JIM Kelly has warned that Basingstoke must adapt their expansive style of rugby to suit the weather conditions if they are to have success over the coming months.

’Stoke’s head coach says his side must learn from their defeat at the hands of Old Albanians last time out, which saw them go down 13-0 on a wet and windy afternoon at Down Grange.

Basingstoke generally employ an attractive, passing game, getting the ball out wide to utilise the pace of players like Andrew Fitchett and Glen Lewis.

However, with wind and rain likely to be a feature of games over the coming months, Kelly says they will need their pack to make some hard yards.

“When the weather comes into the equation it’s a bit of a leveller and the style we try to play means we are more affected,” he said. “The weather forces errors and the way we like to play is to run the ball and get everyone involved so we need to adapt and play the conditions.

“I am sure a lot of teams, including us, will revert to playing some 10 or 12-man rugby. Against Old Albanians I think that we learned that we need to play the conditions and if it is windy, keep it in the forwards.”

’Stoke currently sit seventh in the National Three London table but, in recent weeks, victory one week has often been followed by defeat the next.

“We have won six and lost five and at the beginning of the season I said that as long as we won more than we lost, we would be OK,” Kelly said. “We have lost to everyone above us in the table, apart from Bracknell, so we are in a fair position. Now we have to realise our real potential and kick on.”

Next up is a trip to Haywards Heath on Saturday (kick-off 2.15pm). The Sussex side were unexpectedly reinstated into the division after finishing in the bottom three last season and made a slow start as a result – losing their first four games.

They have improved since, climbing the table with a few wins, but Kelly is confident that his side will have enough to come out on top.

“Every game is a test but we expect to beat Haywards Heath,” he said. “We just had a weekend off to recharge the batteries and hopefully the lads will be raring to go.

“We are confident in our own ability and if we perform to 80 per cent of our potential, we should beat them. Against the teams above us we will have to do better but Haywards Heath do not worry us.”

Kelly will welcome back former All Black Sam Harding, who was unavailable for the game against Old Albanians. Centre Simon Buckland is nearing a return after his shoulder injury but is likely to make his comeback for the second string to regain match fitness.