RUGBY UNION: Chinnor don't need firing up

5:39pm Wednesday 2nd April 2008

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The Oxfordshire Cup final against Oxford Harlequins will give Chinnor the chance to avenge their only league defeat of the season.

But captain Matt Hutchings says simply playing in Saturday's Iffley Road showpiece should be sufficient for them to raise their game.

Quins beat Chinnor 29-15 in November's South West 1 clash - a defeat that has riled Hutchings's men ever since.

But he said: "There is no added motivation needed for a final like this.

"It doesn't matter what has happened before.

"I personally haven't won the cup. That's enough motivation there.

"Back in November when we lost to Quins, we were still quite naive.

"But since then we have developed really well.

"There is pressure in a cup final, but I think we are able to cope with it better now."

Chinnor have also lost on their last two appearances in the county cup final - to Quins in 2004 and Henley Alliance in 2005.

Hutchings added: "We are quite confident for the final, but form doesn't really come into it.

"We will be starting again on a level playing field.

"It will be another typical week's training as we see it as just another game."

Hutchings had looked like missing the final, but will now lead his side out after all A PE teacher at the Cooper School, Bicester, he had been down to lead a ski trip this weekend, but a colleague has stepped into the breach.

Hooker Alan Cawston, however, won't be able to cap his first-team renaissance with an appearance in the final against Oxford Harlequins.

Cawston heads off on Horspath Cricket Club's Barbados tour on Saturday morning having booked the trip when he thought he was well down the pecking order at Chinnor.

For Quins, No 8 Anthony Jackson and utility player Tom Johnson are both unavailable.