HAVING won a place in the Southern Counties Vase, Dorchester 1st XV return to action in the Wadworth Dorset & Wilts 1 South today.

The Highwood-sponsored outfit welcome seventh-placed Bournemouth 3rd XV to Surcouf Park this afternoon (2.30pm).

Head Coach Martin Oxland will make a late final selection with injuries and unavailability forcing changes to his usually settled squad.

With James Baker and Zak Paton both injured, Liam Moss and James McKendry return and Jamie Morgan remains in the starting fifteen.

Regular front rower Joe Underhill is unavailable meaning Chris Elliott, Josh Ovey and Tom Evans start in the front row, with Tom Bamlet giving cover from the bench.

Captain, James Newsam, returns.

Elsewhere, Dorchester’s A XV make the short trip to Slaughtergate to lock horns with rivals North Dorset who sit one place below them in the Wadworth Dorset & Wilts 2 South table.

Matt Fry will be keen to return from what is always a tough away trip with the win.

With the 6 Nations tournament starting this weekend, Dorchester will be showing all the games on the big screen in their clubhouse.

England play Sunday and the perfect warm up to the international is provided by the clubs successful Colts team facing rivals Weymouth & Portland for local bragging rights.

Dorchester have already won the premier division of their league structure and now face the Northern Division winners in a Quarter final playoff for the Dorset & Wilts cup.