Chinnor head coach Jason Bowers is urging his players to capitalise on a strong start when they host Reading in National 3 South West on Saturday (3).
A battling opening day victory at Bournemouth further boosted confidence in the Chinnor ranks, but Bowers stressed it was only one win.
“That won’t mean anything unless we back it up with a home win,” said Bowers.
“It will be a very different home game to the one we ended last season against London Scottish, but we are looking forward to a good crowd from the Chinnor faithful.
“The squad are confident after winning at one of the stronger sides in the league last Saturday.”
Skipper Matt Hutchings replaces Harry Jackman at lock after missing last week due to a wedding.
Tom Jarvis comes in at scrum half for the injured Toby Prescott, with Ben and James Hewitt teaming up in the centres.
Former Reading captain Alex Wallace is on the bench.
Chinnor are holding a family fun day, starting at 12.30pm, with an under 7 match between the two sides preceding the main event at 2.30pm.
Last season’s top try-scorer Ollie Campbell comes in on the wing as
Oxford Harlequins host Coney Hill.
Flanker Tim Knapp returns for his first Quins game in over two years in place of Angus McDowell (dislocated knee).
Andy Noyce moves to fly half as Mark Forth has school commitments until half-term.
Prop Pete Boulton starts after recovering from a hamstring pull. sustained in their defeat at Taunton.
Adam Pearson gets a run out in the second sat No 8 as he continues his recovery from a hernia operation.
Quins’ director of rugby John Brodley said: “This league is going to be really competitive, so winning your home games is going to be very important.
“We played well in the first half last week at Taunton, but in the second half we really didn’t win any ball.
“We have got to be more clinical and get off to a home win.
“We’ve got to be confident after putting 40-odd points on them in the penultimate game last season.”
In National 2 South,
Henley Hawks visit Clifton, who are set to include former Bristol captain Matt Salter.
Centre Ali James and scrum half James Gaunt are absent on Oxford University duty as physio and backs coach respectively.
Jack Shaylor or Steve Drake will play at No 9, while Dave Birtwistle is hoping to have recovered from burns to be considered for wing or centre.
Wing Christoph Bart also comes into consideration after scoring a brace of tries for the seconds on Saturday.
Wallingford hand a debut to hooker Chris Dixon for their home game with Bletchley in South West 1 East.
Dixon comes in for the unavailable Tom Hill, while Richard Turner starts on the wing after impressing as a replacement last week.
Ralph Smith moves to full back, with Henry Venners dropping to the bench alongside returning forward Paul Lewis.
Captain James Lamb returns at centre from an ankle injury to lead
Witney in their Southern Counties North opener at newly-promoted Amersham & Chiltern.
His twin brother Henry starts at fly half, while Lewis Griffiths gets an opportunity at loose-head prop.
Henley Hawks (v Clifton, away): from Davies, Flammia, Baggett, Wells, Birtwhistle, Bart, Trendell, Drake, Shaylor, Fuller, Hadfield, Dalgleish, Matthews, Penny, T Payne, Stradwick, Hennings, Blewitt, Bennett, M Payne (capt), Dupee, Holloway.
Chinnor (v Reading, home): Cathcart, R Williams, B Hewitt, J Hewitt, Shiel, Chase, Jarvis, Stock, Tattersall, Whelan, Hutchings (capt), Black, Gilbert, Hastings, Mowbray. Reps: Winpenny, M Williams, Wallace.
Oxford Harlequins (v Coney Hill, home): Nutt, Maley, Cope, Rickner, Campbell, Noyce, Sewell, Chadbone (capt), Needham, Boulton, Burrows, Purchase, Knapp, Newman, Cross. Reps: Delange, Rees, Bean.
Wallingford (v Bletchley, home): Smith, Turner, Collett, Holton, Brettell, Strang, Viljoen, Blaszko, Dixon, Keable, McKenna, D Jenkins, Chapman, W Woodward, Jeffrey (capt). Reps: Small, Lewis, Venners.
Witney (v Amershan & Chiltern, away): Mitchem, L Collins, J Lamb (capt), Strutt, Monks, H Lamb, G Campbell, Griffiths, S Collins, Richens, J Hicks, Fowler, Caffekey, Muller, Rowles. Reps: D Godfrey, Quarterman, Harper.
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