There is no reason why Oxfordshire cannot have a strong County Championship Shield campaign, starting with Saturday’s opener against East Midlands.

That is the view of Richard Williams, who has stepped up to head coach for the Pool 1 clash at Northampton Casuals RFC.

The match will see the teams trial rolling substitutions with 12 interchanges allowed per side and Williams has confidence in his players.

“We have high expectations this season,” said Chinnor centre Williams, who is also head coach at Oxford Brookes University.

“After getting to the semi-finals last year, we want to go one better this time around and get to the final.

“We have got a good side, made up of players from Chinnor, Oxford Harlequins and the two Oxford universities.

“Most of the players were involved in last season’s campaign so we have got the consistency too.

“And with the new structure in place, of not being able to field players from higher than level 5 clubs, we think we have got a good chance of competing.”

Oxon include former Witney hooker Adam Copperwheat, whose club Ampthill have secure promotion to National 2 North.

Chinnor lock Matt Hutchings continues as captain, while his club colleagues James Hewitt and Sam Black feature after overcoming injuries.

Quins’ trio Jeff Stewart, Morgan Cross and Ryan Newman make their debuts.

Oxfordshire: from Stewart (Oxford Harlequins), Serrano, J Hewitt, B Hewitt, Stoop (all Chinnor), Clipsham (UWIC), Cathcart (Chinnor), Sewell (Oxford Harlequins), Burns (Wallingford), Pickett (Chinnor), Henk (Oxford Brookes), Winpenny (Chinnor), Copperwheat (Ampthill), Whelan (Chinnor), Eckert (Oxford Harlequins), Hutchings (capt, Chinnor), Cross, Newman, Knapp (all Oxford Harlequins), McKeen (Oxford University), Black (Chinnor), Pearson (Ox Harlequins).