The hopes of a return trip to Twickenham for a Hampshire club lies in the hands of the intrepid trio of Tottonians, Portsmouth and Winchester but all are on the road and will have to overturn in-form sides to progress.

Tottonians probably have the toughest of the three, with their lower league status meaning they are the underdogs when they go to London Two North strugglers Thurrock. But with a season-long unbeaten record behind them, Ali Ramus' side journey full of hope.

They make a couple of changes from the side that put them six points clear at the top of London Four South-West last week against Petersfield, with Chris Smith preferred to Dave Lamb on the wing and Kev Barrett swaps places with Tom Pearson in the front row.

Michael Searle keeps his place at outside centre with Aaron Nelson still absent through injury. "We know very little about them," said Ramus when the draw was made, "but will go as underdogs against a side two divisions higher than us."

Thurrock are third bottom of Two North with three wins from eight starts, but will be encouraged by almost overturning Portsmouth's opponents, table-toppers Old Albanians, in the league last week before going down 26-20.

That result will no doubt have been received at Rugby Camp, who are slowly returning to full strength and, for the first time in a long time, name the exact same side from that victorious at Sevenoaks last Saturday.

Further encouragement comes on the replacements bench as teenage prop Tom Wells and flanker Jon Hyde return from long-term injury, which is great news for cold-suffering coach Ian Chandler.

Albanians, who have lost just once this season can boast an influx of players, including a Saracens II fly-half and former Portsmouth University full-back and Solent Barbarians Bulgaria-bound tourist, Ed Orchard.

London Two South leaders Tunbridge Wells will be a tough nut to crack for Winchester, who are languishing at the bottom of London One, but they are seeing it as an opportunity to put some things right and they can welcome back skipper Richard Knight and winger Rob West in attempting to do it.

The gap between the two divisions is minimal, according to coach Mike Marchant, who will miss the game through his commitments with England Under 19, but he would like to see his side compete against the resurgent Kent outfit.

"I would probably put them ahead of us at the moment," he commented, "but our losses this season have been, in the main, by small amounts. It should be an interesting game," although the players will have to watch their P's and Q's, as they have a female referee in charge!