BOURNEMOUTH’S top two teams face stern tests in Winchester and Eastleigh in a ‘big game week’ for the club.

The Lions face the former at Chapel Gate as they look to build momentum to climb the table, with their visitors Winchester unbeaten so far this season.

The second team, the Nomads, meanwhile, travel to current director of rugby Will Croker’s former side Eastleigh.

Croker said both sides had trained well in the past couple of weeks without fixtures, taking the time to focus on culture and classroom-style analysis.

On the first side, Croker said: “We've played the three away games and the one home game so far, and we’re ever so slightly behind the curve of what a top three side would look like.

Director of rugby Will Croker (Image: Simon Carlton) “But looking at the next block of fixtures, we’re really hoping to make some inroads into that.

“This week we face Winchester, who are openly very ambitious, a club that want to try and go places and they've had a decent start.

“They've got a very powerful lineup, their skipper is a big, powerful ball carrier, their midfield is pretty tough, and they've got a little bit of gas out wide.

“So, we're aware of the threat that's coming, but we've picked a team that we think can very much compete with them from a physical perspective, we're looking at taking those aspects to them.

“We mauled very well the last time out and we want to try to make sure that we focus on the things that we've done well.”

Matt Horne returns at number eight from a hamstring injury, while Jordie Wayman comes in at outside centre.

Fiifi Adjaye is unavailable on the wing, so Ryan Morrell comes in with Maverick Goodchild named on the bench.

Matt Horne returns (Image: Simon Carlton) “We've got a big home crowd expected, so we're really looking forward to creating a good atmosphere and getting this next block of fixtures off to a great start,” Croker said.

Eastleigh pose a tough test for the second team, with the Hampshire side having won three out of four games so far this term.

The Nomads have Ben Meaden come into the side at fly half, while young talents Ollie Byrne and James Lamont come in from the University of Exeter and the Bath academy at nine and full back.

“We're confident we're taking a really strong team there and are really hopeful that we've got the opportunity to get this block off to a winning start for the second team,” Croker said.

“They had a really, really tough start.

Jordie Wayman (Image: Simon Carlton) “They had to play Havant, who were probably head and shoulders the favourites for the league, and then the two toughest away trips to Guernsey and Sandown and Shanklin, all in the space of the first month.

“We feel like we've crossed that bridge and now we're looking forward to trying to get back on a winning footing.”

Both games kick off at 3pm on Saturday, October 12.