The big games keep on coming for Smiths who take on leaders Frampton Cotterell in a keenly-anticipated Counties 2 Gloucestershire clash at the Prince of Wales Stadium tomorrow.

Frampton Cotterell, who finished runners-up to Dings Crusaders 2nds in Counties 2 Gloucestershire South last season, have made a quickfire start to the new campaign, winning six out of six and putting 96 points, without reply, on bottom-of-the-table Old Richians in their most recent outing.

They hold a five-point advantage over second-placed Smiths, who are one of four teams on 25 points, but Smiths are in good form themselves after recovering from an opening-day 43-14 defeat at St Mary’s Old Boys.

They ended Stroud’s unbeaten start to the season with an emphatic 50-17 win under the lights at Fromehall Park last time out a couple of weeks ago and skipper Ben Hawker said: “We were really, really pleased with that performance, we’re playing some good rugby.

“That defeat against St Mary’s was a real eye-opener, we were miles off it, but the coaches Ben [Parker], Rob [Nock] and George [Angell] deserve a lot of credit, they pulled that game apart and were very frank about where we needed to improve.”

Smiths, last season’s Counties 2 Gloucestershire North champions, have scored 255 points in their last five league games which shows they are good listeners as well as good players, but Frampton Cotterell are sure to provide a stern test.

“They are a proper club, they pushed Dings all the way last season,” said Hawker. “They run three teams, they are a strong outfit.

“We’re expecting a really tough game. They are one of the teams who we thought before the start of the season would be right up there but this division is very strong, I doubt anyone will go through the season unbeaten.”

Frampton Cotterell are the only team yet to lose in the 12-strong division this season while Smiths have the same number of points as Cinderford 2nds, who they visit a week tomorrow, St Mary’s and Stroud.

Smiths, who missed out on promotion in May when they lost to Dings in a play-off, are the only team in the top seven of the newly-formed Counties 2 Gloucestershire  who were playing in Counties 2 Gloucestershire North last season, and Hawker said: “It’s a much stronger division this season but that’s what we want, we want to keep testing ourselves.

“We were bitterly disappointed not to go up last season but the amalgamation of the two divisions has softened the blow a little bit, there are some very good teams in the division but the goal is the same, we want promotion.”

Hawker, who has been playing for Smiths since the late noughties, has never played against Frampton Cotterell and he’s relishing the opportunity to take them on.

“Our 2nds played them last season, we drew at their place but they won comfortably when they came to us, so they obviously have strength in depth,” continued Hawker, who this season is playing at hooker.

“They will be a massive challenge and it’s a big game. It’s first versus second but I don’t think it’s a must-win game because there are so many games to go.

“At the start of the season I thought a team could have five or six losses and still win the division but now it’s looking more like two or three.

“But whichever team wins on Saturday, I don’t think they’ll be thinking they are going to win the division.

“One of the reasons for our success over the past few years is that we’ve always just looked ahead to the next game.”