SWINDON coach Neil Loader is facing a selection headache as they bid to stage their South West 1 East clash at Reading Abbey at the third time of asking.

Both previous attempts to play the match were beaten by the freezing weather conditions, and now Swindon are without a host of players because they have booked holidays on what was due to be a free weekend.

Fly-half Adam Westall is away snowboarding, while the likes of Nick Warren, Connal Knott and Charlie Vine are all missing, leaving coach Neil Loader some tough decisions to make.

“It is frustrating but it can not really be helped,” Loader said. “We would have been very happy if we had managed to play the game last time, but we didn’t and we will just have to cope.

“I suppose everyone needs a rest and this was due to be a weekend off. So we can not complain too much.”

Harry Batty will make the step up to first-team duty in the back row, while Loader is still trying to seek a solution to the fly-half problem, with club stalwart Neil Maycock a potential candidate.

He said: “Despite everyone being missing it is not a bad side really, so we will just have to see.

“It all depends on what side Reading Abbey can put out.

“They may have the same problems or have some guys missing due to the England versus Wales game, so we will have to see.”

Chippenham travel to Barnstaple in National League 3 South West, while Wootton Bassett will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Alchester in Southern Counties North.

Swindon College Old Boys are without a first team fixture this weekend, but director of rugby Martin Lloyd is pleased with the way the club is progressing.

“We have good work between all of our sides now, and we make sure the second and third teams all have a dedicated manager and physio now, and they report back to me with any promising players,” he said.

“Everything is going well at the moment and we are making good progress throughout the club.”