Clubs must play twice in a weekend or midweek under floodlights to complete this season’s Oxfordshire Cup and Shield fixtures.

That is the ruling from the county cup committee to counter the effect of the postponements caused by the freezing weather.

The Cup and Shield quarter-finals are due to be played on February 6 or 7, but the former date will now have a full league programme on it.

To add to the delays, holders Oxford Harlequins have yet to visit Grove for their Cup preliminary round.

Even if they play in National 3 South West this week, Quins now have only one free Saturday until April 18.

With finals day set for April 24 or 25 at Iffley Road, fitting in all the matches will be tough.

A statement from the cup committee said: “The county feels that the only way to complete the games this season is to either:- “Play the game on a Sunday, which is the normal cup day. This will mean some clubs will have to play two games in a weekend.

“Or play the game midweek under lights. This can only be achieved if there is a club with lights that will allow you to play, and both clubs will have to mutually agree to do it.

“To achieve the above the committee will set dates, by which each game must be played.

“These dates will be issued as soon as possible, when the present weather conditions improve.

“The county appreciates that the situation is not ideal, but asks clubs to comply to try and get the competitions under way.”

Quins director of rugby John Brodley said: “My message to the county is that rather than making us play two games on consecutive days, let’s play one under lights.

“The games could be played on the Wednesday of the week they are scheduled.

“If a team drawn at home have lights then it goes ahead as normal.

“If they don’t have lights, it could go to a neutral venue or be switched.

“We did try and blank out the weekend of February 6 as they asked us to, but we were not allowed to do that.

“It is not our fault!”

Brodley added: “We’ll abide by whatever the county decide, but to play on two consecutive days would not be great.

“I understand a club like Grove may lose bar takings, but these are extraordinary circumstances.”