PATIENT Joe Rees looks set to turn out at the home of English rugby – despite admitting he thought his chance had gone.

The 28-year-old is one of five Bournemouth players in the Hampshire squad for tomorrow's County Shield final against Staffordshire at Twickenham, the others being Joe Tarrant, Alex Sutherland, Ben Allman and Luke Chandler (5.15).

The clash is set to take place immediately after England's Test match against bitter rivals Wales and Rees, a builder and gas engineer by trade, cannot wait for kick-off.

Rees, who skippered Lions for the majority of last season in the absence of the injured Alan Manning, told the Daily Echo: "I thought at the age of 28, my time to play on Twickenham turf had been and gone.

"A lot of the other Bournemouth boys did it a few years back with Dorset and Wilts and I thought my chance wouldn't come.

"I've been there plenty of times to watch Test rugby and charity games but I never thought I'd actually be running out on the pitch as a player.

"Everyone is buzzing to be going to Twickenham but as a team we are going there to do a job. Without the win, the experience will not be quite as nice."

In 2010, Lions players Scott Chislett, Mike Pope, Jo Burns, Karim Lynch, Frazer Wilford and Manning featured in Dorset and Wilts's 36-26 win over Leicestershire at the renowned venue.

Chislett and Pope both crossed the whitewash, as did Burns having come off the bench.

The following year, Chislett, Wilford, Manning, Simon Lilley, Sam Hardcastle and Jack Hennings played in Dorset and Wilts's 43-22 triumph against Surrey, with Chislett scoring his second Twickenham try in as many years and Wilford also touching down.

East Boldre-based Tarrant, who fills the loosehead prop role for Hampshire, cannot wait to step onto the hallowed turf, even if warming up means missing England's head-to-head with Wales.

The 25-year-old, a contracts manager for Meridian Electrical Contracting in Christchurch, said: "Our warm-up will be on a school pitch as the match will be ongoing, so we won't actually get to watch any of it!

"I've never seen an international at Twickenham so I'm a bit gutted about that. But you never know, we might brush shoulders with them!

"It's a massive opportunity and, hopefully, following the England game there will be a big crowd and we can perform to the best of our ability.

"Being a final, anyone can win and it's all about who wants it on the day."

Hampshire sealed their place in the final having swept aside Dorset and Wilts and then Berkshire in the group stage, before defeating Warwickshire 23-15 in the semi-final.