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Twickenham date for rugby rivals

11:42am Thursday 29th May 2008

TWO of north Hampshire's top sports stars will go head-to-head at Twickenham this weekend in a bid to claim rugby's Guinness Premiership crown.

Tom Rees and Tom Croft will put the fact that they are England colleagues to one side when the Premiership final kicks off on Saturday as they strive to end their season with some silverware.

Croft, who grew up in Kingsclere, will be hoping to help Leicester to victory, while former Basingstoke RFC colt Rees will be looking to play a part in securing the title for Wasps.

Both players are in their early 20s and will travel to New Zealand with England next month - but all of that will be forgotten come 3pm on Saturday, when the pair are set to line up in opposing back rows.

Rees is looking forward to the showpiece event and is excited by the prospect of facing Croft, who has broken through on both the club and international stage this season.

"The competition between the back rows is sure to be fierce, and I am looking forward to coming up against him," Rees said.

"Whoever wins the physical battle will dominate the game on Saturday. If one side manages to come out on top up front, both sides have very dangerous backs to set free. That's not to say that it will be a dull encounter, but the key will be physicality up front."

Winning the Premiership would be a fine way to finish what has been a somewhat frustrating season for Rees. The 23-year-old missed out on a place in the England side for the World Cup final after picking up an injury earlier in the competition, and then injured his knee playing for his country against Wales in the opening game of the Six Nations.

"The knee injury was a blessing in disguise because I am now fully fit and raring to go," he said. "I have been able to focus on having a strong run-in with Wasps and winning the Premiership would be a great way to end the club season.

"I am really looking forward to the game. The last time we won the Premiership, I sat out the final because of injury. Although I was part of the side, I did not get the chance to play, so it's great to have the opportunity to put that right."

Despite losing star man Danny Cipriani to a serious injury, Wasps are slight favourites to take the title on Saturday, having finished second in the table and beaten Bath in the play-off semi-finals.

However, Rees is not underestimating Leicester, who claimed a place in the play-offs with a win over Harlequins on the final day of the regular season and then beat table-toppers Gloucester in their semi-final.

"We have been playing really well of late and have come through some tough games to get to the final," Rees said. "You have always got to be confident, but that should not be seen as complacency. Leicester are always one of the top sides and anything can happen in the play-offs."

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