ALTHOUGH no longer a national league club, Richmond still draw great respect within the rugby community.

With so much history to their proud name, having formed in 1861 and been one of the founding clubs of the RFU a decade later, they are opposition many clubs look forward to hosting.

This Saturday, at Down Grange, it's Basingstoke's turn to welcome Richmond and, while that welcome will be warm, Jim Dixon's side will be affording them no pleasantries on the pitch.

Taking the scalp of the fourth-placed London one side is vital to 'Stoke's ongoing bid to secure the points that will guarantee their league status for the 2005-06 campaign.

And Dixon is quietly confident his men will do just that in a game they are really keen to play in.

The 27-year-old player-coach said: "It's a big game everyone is excited about and we want to put in a good performance for our supporters.

"It brings our season full circle, as they were our first league opponents back in September. We did well at the Athletic Ground and were unfortunate to lose 17-8, with two sin-binnings costing us at crucial times.

"But we've become a far better side since then. The boys are feeling confident and are playing well at the moment.

"Richmond are already safe, whereas we're still playing for our future in the league, so that gives us an extra edge."

Dixon has been making sure that edge stays sharp thanks to some comprehensive training sessions over the past week.

Among the players he is maintaining a strong unity and work ethic - two factors that will continue during this week's preparations.

He wants to make sure all aspects of the 'Stoke game are finely honed over the next six days as, although they have won five of their last eight fixtures, there are still things to refine.

"Our ability to recycle good ball is improving and our set-piece play got better as the game against Bishop's Stortford progressed, but it still needs work," he explained. "So they are the main areas we will be working on in training ahead of the Richmond game."

'Stoke go into the match on a high after doing their bid for survival a power of good when they gained an important 25-10 away victory over Bishop's Stortford.

It moved them back up to eighth place in the league, ahead of Old Colfeians and Sutton and Epsom, who both lost, and whom 'Stoke have still to meet for a second time this season.

Speaking about the Stortford win, Dixon said: "Our defensive play was excellent. The whole team fronted up and put bodies on the line when they needed to.

"We'll have to put in the same kind of defensive effort against Richmond and we will, as it's a match the boys definitely want to win."