BASINGSTOKE chairman of playing John Byett says he expects the London one division to be just as difficult and competitive next season.

His battling team guaranteed their league status with a tense 29-17 win over Sutton and Epsom and Byett is anticipating another hard-fought season in 2005-06.

He said: "It will be hard for us again because we'll be up against clubs with more resources who can afford to recruit good players.

"I know London Scottish have already made moves to sign six new players, while Richmond will be strong again. And the two clubs coming up, Ealing and Staines, won't be easy pickings.

"We also don't yet know who will go up out of Cambridge and Worthing. One of them may still be in London one if they don't go up automatically or via the play-off. So it's going to be as tough next season as it was this time."

However, outside of the top two this season, Byett said he didn't think there was much between the remaining teams and wouldn't be again, despite the wealth some can throw around.

He cited 'Stoke's run of form in 2005 - six wins from nine outings and good performances against the bigger clubs even when they lost - as evidence that they will cope.

He added: "We played all the big sides early on when we were getting to grips with the league as a young team building for the future.

"It was a tough start for us and losing 10 of the first 12 almost proved fatal.

"It would've been disastrous to get relegated with all that is happening at the club.

"It was 50-50 at Christmas whether we would stay up, but Jim (Dixon) and the guys really turned things around. It's great we are staying up.

"We've got a team who have got a year's London one experience under their belts and there are 10 ex-Colts involved who have been playing rugby together for years.

"I think we will see the benefits of that next season, and we can start planning now we are safe.

"We'll be sitting down and talking to players about what we can do to keep them here because we don't want to lose anyone, and we'll be on the lookout for new players too this summer."