Hampshire have stuck by their promise of selecting only those players who have put the effort into county squad training by naming a squad of 22 for the trip to north-east Leicester village Syston to face Leicestershire.

Resisting the chance to select players from the higher echelons of the league set-up, coaches Simon Morgan and Roy Gittens alongside manager David Ball have chosen from a mixture of clubs - and only from the 40 regular attendees to the pre-campaign sessions.

Although the starting XV will not be announced until all are aboard the coach and on the motorway heading north, Hampshire travel confident of issuing the Midlanders with their second defeat of the Championship.

They went down 19-8 in a poor quality contest at Reading club Abbey against Berkshire, who Hampshire face next week at Havant. Gittens, who felt there is little to concern the navy blues ahead of the 3pm kick-off, viewed the match.

With many Basingstoke and Havant players making themselves unavailable after their exertions in their respectively successful league seasons, the county side management relies predominantly on those from Winchester, Andover and Alton.

Thirty-eight-year-old Winchester flanker Rolf Stratford leads the side that offers Championship debuts to Havant trio Andy Short, Andy Tart and Alan Barnes and Tottonians lock Alistair Ramus.

But there is no place for Havant winger Denville Elleston or the fourth of the Osman brothers, Henley centre Tim. Both miss out with shoulder injuries sustained in the exciting 33-31 friendly success over Royal Navy three weeks ago.

Back-row pairing Dylan Raubenheimer and Jon Barfoot are on standby in case of any late injury worries.

Coach Morgan is happy with the selection. "We believe we have chosen a squad with a good balance and a spread of county representation. This is the bulk of the side that beat the Navy." Only Winchester's Adrian Mort is not included from the 22 on duty at HMS Temeraire.

"We are confident of returning successful, but want to hold the actual starting team until nearer kick-off. It just keeps the intensity going, as there is severe competition for places.

"Many players have made themselves unavailable and that is understandable. It has been a long and intense season and players need a rest from rugby. This is the best side available to us."

Joining the men on the Leicester-bound coach will be their ladies counterparts, who have fixed up a curtain-raiser fixture against National Challenge Division Two Midlands outfit Oakham at 1pm.

Organiser Kim Cheatle has not had the easiest of times selecting the side but lists 13 at present with others hopeful of linking up in the next few days.

Cheatle will lead the side that contains two of Ellingham & Ringwood's finest in Vicki Dibdin and Ali Chambers, while Dawn Seymour and Nicky Boardman represent promotion hopefuls Trojans.

"It has not been easy but we may play a tens-game if we cannot get the full numbers out," said the former Portsmouth scrum-half, who is now plying her trade with National Leaguers Alton.

The winners of Pool B - Leicestershire, Hampshire and Berkshire - will meet the Pool A champions in the semi-finals in a fortnight. It could make for a local derby, as Dorset & Wiltshire and North Midlands are the only two sides competing in this group.

The first of their home and away pool games is at Bournemouth tomorrow afternoon, but the twin counties will have their work cut out against the semi-professional Midlanders, containing a number of players from Moseley and beaten National Three play-off side Dudley Kingswinford.