ROYAL Wootton Bassett team manager George Loughlin is hoping that his side can avoid a forward-orientated battle with Chippenham when the two sides lock horns tomorrow.

Following a week’s break, both Bassett and their Allington Field neighbours will be keen to pick up from where they left off in South West One East, as the Ballards Ash men ran out 38-12 winners at Bicester, while second-placed Chippenham defeated Oxford Harlequins 38-31.

However, Loughlin is aware that Bassett’s form against their local rivals in years gone by hasn’t been great and he is expecting another tough examination tomorrow.

“It is going to be a very tough game for us,” Loughlin said. “When we played them last year they beat us comfortably home and away.

“But we are hopeful. Before the break we had been going well and having that break has allowed some of the niggling injuries to clear up.

“We are likely to name an unchanged pack for the fourth game in row and it really does help having a settled side.

“But that doesn’t mean we want 80 minutes of scrums and rucks.

“We have some very mobile backs and we want them to have the ball in hand so they can run at Chippenham.

“We know they are a strong forward side, so hopefully we don’t have a boggy pitch where we will have to stick the ball up our jumpers and plod forward.”

Swindon are another side who will be hoping that the week’s break has not affected their momentum.

The Greenbridge Road side looked to have finally kick-started their campaign with two wins in a row before the interval and they will be hoping to make it three when they host Banbury tomorrow.

In Southern Counties South, Swindon College Old Boys face a tough test at North Dorset with Mark Lea’s side going into the contest on the back of a 26-5 home success over Corsham.

Meanwhile, Supermarine will be hoping to get back on track in Dorset & Wilts One North when they host Avonvale after losing their last two matches 71-0 and 86-0 to Combe Down and Bradford on Avon respectively.