Oxfordshire's reliance on Henley players this season means they have to make a host of changes for their Tetley's Bitter County Championship match against Sussex at Banbury tomorrow (Saturday, May 6), writes Michael Knox.

At the same time, Henley themselves play their final Allied Dunbar Premiership 2 game of the season at home to champions Rotherham.

There is nothing at stake on the game, but Henley will be keen to end their first season at this level on a high note.

The good news for Oxfordshire is that even if they lose to Sussex, they seem certain to progress to top South Pool 2 the quarter-final for the first time in many years. Convincing wins over Kent and Dorset & Wilts - and Sussex's defeat by Kent last week - means that Oxon can afford to lose by 56 points and still go through to the last eight.

There, they seem likely to meet defending champions Cornwall at Redruth on Sunday, May 13, when Oxon will be back to full strength.

For tomorrow's game, there are seven changes to the Oxon line-up that beat Dorset & Wilts 54-0.

Henley backs Peter Davies, Ricardo van Zyl, Matt Maudsley, and forwards Jerry Sampson, Willie Phillips and Mark Venner are missing, with prop Phil New reverting to the bench. Banbury's Tony Hurst will start at scrum half, with Liam Smye moving to the wing. Other Banbury players promoted are centre Sam Adlen, and lock Simon Chatterton.

Chinnor prop Adam Hopcroft is preferred to New.

"We're not going there to try and keep the points down, we're going all out for a win," said Ron Martin, Oxfordshire's chairman of playing.