Former London Harlequins player Matt Williams predicts a bright future for Chinnor after taking over as their director of rugby.

Williams, sacked as London 1 club Gravesend’s coach last month, takes over from John Vaughan, who is stepping down mid-season due to pressure of work.

The 34-year-old former England age group hooker, will work alongside head coach Matt Goode and his assistant Andrew Smith as Chinnor bid to secure their future in National 2 South.

“I’m confident that Chinnor will achieve their ambitions of consolidating their place in National 2 South and moving onward and upward from there, said Williams. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have taken the job.”

Williams has provided an immediate boost by acquiring four new signings, all of whom will be in the squad for tomorrow’s rearranged match at home Clifton, which was called off last week.

“Chinnor are ten per cent away from being a very good team,” he said. “What they needed was a bit of grunt up front.”

To that end he has brought in former England Under 20 prop Ricky Cano, from Hartpury College, 6ft 8ins Polish lock forward Michal Kruzycki, Army No 8 Ledua Jope and flanker Aaron James Nichols, from Barking.

“With these signing and the excellent young talent already at the club, I’m confident that we will finish in the top half of what is a very congested league,” added Williams.

A former London Harlequins hooker, Williams had a heart attack at the age of 21 and so started to concentrate on coaching, although he still played a bit for Rugby Lions.

As Oxford University’s ladies coach this season, he has just another string to his Oxfordshire bow.