Basingstoke want their trophy back!

Having won the county competition for the previous five seasons, the Down Grange outfit have been talking about nothing else over the last week. In fact, according to coach Jim Dixon, it has been an underlying issue for the last nine months.

That shock 9-5 reverse at the Goodship Ground - a result that no one outside All Black territory expected - reverberated around north Hampshire and capped a terrible season for Basingstoke.

However, on the back of a good run of league form, which has seen them win four of their last six that has eased their relegation fears and were unlucky not to sting top four side Canterbury last week, Dixon wants that Hampshire Cup back in the cabinet.

And there is no fear of him tinkering with his side for the trip to Barry Bridgman's Winchester tomorrow, selecting his strongest possible side that is only minus long-term injury absentee, skipper Kelvin Chapman.

The hosts, however, are without three of their back division as James Bingham is injured while Adam Smith and recent signing from Havant, Adam Balls, are both on Hampshire Under-20 duty at Esher.

Dixon, in his third Hampshire Cup game, was stung by events at Andover in March last year, where he came on as a replacement and knows that his side cannot take hit-and-miss Winchester lightly at all.

"The cup means a lot to this club," the New Zealander said. "But as it proved last year, we need to go into every single game with the right mindset and the boys are really up for it.

"We held the cup for a long time and the guys want to put things right from last year and that will start on Saturday. I am sure we will start as favourites, but we have prepared for this game like any other and are very keen to get to another final."

However, Winchester, with home advantage, will be going out to stop them and their coach Barry Bridgman is hoping that his side can reproduce the form that almost dented Jersey's unbeaten league form recently.

"But if we produce the form of last week against Effingham, then we have absolutely no chance! We can win this game though if we play the way we know we can."

The county champions, Andover, will have their work cut out to retaining their title when they take on a strong Havant outfit on Sunday at Hooks Lane.

Havant, who have not won the competition since 1996 when they thumped Gosport & Fareham 61-12, name a full list of players who have played in the National League this season, bucking the trend they have set over recent seasons of fielding their Dolphins side.

Director of Rugby Adam King admits that for the first time in a number of years, he was able to choose which sort of side he selected, having not had his hands tied by playing a double-header, so he respects Andover by fielding a strong side.

He rests, however, player-coach Owen Cobbe, prop Paddy Conlon and centre Steve Claffey while skipper Jon Barfoot is still away on business, so fringe players such as Ben Fiers, Grant Morris and veteran Dave Jones all get starts.

"We have selected a side full of players who want to send out messages to the selectors or need to continue playing or have been out of action for a few weeks, like Ali Ramus (pictured)," said King.

"I have put out a strong outfit without totally committing ourselves and giving Andover the respect they deserve, while allowing the players to build some confidence ahead of the Tabard league game next week."

Andover keep their cards close to their chest, but will be a tough nut to crack as they have proven sticky opposition in London Three South-West this season and, had it not been for the four point deduction, they would be third instead of seventh.

Kick-off in both games is 2pm with the Winchester-Basingstoke game on Saturday and Havant taking on Andover on Sunday.