Haywards Heath admit they might start to sense the lure of Twickenham if they overcome their latest cup test tomorrow.

Heath are at home to London Two North strugglers Thurrock with a place in the last 16 of the Powergen Intermediate Cup at stake.

Plenty of followers of the Sussex game are starting to fancy Heath to go all the way to the final but skipper Alex Meredith admits they will face a test up front if they are to reach the next stage.

He said: "We are confident we will compete with them in the front five and take it from there.

"We have got a tough game on our hands, no question about that, because Thurrock have played well to get this far."

Burly three-quarter John Skoulding gets his first start of the season. He is handed the No. 12 shirt and Heath hope he can provide important physical presence at inside centre.

Meredith added: "John is a big lad who has trained hard and deserves the shot.

"He is a hard runner and we hope he will tighten things up in the middle."

Owen Ashton, Nick Stocker and Tom Hills are all away while Darren Shadbolt and Vince Rolandi are rested.

Nick Killick takes his turn at No. 2 as Heath continue to share the hooker position between their former skipper and Gordon Denslow, who took a series of strikes against the head in last week's league defeat of Cheshunt.

Heath will be expected to progress along with the likes of Canterbury, Cheltenham, Hertford and Keynsham from the London and South West section.

Worthing also have an important game with which to round off the 2002 programme as they look to stretch their leadership of London Two South at home to Effingham and Leatherhead.

The Surrey club remain the only side to beat Worthing in the league so far this season and, as with Heath, the key to success could come in the front five.

Veteran prop Eddie Wilcox earns a recall and, with Raynn Bruce moving across to tight head, Worthing hope that will give them the platform they need for a tenth successive home league win, dating back to January.

Skipper Mike Imrie said: "Danny Piggott is unavailable but Eddie would have played irrespective of that.

"He is very experienced and has been brought in for his scrummaging.

"Effingham have not lose since they beat us. We have got to be absolutely 100 per cent focused or it could be a situation where they complete the double over us and not many teams have done that in the last five years.

"That means forwards making sure they get on top at the set piece which they did not do when we played at Effingham. That strangled us of quality ball."

Terry Butler is out injured so Alistair Wood comes in at outside half, Ben Coulson goes from ten to 15 and Tony Cruz switches to the wing.

Crowborough have warned their players not to take Midhurst lightly in the Sussex Intermediate Shield, even though the West Sussex men have lost their last three games by an aggregate score of 207-0.

A more even tussle should be assured at Pulborough, where Seaford visit.

The Sussex RFU require a manager for their senior seven-a-side team, which will compete in the county championships at the end of the season.

Potential applicants, or any clubs keen to recommend players for the senior 15-a-side county squad, should call Graham Thompson on 01323 897483.

Haywards Heath: Cook, Charnley, G. Goodburn, Skoulding, H. Goodburn, Graham, Meredith; Edwards, Killick, Sherwood, Ure, Atkin, Lyall, Rankin, Wattam.

Worthing: Coulson, Cruz, Holloway, S. Imrie, Adams, Wood, M. Imrie; Wilcox, Bennett, Bruce, Dove, McGowan, Newhouse, Cox, Davis.

fixtures
Saturday (1.45pm unless stated) Powergen Intermediate Cup fifth round: Haywards Heath v Thurrock.

London Two South: Worthing v Effingham and Leatherhead (2.15pm).

Sussex Intermediate Shield quarter-finals: Crowborough v Midhurst, Pulborough v Seaford.