CHINNOR RFC Thame is pleased to confirm two further senior fixtures in May.

Played under the Rugby Football Union’s adapted laws, with no scrums or mauls permitted, our Senior Squad will take on Esher in a double-header.

We will welcome the National League 2 South outfit to Kingsey Road on Saturday, May 8, before travelling to Surrey seven days later.

With two games against our National League 1 counterparts Rams already announced, our Senior Squad now have four games to look forward to next month.

The games against Esher will be the first in 14 months for our players and will be played across four quarters of 20 minutes.

Chinnor RFC Thame Director of Rugby, Richard Thorpe said: “After more than a year without First XV rugby at Kingsey Road, I am delighted to confirm two double-headers against Esher and Rams respectively throughout May.

"Since forming as a squad last June, we have built almost a completely new look set-up. Barely more than half a dozen players, management or coaches remain from the previous years First XV side, and we are viewing these fixtures as an opportunity to bring together everything we have been working on throughout the fixture-less months of this season.

"These fixtures allow our new coaching team to get their eyes on our players in a match environment for the first time. This will enable them to refine and sharpen how we will play rugby next season. It also allows me to see how our players can step up, and test themselves against Rams, arguably one of our strongest rivals in National League 1.

"Whilst we have had a modest amount of training time together since March 30, I have been delighted with how the players have maintained their physical conditioning. The quality of our training sessions is a testament to the hard work the players have been putting in away from from the Club in preparation for these fixtures.

"Ultimately, we can now expect to arrive into pre-season in July carrying some much needed match experience, which will serve us well as we prepare to launch ourselves into the 2021/22 season."

SENIOR SQUAD FRIENDLIES

Saturday, May 8
Esher (H) – 3pm

Saturday, May 15
Esher (A) – 3pm

Saturday, May 22
Rams (A) – 3pm

Saturday, May 29
Rams (H) – 3pm

With spectators unable to attend sporting events until Step 3 on the government roadmap (May 17), we are hopeful of welcoming back supporters for the game on May 29. We will provide further details as soon as possible.