County Championship Plate

Oxfordshire face an uphill battle to reach the final when they take on Durham at Darlington RFC on Saturday (2).

Not only are Durham unbeaten, but some of Oxfordshire’s players can only make the 230-mile trip on the morning of the match.

Although Oxon make eight changes to the squad that lost 27-20 at Essex in their final Pool 3 game, team manager Bill Allen is promising a committed effort.

He said: “In the last six seasons, the county under 20 and senior sides have had five semi-finals and each one has been away.

“You can draw your own conclusions.

“But we’ll be up there to do our best.”

Grove and Hartpury College centre Tom Clipsham and Barnes prop James Hastings-Trew, a former Oxford Brookes student, could make their Oxon debuts.

The others coming into the squad include a Chinnor quartet – centre Darren Oxley, wing Richard Williams, hooker Alan Cawston and lock Craig Burrows.

London Scottish lock Andy Smith and Witney flanker Tim Muller complete the influx.

James Lamb (Witney), Sam Portland (Henley), Tom Hill (Wallingford), Joe Winpenny (Chinnor) and Oxford Harlequins trio Kenny Sewell, Adam Pearson and Ben Nicholl are the absentees.

Should Oxfordshire win, they will host either Kent or Essex in the final on Saturday, May 30, which would be at Chinnor.

Head coach Gareth Rees said: “We were disappointed to lose to Essex because we knew we could have played better.

“We lacked fluidity and we weren't patient enough, but that happens when you have so little time together as a squad.

“However, you learn from those experiences and that is something we'll take forward playing against Durham.

“We are going into this game confident, we have the belief in the players and I know the whole squad will give it everything we can."”

Oxfordshire: from Hewitt (Chinnor), Jones (Oxford Harlequins), Nutt (Oxford Harlequins), Oxley (Chinnor), Sevier (Oxford Harlequins), Cathcart (Chinnor), Sayce (Wallingford), Clipsham (Grove), Thompson (UWIC), Williams (Chinnor), Stock (Chinnor), Cawston (Chinnor), Whelan (Chinnor), Burrows (Chinnor), Hutchings (capt, Chinnor), Smith (London Scottish), Hastings (Chinnor), Muller (Witney), Allen (UWIC), McKeen (Oxford University), Pakes (UWIC), Eckert (Chinnor), Hastings-Trew (Barnes).