The OURFU Under 20’s squad head north on Saturday for a quarter-final encounter with Durham in the U20’s National Championships on Sunday afternoon at West Hartlepool TDSOB RFC, kick-off 2.15pm. Coaches Matt Street and Dom Alonzi have had no contact time with the players since the end of term (more than a month ago), so it will be a big challenge for them to bring the squad together with just one team run on the Saturday evening! The squad are perhaps three players short of being at full-strength, with No 8 Fraser Heathcote (St Edmund Hall) and fly-half Will Dace (Hertford) both injured and wing Seb Williams (Pembroke) unable to take time out from an internship. In addition flanker Gus Jones (St Catherine’s) is unavailable for selection having represented England U20’s in the recent Six Nations Championship. However, despite being in the middle of the Easter vacation, the squad are in good spirits and will be captained by Matt Shorthose from scrum-half.
In the group stages, before Christmas they overcame Staffordshire by 12 points to 10, then lost to a strong Oxfordshire outfit by 44 points to 17 before overcoming Warwickshire at a wintry Iffley Road in February by 15 points to 12. A win in the quarter-final could set up a potential re-match with Oxfordshire on Sunday 21st April!Forwards: Dean Irvine (St Catherine’s), Ben Symington (Oriel), Will Key (St Catherine’s), Will Darby (St Edmund Hall), George Greenwood (Christ Church), Abhishek Oswal (Lady Margaret Hall), Tom Hilton-Stevens (Brasenose), James Tozer (Madgalen), Guy Richardson (Exeter), Sam Bainbridge (St Catherine’s), Jack Clavert (St Edmund Hall), Henry Hughes (Magdalen), Harry Horner (Pembroke), Harry Jackson (Hertford)
Backs: Matt Shorthose (University), Chris O’Halloran (Worcester), Alex Grundmann (Brasenose), Will Boardman (New), Henry Lamont (New), Sam Williams (Somerville), Tom Smith (Somerville), Tom Dowling (Magdalen)