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Rugby: Quins can help rivals Chinnor

From the archive, first published Friday 18th Nov 2005.

Oxford Harlequins can give rivals Chinnor a promotion boost when they travel to Clifton in South West 1 tomorrow.

Along with Weston-super-Mare, Clifton look like posing the biggest threat to Chinnor's National League hopes.

But defeat could see the Bristol club end the day four points behind the leaders.

Quins' confidence will have been boosted by last week's dramatic 38-35 win against Maidenhead, although Clifton should prove a far tougher test.

Prop Paul Delange is unavailable, but they hope to have hooker Dave Needham back from injury.

Charlie Murphy and Chris Cooper are pushing for selection in the backs.

Hooker Dave Goddard and flanker Mike Cook come into the Chinnor side for their trip to Reading Abbey.

Goddard replaces the absent JP Immelman, while Cook comes in for Ed Rixon.

Academy prop Ian Stock and Danish international back row recruit Mikail Rassmussen make the bench

Coach John Brodley said: "I'm looking for a concentrated and focussed performance and for each player to guard against complacency, as we beat Abbey by 39 points earlier this season."

Adam Slade replaces the injured Matt Britton as Henley Hawks travel to Moseley in National 2 aiming for their fourth win in a row.

Prop Andrew Grierson and scrum half Steve Drake replace Tom Muggridge and Stuart Roberts on the bench.

Matt Brocklebank wins a starting spot at prop and Gareth Williams fill in at hooker as Witney host Olney in Southern Counties North.

BB&O Premier Division leaders Bicester will be without Sean Cooke, Dave Brogan and Mark Malins when they travel to Phoenix .

Former Oxford Harlequins back Alex Webb and ex-Henley and Northampton forward Rod Rhymes both start as Gosford All Blacks host Farnham Royal. TOMORROW'S TEAMS Oxford Harlequins (v Clifton, away, meet Horspath Road 11.15am) From: Fourie, Chadbone, Needham, Chapman, Dawson, Dixon, Mason, J Cope (capt), Vinter, Bonnano, Edington, Gustafson, Sutton, Tanner, Henley, Mawle, Nutt, A Cope, Hammond, Murphy, Cooper.

Chinnor (v Reading Abbey, home): Buckley, White, Oxley, Tolich, Brown, Williams, Thompson, Winpenny, Goddard, Devine, Hutchins, Burrows (capt), Cook, Brooks, Hennessy. Reps: Stock, Rasmussen, David.

Henley (v Moseley, away): Burton, Slade, Dunckley, Burns, Simmons, Reeves, Gaunt, Fuller, Gibbons, Hadfield, Winterbottom, Payne, Tenconi, Atkinson (capt), Archer. Reps: Grierson, Wood, Cimpoias, Drake.

Witney: (v Olney, home): Wheater, H Lamb, J Lamb, Phillips, A Hicks, Harper, G Campbell, Brocklebank, G Williams, Gosling, J Hicks (capt), Richens, C Campbell,Worrall, Fowler. Reps: Lyall, McIlveen, Serle

Bicester (v Phoenix, away): from Edgar, Leverton, P Coogan, Lewis, D Spencer, Risbridger, Kenny, Shaw, Ewins, Evans, Shouler (capt), Wright, Hicks, Nightingale, Evans, Rollason, A Spencer, Barnes.

Gosford All Blacks (v Farnham Royal, home): from Machin, Wadley (capt), Nicholls, Rhymes, Hayes, Gloyn, Kenmuir, Beesley, Hughes, Westbrook, Borthwick, C Sutton, T Sutton, Shepherd, Webb, Wingfield Digby, Chinye, Newell, Downey.

Oxford Harlequins 3rd (v Phoenix 2nd, home, meet Horspath Road 1pm).

Oxford Harlequins 4th (v Bicester 3rd away, meet Horspath Road 12.45pm).

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