MATT Williams is calling on Chinnor to deliver in their season opener at Blackheath tomorrow.

The Thame-based club face a tough start in National League 1 with an away trip to a side tipped to challenge for promotion.

Chinnor have made no secret about their own intentions of fighting towards the top end of the table and have had a busy summer of recruitment.

Former Worcester Warriors back-row forward Carl Kirwan, who will skipper the side, and ex-Samoa captain Ofisa Treviranus are among the big names to join the club.

And director of rugby Williams is calling on his side to push on from a positive summer.

He said: “I want the players to back up the work they have done in pre-season.

“It’s been gruelling and we’ve put a pretty new squad together.

“We’ve shown that we will be dominant up front, we’ve scrummed very well and scored quite a few driving lineouts.

“It’s now about taking it into a league game, because obviously pre-season counts for nothing.”

Henley Hawks head into their National League 2 South campaign determined to challenge for promotion.

The Oxfordshire side, who begin their bid at home to Sutton & Epsom, finished fourth in 2018/19, missing out on the play-off spot by a point.

After a positive first season as head coach, Luke Allen, who hands debuts to Ewan Fenley, Alex Burrage and Charlie Hughes, is aiming for Hawks to kick on.

He said: “I’ve made it clear to the players that we’re looking to push for it.

“In order to capitalise on what we did last year we need to turn it into a league position, whether that’s winning the title or getting into the play-offs.”

Banbury host Windsor in their first South West 1 East game.

Matt Goode’s youthful side have impressed during pre-season, with front-row forward James Leonardi, who is heading into his first year of senior rugby, catching the eye.

Bulls are expecting the division to be hotly contested and the head coach is backing his players to be among the top sides.

Goode said: “We know we’re capable and we’ll see where we are at Christmas, but the top four will be an aspiration for us and we will see how it goes.”

Oxford Harlequins begin life under new head coach Pete Davies when they travel to Old Patesians.

They will hope to improve on last season’s tenth place finish.