OXFORD Harlequins forward Charlie Sammut misses tomorrow’s National 3 South West clash at home to Old Patesians as he is on international duty with Malta.

Sammut is unavailable to face his former club because Malta are preparing for European Nations Cup matches against Latvia and Lithuania.

Quins’ director of rugby John Brodley said: “I didn’t realise he was Maltese until I got a phone call about it!

“He is going over there for a week’s training before the two matches.

“It is great to have an international in our ranks.”

Captain Jamie Cope is also likely to be ruled out after taking a bang against Chinnor, so Alex Powell and Julian Watkins come into the back row.

Graham Sage returns at scrum half and Harry Warman at full back.

Anthony Cope is back at centre, with Tom Jelly moving to the wing.

Brodley added: “Old Pats are just above us, so it is a really important game.

“We know we have to be a lot stronger in our first-up tackling, especially in midfield, and especially as Old Pats have scored 20 tries through their backs.”

Wing Tom Gray returns to the Chinnor squad for their trip to Exmouth after missing their victory over Quins with school commitments.

Head coach Jason Bowers reported no new injury worries as he stressed the importance of Chinnor’s trip to Devon.

“Last year our away form wasn’t great in the south west,” said Bowers.

“This year we have started with good wins at Weston and Bridgwater. This is now the first of the really long trips.

“We have got to get our heads together for this one.

“We are going away with a lot of confidence and an unbeaten record to protect.

“For a long time, Exmouth were our bogey side, but last year we had a pretty comfortable win against them at home.”

Henley Hawks lock Dave Clements will be out for several weeks after fracturing an arm during their 10-9 defeat to Worthing.

Charlie Nixon, who played for a Henley/Wasps XV against Oxford University on Monday, replaces Clements for Hawks’ National 2 South trip to Launceston.

Matt Payne returns at No 8, Alex Penny comes in at tight-head prop, with Jim Hadfield moving to loose-head and Alec Hepburn dropping to the bench.

Full back James Comben is ruled out with a shoulder injury, so Neil Baggett moves to No 15 and Xavier Andre returns on the wing, with centre Danny Wells taking up the place-kicking duties.

Hooker Sam Collins returns to the Witney squad for the first time since breaking an ankle in January as they visit Reading Abbey in South West 1 East.

Also coming in are full back Ed Mitcham, prop Mark Fuller and wing Lewis Collins.

TOMORROW'S TEAMS

Henley Hawks (v Launceston, away): Baggett, Andre, James, Wells, Bart, Allen (capt), Gaunt, Hadfield, Brennan, Penny, Winterbottom, Nixon, Long, Newman, M Payne. Reps: Hepburn, Milford-Scott, Crossland, Cheesman, Haynes.

Chinnor (v Exmouth, away): from Chase, Gray, Colver, Goode, Stoop, Seymour, R Williams, Cathcart, Jones, Winpenny (capt), Tattersall, Pickett, Whelan, Jack-man, Smith, Mowbray, Devine, Harrison, Gilbert.

Oxford Harlequins (v Old Patesians, home): Warman, Burn, Nutt, A Cope, Jelly, Stevenson, Sage, Chadbone, Edney, Hall, Boyle, Clayton, Forde, Powell, Watkins. Reps: Barlow, Lyness, Cousins.

Witney (v Reading Abbey, away): from Mitcham, H Lamb, L Collins, J Lamb, Harper, Monks, Dubost, G Campbell, Burke, S Collins, Fuller, Calley, M Copperwheat, C Bennett, Haire, Muller, C Campbell, J Hicks (capt).