RUGBY UNION:Restless Ojomoh is keeping his options open

Those with a wicked sense of humour can hardly let this one slip by. Steve Ojomoh may be kicking his heels at Bath - where the lack of regular first-team appearances have caused him to consider his future- but when the champions tackle Northampto n at the Rec this afternoon they have selected the disgruntled player at No 8 against the very club he may join.

But then having signed registration forms for the Saints and immediately played a part in helping to bring about what is almost certain to be another defeat for the struggling Midlanders, Ojomoh has quite sensibly kept his options open.

While cynics might suggest that Ojomoh - whose heel-kicking activities resume next weekend on the bench for England in Dublin - may be tempted to go easy on potential future team-mates among the tail-end Charlies, they would not have taken into account the sensible precaution of an escape clause.

Should Saints depart the First Division, the deal is off. Besides which Harlequins are now showing an interest in the back row, who this afternoon will be making his seventh league appearance for the leaders this season as they contest their eleventh fixture.

That may sound a reasonable record, but then when Bath have tackled the big guns the Hall-Clarke-Robinson alliance is their preference.

Poor Ojomoh, whose future at Bath probably rests in the hands, or rather knees, of John Hall. Still, if the captain does decide to play on after this season, at least the second fiddler can expect one telephone call from the director of rugby at Harlequins, Dick Best, promising: "I shall be getting in touch."

Today, at any rate, Ojomoh has a chance to shine against a Saints weakened by England's request that the team, but not the bench, rest the week before an international. Tim Rodber and Martin Bayfield are thus absent at the Rec, though the trailing travellers can expect no respite.

Request or not, Jeremy Guscott will be in a Bath back line that includes the bench men Jonathan Callard and Phil de Glanville, while the Irish wing, Simon Geoghegan, decides a run out is best prior to meeting England. Mike Catt, though, stands down before his first start in an international and Ben Clarke and Victor Ubogu also rest.

In fact, besides Guscott the only other member of the England XV sporting club colours before a month's break in League activity is Dean Richards. But then that should come as no surprise, the Leicester No 8 getting his fix in the middle of a back row that features Neil Back and Chris Tarbuck against Orrell, led by the smarting Dewi Morris, at Welford Road.

Nick Poppewell, meanwhile, takes the Geoghegan line on building for what his countrymen hope will be the completion of a hat-trick of victories over England.

The loose-head prop will be packing down at Sudbury for Wasps against a Quins front row missing Brian Moore and Jason Leonard.