With the cup taking centre stage, there is very little in the way of league action, with
just Havant and the Isle of Wight competing for points, while many other clubs sit back and take a week off to rest injuries and their battle-worn players.
The National League Division Three fixture list is somewhat depleted with four of the scheduled games, including Basingstoke's visit to Barking, taking a back seat to the home sides' activities in the Powergen Cup third round.
Both Havant and their league hosts Camberley have no such distractions and their game goes ahead as planned and it has to be a great chance for the Hooks Lane side to record their first away win of the season.
Winless and rooted to the bottom of the log, the Surrey-Hampshire border side have conceded over 40 points in all five of their games, bar the narrow home loss to Weston-super-Mare in week two.
However, the visitors are far from at their strongest and have an injury list containing fifteen members of the first XV squad, including influential back-row men Jon Barfoot and Dylan Raubenheimer, although the latter is on the coach travelling north to play in the second XV.
Although given last week off, former captain Adam Jewitt misses out again, as does centre Leighton Davies with a shin problem. Ex-Camberley man Neil McRoberts replaces Davies in the only change from that victorious over Barking last week.
A cautious chairman of rugby Adam King is expecting nothing short of a tough battle. "They are fighting for their lives, even this early in the season and we know we will have to keep the same intensity that we showed against Barking.
"The incentive for victory is a cemented place in the top six of National Three South."
After the fiasco of their Junior Vase double-play against Lytchett Minster, Isle of Wight take the chance to fit in the match that had to be postponed to cater for the return trip to Dorset, as they travel to Alresford.
A victory by four points or more in North Hampshire would move Richard Beardsall's team to the top of Hampshire Two on points difference and maintain their 100 per cent league start to the season.
The coach makes a handful of changes from that victorious over Ventnor with Royal Marine Stuart Bartlett back from service to take a place in the front row. Paul Simpson comes in for Ollie Boulter while Jimmy Gadsby returns, moving Phil Hemopo to the centre.
Southampton, with a monstrous injury list, take the week off, as do Gosport & Fareham, Basingstoke and Andover but Fareham Heathens don't fancy a break and receive Farnham II to Cams Alders.
They welcome another Kiwi to their side in second row John Coulson and Mark Timms and Brian Peach are also recalled, with Craig Shepherd moving back to his preferred hooker position.
"It is an awkward fixture to predict, but games like this are a chance to further improve the squad," said skipper Mark Steward.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article