IF Andover are to survive an instant return to London Division Three South-West and stay in Two South, the next three matches either side of the festivities could be vital.

Keith Mitchell's North Hampshire outfit meet all three of the sides surrounding them at the foot of the table, starting tomorrow with a visit to Old Mid-Whitgiftian - a side one place above them only because of points difference.

After being rooted to the bottom, the All Blacks' sensational victory over Gosport & Fareham last week has boosted morale no end and Mitchell has the rare luxury of selecting a side rather than just placing the names of players available on the team sheet.

He makes a number of enforced changes for the hop across the county border, with Adi Furness and club skipper Rob Gardner returning for the Scotland-bound Craig Patterson and Tony Worle, who sits on the bench as a precaution against a slight knock he took in the Gosport game.

Lester Culley displaces the unfortunate Simon Tedridge at fly-half with Gordon Ritson earning a recall on the wing. Lee Cowley is another player back. He replaces Alex McNair, who may miss the rest of the season through injury.

"It is really important now that we aim to win all three of these crucial games," said Mitchell, himself returning to fitness having played 90 minutes of soccer for his Army unit side on Wednesday afternoon.

"We are on a high after the Gosport result but we do not want that to be knocked off by being beaten at one of the sides we must aim to beat. I would be happy with two out of the three, but I would love to have all three - six points in the bag would see us move comfortably towards safety."

Gosport & Fareham's promotion ambitions took a knock six days ago, and a swift return to winning ways is skipper Simon Burns' hope when mid-table Cobham visit the peninsular. But he knows it will be far from easy as they enter a very important stage of the season. This game, and the visit of leaders Worthing in the opening weekend of 2003, will either promote or destroy their title credentials.

Various circumstances and unavailability mean that the hosts delay the naming of their side, but they are likely to be without second row Harry Harrison, joint coach Sean Fanning and possibly full-back Dave Goddard. But they hope Darrell Cooper will have recovered in time to start.

"We have got to show what we are made of in the next month if we are to keep up our promotion challenge," felt Burns. "It will be tough here against Cobham, as they gave us a hard game at their place, so we will have to be at our best to do the double over them."

A flu bug is running through the Portsmouth camp - a further blow to their already injury-cursed squad when they visit Wimbledon, a ground at which they do not have the best record. A 25-0 reverse was one of only two defeats all last season for the Rugby Camp outfit.

Coach Ian Chandler was not finalising his side until at least today but he will be minus prop Rac Ramshaw and flanker Gavin Bunker. Chris Goldsmith and Ian Thatcher drop to the seconds to further their injury recovery while five players - all forwards - are recalled.

There is the possibility of a debut for two recently-recruited Australians in Damien Abbey and Grant Erskine, two very useful acquisitions to their walking wounded collective.

"It's another week of mass changes which does not help our style of rugby," said a bemused Chandler. "You need continuity of selection and we are just not getting that."

Of the challenge of Wimbledon, Chandler knows they have recruited well and have started a climb up the table. "But if we win and results go our way elsewhere, we are right back in contention for a play-off spot, so this is a very big game for us," he said.