DORSET & Wilts have a score to settle with Sussex as they open their Bill Beamont County Championship campaign at Melksham RFC on Saturday (3pm).

The Twin Counties, twice past winners of the competition, were beaten 28-10 by this weekend's opponents last season, but have high hopes of progressing through pool two of Division Three and into the knockout stages this term.

Royal Wootton Bassett hooker Phil Bardwell captains the side and packs down in the front row alongside Swindon's Ash Stokes.

Trowbridge flanker Andrew Twinney and Bassett number eight Kyle Lovell link up in the back row, with Marlborough's Jake Williams at scrum-half.

Trowbridge's Shai Bonnick takes his place in the centres with Swindon's Ollie Wilson on the wing and Chippenham's Will Waddington at full-back.

Swindon College Old Boys' Gareth Davies, Bassett's Chris Rowland and Swindon's Pete Kewel are among the replacements.

Dorset & Wilts: 15 Will Waddington (Chippenham), 14 Jack Newton (Wimborne), 13. Matthew Williamson (North Dorset), 12 Shai Bonnick (Trowbridge), 11 Ollie Wilson (Swindon), 10 Sam Baker (North Dorset), 9 Jake Williams (Malborough), 1 Ash Stokes (Swindon), 2 Phil Bardwell (Royal Wootton Bassett, captain), 3. Gary Williamson (Salisbury), 4 Steve King (Wimborne), 5 Darren Deguara (Wimborne), 6 James Bovett (Bournemouth), 7 Andrew Twinney (Trowbridge), 8 Kyle Lovell (Royal Wootton Bassett).

Replacements: 16 Gareth Davies (Swindon College Old Boys), 17 Sean Murphy (Wimborne), 18 Chris Rowland (Royal Wootton Bassett), 19 Pete Kewel (Swindon), 20 Mindaugas Kazlauskas (North Dorset), 21 Jason Booth (Blandford), 22 Cameron Taylor (Wimborne).