HENLEY'S future participation in the Oxfordshire Rugby Cup has been called into question by the club they will face in this season's semi-finals.

Rob Walsh, chairman of cup holders Chinnor, who meet the Allied Dunbar Premiership 2 club at Dry Leas this Sunday, is concerned about the strength of side that Henley have been fielding in this year's competition.

Since moving into the higher echelons of English club rugby, Henley have put their second team into the competition.

This year, the club are much stronger in depth, and in the first-round tie against Chipping Norton, they fielded nine of the side that faced Bristol in the Tetley Bitter Cup in January - and rattled up 80 points.

"I feel that the sides they've been putting out in the cup, are not in the spirit of the competition,' said Walsh.

"Which other Allied Dunbar Premiership clubs play in their county cups? I think none. "If they are going to pack their side with Premiership players, we may as well give them the cup. True amateur clubs do object to playing against paid professionals. Chinnor seriously considered not entering the competition but we've decided not to withdraw.

"We've got no axe to grind, but would like the Oxfordshire RFU to consider the implications of Henley's future involvement in the cup.

"I would like them to be restricted to not playing any registered professionals."

Walsh feels it is unfair that a club receiving funding of £200,000 from the RFU, should be playing against those who get just £1,300.

The question of qualification for next season's Tetley's Bitter Cup is another issue. As a Premiership club, Henley automatically qualify.

Two other places are available to Oxfordshire clubs - normally the county cup holders and runners-up.

If Henley reach the final, the two losing semi-finalists will then have to play off to decide the other qualifying spot. Tony MacArthur, Henley's director of rugby, rejected the criticism. "We've always entered a genuine second team in the competition this season," he said.

"But we've made a deliberate point of strengthening our second XV this season. So many of our first-team players from previous years, now find themselves in the second side."

Just to show how strong Henley reserves are, they currently top the London 2nd XV League, having lost only one match all season.

However, Oxfordshire Cup organiser Vince Baskerville said: "We're delighted they feel the cup is prestigious enough for them to want to go out and win it."

Story date: Wednesday 01 March

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