County Championship Plate Pool 3

Martin Nutt and Stan McKeen head a series of call-ups as Oxfordshire bid to reach the semi-finals with victory over Essex at Eton Manor on Saturday (3).

Winger Nutt, who has rejoined Oxford Harlequins from Newbury as player-coach, and Canadian international flanker McKeen (right), who is an Oxford Blue, are joined by six other new faces.

They are Henley Hawks wing Sam Portland, Wallingford hooker Tom Hill, Witney forward Adam Copperwheat and University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) trio Morgan Thompson, Luke Allen and Justin Pakes.

Scrum half Thompson came through the ranks at Chinnor, while Allen and Pakes are former Grove juniors.

The only absentees from Oxon’s starting XV, which beat Dorset & Wilts in their opening match are London Scottish lock Andy Smith and Chinnor hooker Alan Cawston, both of whom are unavailable.

Oxfordshire are in position to qualify for the last four, as they can afford to lose by 14 or fewer points and still finish top of the group.

This is after Essex lost their opening match 21-20 at Dorset last week, while Oxfordshire defeated the same opponents 38-10 on May 2.

Oxon manager Bill Allen said: "We are in this tournament to go as far as we can. We have gone in it to win it, not to lose.

"Essex are an unknown quantity. They lost to Dorset & Wilts, but I know Dorset & Wilts strengthened their side for that match so we don't really know what to expect.

“They are at home this time and may be a bit stronger. We believe they may have a lot of players from Southend and Barking.

“However, we are hoping for an improved performance with more training sessions under our belts."

Should Oxon reach the semi-finals, they are likely to be away to either Durham, East Midlands or Kent.

Oxfordshire (v Essex, away): from Jones (Oxford Harlequins), Nutt (Oxford Harlequins), Hewitt (Chinnor), Lamb (Witney), Portland (Henley Hawks), Sayce (Wallingford), Sevier (Oxford Harlequins), Cathcart (Chinnor), Sewell (Oxford Harlequins), Thompson (UWIC), Stock (Chinnor), Hill, Whelan (Chinnor), Winpenny (Chinnor), Eckert (Chinnor), Hutchings (capt, Chinnor), Pearson (Oxford Harlequins), Hastings (Chinnor), Allen (UWIC), Pakes (UWIC), Nicholl (Oxford Harlequins), McKeen (Oxford University), A Copperwheat (Witney), Muller (Witney).