Bomber, who alongside Tom "Jaws" Forsyth formed the formidable tough-as-teak partnership moulded by Jock Wallace in the seventies, believes injury has been the cause of the defensive uncertainty infecting the Gers rearguard of late.

And as he looked forward to the visit of a Hibs side who have inflicted one of only two defeats in the last 35 Ibrox home curtain calls - Lyon in the Champions League in December 2007 being the other - Jackson urged Gers to get physical.

He said: "Hibs will pose a big threat. They were the last Scottish side to win at Ibrox and have had a bit of success there in recent years. On top of that they have already accounted for Celtic, at Easter Road and will be desperate to do the Old Firm double.

"They also have players who will ask questions of Rangers from the set-piece and of late that has been a problem for us.

"So If Rangers don't get it right at the back then they will have a hard afternoon ahead.

"I don't think there is any doubt that Hibs will be out to test them from set-pieces or the long ball straight from the off. It is vital that the Rangers central defence respond robustly to the challenge.

"Whether they go for an in-your-face approach or look to match runners they need to get it right and they must try to physically dictate. I think Hibs can be intimidated in that respect.

"But I have to say that Hibs blow hot and cold and a lot will depend on their mindset for Saturday's game. They are capable of playing some great stuff but also of failing to produce."

Jackson has no doubt that the recent fallibility at centre-back has been down to the break-up of the temporary Davie Weir/ Madjid Bougherra axis.

He said: "I think the key to the problems at the back revolve around a lack of continuity. Madjid Bougherra came in at the start of the season and has formed a really good partnership with Davie Weir at centre-back and things were looking pretty much rock solid until Bougherra got injured and missed the games with St Mirren and then Aberdeen.

"Then Lee McCulloch has come in for a couple of games before Madjid came back at Tynecastle.

"Any defender will tell you that when you are in and out of a side and partnerships are broken up at the back it does have a knock on.

"At centre-back everything is based on trust and understanding and when you have changes in personnel then that will be affected."

He went on: "Since Bougherra was injured the first time we have had Davie Weir playing alongside McCulloch, then Bougherra back in and then it was Kirk Broadfoot who partnered him.

"So all continuity has gone at centre-back and in that respect it is not surprising there have been problems."

Jackson continued: "A lot is going to depend on who plays at centre-back alongside Davie Weir against Hibs on Saturday.

"If Bougherra is fit and back playing then I don't see many problems. The first time I saw him I had made my mind up within 10 minutes that you'll do for Rangers'.

"Madjid has it all in terms of pace, strength and positioning and he is still in his early 20s.

"Davie Weir may be at the wrong end of 30 but I'm sure he will see the job through until the end of the season.

"The problem will be if Walter has to shuffle his cards again and bring in someone else alongside Weir if Bougherra has not recovered.

"But I would imagine that Walter has had a lot of work done on the training paddock in that respect so that if Madjid is not available again then whoever comes in will be well drilled and ready for Hibs."

The Gers legend has no doubt that Smith's side must give themselves a winning foundation against Hibs with which to build for a second helping of Old Firm glory on December 27.

Bomber said: "The one thing Rangers can't afford is a damaging display against Hibs to be going into the Old Firm game.

"If they concede more bad goals like the Lee Wilkie back-post volley at Tannadice then there will be a confidence issue going into Celtic.

"Boys like Stephen McManus will be a real threat in the Old Firm game on the set-piece and Georgios Samaras has also impressed me in that regard.

"So Rangers need to get it right at the back against Hibs to give them a foundation for the Celtic game.

"But I believe they will and if they can end the year with two wins then I think Rangers will be in a very strong position to challenge for the title successfully in the New Year." Old Firm strike duo

By Bert Mitchell OVER a near 20-year Rangers career spanning 506 appearances between 1963-1982, Colin Jackson came up against top Scottish striking talent.

The man he rates as the hottest handful of them all was former Celt John "Dixie" Deans, but despite some fiery encounters between the duo Bomber revealed they regularly indulged in a post-mortem over a pint in city restaurant Rogano.

Jackson said: "He loved the rough and tumble and for a relatively small guy he was immensely powerful and pretty fiery into the bargain. You knew you'd never get a minute's peace.

"The best way to handle him was to be in his face from the first minute though. If he could sense you weren't up for it he was a nightmare.

"At times when I was marking him in the box it was like Come Dancing. We'd take three steps one way and two back with arms interlocked and on an occasion, I admit, a fistful of jersey or anything else I could get my hands on!

"We became pretty good friends off the park and on quite a few occasions we'd meet up at the Rogano for a quiet shandy to dissect the action.

"He was one of these guys who commanded your respect and you only have to look at his goal-scoring record to see why he got it."