Cheltenham Combination Senior Cup holders Smiths, who won the competition for the first time in their history last season, face a testing trip to Old Patesians this time around.

Old Patesians and Smiths are currently second and third respectively in Counties 2 Gloucestershire North behind Gordon League.

Smiths, meanwhile, will have an added incentive to reach the Senior Cup final again because they are hosting the Combination’s finals day for the first time.

The club, who were formed in 1952, beat Cheltenham North in a dramatic final at the Newlands last season, winning 30-29 thanks to an Oli Aherne penalty with the last kick of the game.

In the other semi-final, Cheltenham North will host the winners of the first-round tie between Cheltenham Tigers and Stow-on-the-Wold.

The draws for the other two competitions – the Junior Cup and the Minor Shield – have also been made with eight teams entered in the Junior Cup and four in the Minor Shield.

The end-of-season cup competitions remain a big part of the rugby calendar and Cheltenham Combination chairman Gethin Evans said: “They’re enormously important. All the players that I speak to say there is a big focus on the games.

“Even though the Papa Johns is running concurrently, there is still a huge emphasis on the Combination cups.”

Finals day will take place at the Prince of Wales Stadium on Saturday 4^th May.

Cup draws – Senior Cup, first round: Cheltenham Tigers v Stow-on-the-Wold. Tie to be played no later than Saturday 20^th April. Semi-finals: Cheltenham North v Cheltenham Tigers or Stow; Old Patesians v Smiths. Ties to be played no later than Saturday 27^th April.

Junior Cup, quarter-finals: Tewkesbury v Smiths 2nds (match 1); Cheltenham Saracens v Old Patesians 2nds (match 2); CCS Warpigs v Cheltenham Tigers 2nds (match 3); Stow-on-the-Wold 2nds v Cheltenham North 2nds (match 4). Ties to be played on or before Saturday 20^th April: Semi-finals: winners of match 1 v winners of match 3; winners of match 4 v winners of match 2. Ties to be played on or before Saturday 27^th April.

Minor Shield, semi-finals: Cheltenham Tigers Vets v CCS Warpigs;  Old Patesians 3rds v Smiths 3rds. Ties to be played on or before Saturday 27^th  April.