SWINDON College Old Boys are treating tomorrow’s encounter with Alchester in the Southern Counties Senior Vase as a chance for scouting in two different senses.

Old Boys withdrew their second team from their scheduled fixture at Weymouth this weekend due to a lack of front-row resources and manager Martin Peaple has chosen to blood some of that side, in addition to a number of the development squad, in the cup contest.

High-flying Alchester, who are the Old Boys’ closest rivals in Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier, will present a stern test for the combination of youth team and peripheral first team players but Peaple is keen to take a look at his opponents without giving away the strengths of his squad ahead of their important league meeting next week.

“It’s a chance to have a look at some of our younger players at a higher level but it also gives us the opportunity to have a good look at Alchester,” Peaple revealed.

“They don’t have more than one side, so we expect them to bring their likely squad for our game next week.

“It gives us a chance to see them without showing them some of our stronger assets.

“We would have liked to have had both games but we just weren’t able to.”

Peaple will rest prop John Ward, hooker Gareth Davies, Greg O’Brien and powerhouse Matt McKee amongst others tomorrow.

Youngsters Sam Robinson and Josh Haynes will be two of a number of new faces in the matchday squad.

The Old Boys boss is uncertain as to the style of rugby Alchester will bring with them to the clash, being a relatively unknown quantity in the league structure.

But results suggest that it will be far from the walkover that his Old Boys side encountered in the second-half against Abingdon last time out.

“They are a side who haven’t been around for very long,” said Peaple.

“They are an amalgamation of a couple of colts teams, but they have been doing very well.

“We expect a tough game.”