WYCOMBE RFC think they might have a secret weapon when they take on Marlow RFC for the third time this season.

After being crushed in the league on their own turf and then returning the compliment at Riverwoods in the Bucks Cup, tomorrow is the decider and Wycombe can’t wait.

Coach Mike Cussell said: “It’s been a long time coming and the players have been talking about it.”

And with four wins on the trot coming into this game, Cussell thinks they’re ready to put one over their Bucks rivals.

He said: “We’ve certainly got no complaints with the way we’re playing.

“Our forwards are dominating games and now when we give it to the backs they look pretty good.”

That hasn’t always been the case, but in the last month Wycombe have discovered the expansive game and are ripping teams to shreds with it.

They put 30 points on Swanage, 44 on Oakmeadians and 27 on Wallingford.

Saturday was a more humdrum 17-3 win at Trowbridge, but they were without six regular starters for that match.

Cussell said: “We haven’t come up against many packs better than ours, but now we’ve got an extra element.

“There are no weak links in the backs whereas in recent years there have been.

“We’re settled in that department, we’ve got a group of players who enjoy playing together and it’s paying off.”

Winger Akindiji Akinwale has captured the mood with a glut of recent tries, but Marlow director of rugby Chris Sheasby in unruffled.

He said: “We go into this game with a lot of confidence.

“Wycombe can’t out-muscle us. They have tried to bully a lot of sides but that won’t happen to us.”

Marlow have stuttered this year with four losses in five games before a much-needed 23-19 win at Wallingford on Saturday.

Sheasby puts the sequence down to injuries in key positions but most were back for the Wallingford game and those that weren’t – with the exception of Dan Gillespie – are back tomorrow.

He said: “I haven’t had chance yet to strengthen the depth of the squad. We’ve had three 19-year-olds playing and you don’t get the same consistency.

“But it’s a long season. In the first half we got a very smooth ride and you have to be incredibly fortunate for that to last all the way through.

“Wycombe have had some mid-season momentum, but they’ve got some tough games left and now it’s coming to the business end of the season we’re getting our players back.”

And just in time – Marlow have been drawn from title challengers into a fight for the promotion play-off spot and as it stands Wycombe have the slight edge.

Both sides are level on 26 points but, with seven games left after the derby, tomorrow’s result won’t be make or break for either.

Cussell said: “It’s important because it’s second against third, but it’s not the be all and end all and I don’t think either side will go through the rest of the season unbeaten.

“Of course it’s not just another league game, but it’s not a cup final.

“There are still plenty of games after this one.”