DORSET & Wilts will tackle Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire in their regionalised qualifying pool for the 2002-03 season's Tetley's County Rugby Shield.

The pool matches begin on April 26 next year, with the final taking place on May 31.

Pool 1: Northumberland, Staffordshire; Pool 2: North Midlands, East Midlands, Leicestershire; Pool 3: Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset & Wiltshire. Pool 4: Somerset, Eastern Counties, Hampshire.

n Gloucestershire and Cheshire could be set for a rematch of last season's Tetley's County Championship final in the semi-finals of next season's competition.

Gloucestershire, who won the championship for a record 17th time when they beat Cheshire 26-23 in a thrilling Twickenham final in June, have been made the top two seeds for next season's championship and they have been kept apart until the last four.

Tetley's County Championship first round (seeds in brackets): North: Cheshire (2) v Durham (16), Yorkshire (3) v Warwickshire (13), Lancashire (6) v Notts, Lincs and Derbys (12), Cumbria (8) v Hertfordshire (10). South: Gloucestershire (1) v Surrey (15), Cornwall (4) v Berkshire (14), Sussex (5) v Kent (11), Middlesex (7) v Devon (9).

Zurich Premiership Gloucester's defensive coach Dave Ellis has agreed a new three-year deal to stay with the Cherry & Whites. Ex-Rugby League ace Ellis joined the Kingsolm club last season after a stint with the French national side.