NIGEL Redman will be giving a Basingstoke debut on Saturday to a player who has just completed a tour of England with the West Indies rugby team, writes Peter Phipps.

Jamie Waters, a UK resident who goes to college in London, will be making his first appearance for his struggling new club at Clifton.

He will go straight into the starting line-up because of the unavailability of Sid Claffey and the injury and illness of Stuart Paynter and Matt Hart.

Waters was introduced to the Down Grange club by community development officer Ivan Torpey, who was the RFU liaison officer for the West Indies tourists.

Basingstoke will be trying to bounce back after suffering their heaviest ever league defeat, 72-6 at Plymouth Albion before Christmas.

That followed a 40-3 reverse at the hands of Westcombe Park.

Coach Redman said: "All the players in the club understand the position. We've all got to do as much as we can to see the season is a success."

He admits the recent freeze did his side a favour. For last Saturday's postponed match, at home to high-flying North Walsham, he would have been without captain Neal Taylor and back row star Marcus Reeve.

Both should be back tomorrow for the trip to Bristol to tackle Clifton.

The Cribbs Causeway side were 19-10 winners at Down Grange in November in one of a number of matches Redman feels his side should have won.

It won't be any easier away from home but Basingstoke have to start collecting points to avoid an end-of-season relegation dog-fight.

"Clifton will be a difficult side to beat at home," said Redman, who may still be without former captain Phil Della-Savina, whose head wound, suffered at North Walsham at the end of November, has proved difficult to heal.

Former Hampshire under-21 captain Neil Young will miss the Clifton trip during a two-week absence.