BOURNEMOUTH prop Luca Firetto is set to swap rucks and mauls for wedding vows – taking a third of the team with him!

The front-rower will miss Lions' trip to Bracknell in National Three South West tomorrow (3pm) as he is scheduled to tie the knot.

And Firetto's team-mates Alan Manning, Joe Rees, Sam Hardcastle and Andy Spikings are planning to attend the ceremony.

That will result in diminished resources for head coach Will Croker to pick from as he bids to get his team back on track following the opening-day defeat to Salisbury.

But Croker says he bears no grudges over players getting hitched during the season – and insists adequate cover is available.

"It's amateur rugby so you can't tell people when to get married!" he joked.

"When Luca told us he was getting married during the season the coaches were hoping he was kidding. He is such a popular character and we knew how many people would be away.

"Several players have been invited who have said they feel they should play rather than go because so many of the team are going.

"Scott Chislett and Alex Sutherland, for example, were invited to the day but I think they are planning to shoot along for the evening."

Croker added: "We're blessed this year in that we have a deep squad of players so we're quite well covered and looking forward to making amends for last week.

"We need to capitalise when we get into the strike zone and have to try and get points on the board early.

"Bracknell lost without scoring a point last week so we need to get into their psyche and try and capitalise on any mistakes they make."

Lions: Tarrant, Budd, Hughes, Bates, Soden, Kenneally, Bennett, Hennings, Veneroso, Davies, Roberts, Chislett, Hancox, Everett-Bolter, Sutherland. Replacements: Yates, Levey, Jeffes.