With new sponsors on board, the three Hampshire Gales' Cup competitions get underway on Sunday with the pick of the Senior Cup games taking place at Hooks Lane where Havant challenge Gosport & Fareham.

However both sides will have played respective league and Intermediate Cup clashes the previous day, so the shine from this tasty re-run of the 1996 final has been taken off somewhat.

Gosport skipper Simon Burns has stated that they are taking the Hampshire Cup seriously and will pick "the strongest side available on Sunday," while the hosts have a different attitude - focusing themselves firmly on National League survival rather than county cup glory.

None of the side that starts at Old Patesians will feature 24 hours later while bench-warmers Owen Jones and Ali Ramus will play alongside their Dolphin regulars, including Lithuanian international Audrius Ramancionus and player-coach Owen Cobbe.

Havant director of rugby Adam King wrapped it up simply. "I will not jeopardise the National league survival of my club by playing players twice. This game has lost its edge somewhat with the respective first teams playing games on Saturday."

Tottonians are not in the best shape for their bow into the senior competition, taking a largely weakened side to Andover, the same side they meet in an important London Three South-West game in a fortnight's time.

Prop Tom Pearson is away and fly-half James Weeks was injured playing for Southampton University in midweek while centre pairing Paul Brading faces a late fitness test and Ange Mariani has returned to France following a family bereavement.

It means wholesale changes in the side with Danny Baker coming into the front row and Lee Brading moving across to the centre. "We have had to shuffle about quite a bit," said skipper Paul Goodall, "but we have a plan and we can win regardless."

Southampton will be hunting down revenge for the 7-6 reverse in the league clash two weeks ago when they visit Romsey again in the Hampshire Bowl on Sunday with a much changed side from the one that was heavily beaten last weekend.

Richard Fearon is given a first start at inside centre instead of the holidaying Martyn Sheridan while Chris Milne plays on the flank for Dan Keepax. Rob Greenaway and Jason Kehoe take places on the bench.

"We are looking good for the weekend and confident we can get a win," predicted skipper Marcus Coffin.

Petersfield will be doing Fareham Heathens the honour of putting out a full strength side for their clash at Penns Place while Alton have two games in two days as their league game with Farnham, which was abandoned last week, is to be replayed tomorrow.

They will then play US Portsmouth on Sunday.