OXFORD Harlequins face the most important game of their season tomorrow when they visit Amersham & Chiltern in National 3 South West.

Quins, who are 12th, trail Amersham by five points, meaning defeat could leave them ten points from safety.

But a third straight league victory will give them every hope of avoiding relegation.

Team manager Steve Chadbone said: “It is a must-win game for us.

“The guys have been working really hard in training.

“There was a good reaction to the cup game against Witney and we are looking forward to what is going to be a very hard game.

“If we can get through this one, we have got a run to Christmas with some winable games.

“We have a had a good November, let’s make it a good December.”

Head coach Tevita Vaikona added: “Amersham are getting stronger, so we have to take another step up from the last game.”

Lock Michael Forde and flanker Sione Vaiomo’unga return, but No 8 Adam Pearson needs a hernia operation, andmisses out.

Andy Boyle, another lock, will have a fitness test on his leg infection, but has not been named in the squad.

Flanker Ben Ramsdale comes into the Chinnor squad for their trip to basement boys Newbury Blues.

Will Waddingham is rested, so Nick Harrison is expected to take his place at openside.

Despite Chinnor having beaten previous leaders Bournemouth last time out, head coach Jason Bowers says they should still be wary of Newbury.

“In many ways you want to play the side on top of the league because you know what to expect,” said Bowers.

“Newbury have got nothing to lose and now we are on top, everyone wants to beat us.

“The lads will have to be very switched on in the early exchanges. If we let them get a start, it will be a much harder afternoon.”

Henley Hawks have rung the changes for their home clash with Barnes in National 2 South.

England Under 20 prop Alec Hepburn replaces Hugo Milford-Scott at loose-head, while Rupert Crossland and Jamie Sutton come in on the flanks.

They replace Will Woodward, who is playing in the Dubai Sevens and Ryan Newman, who is rested after playing in all 14 matches so far.

Captain Tom Allen moves to inside centre, with Danny Wells, like Newman, getting a breather on the bench.

Neil Baggett moves to full back, Tommy Haynes comes in a left wing and Jonah Holmes starts at scrum half, with James Gaunt sidelined by Varsity Match commitments as Oxford’s backs coach.

Full back Henry Lamb, wing James Monks and scrum half Gareth Campbell return to Witney’s squad for their trip to third-placed Swindon in South West 1 East.

They missed last week’s Oxfordshire Cup defeat at Oxford Harlequins, while lock Charlie Bennett steps up from the bench in place of Scott Mortimer.

Regular full back and kicker Ed Mitcham is unavailable.

SATURDAY SQUADS

Henley Hawks (v Barnes home): Baggett, Bart, Cheesman, Allen (capt), Haynes, Comben, Holmes, Hepburn, Church, Penny, Winterbottom, Elder, Crossland, Sutton, M Payne. Reps: Milford-Scott, Brennan, Nixon, Newman, Wells.

Chinnor (v Newbury Blues, away): from Colver, Seymour, R Williams, Goode, Stoop, Prinsloo, Cathcart, Jones, Winpenny, Tattersall, Pickett, Whelan, Mowbray, Smith, Jackman, Harrison, Ramsdale, Gilbert.

Oxford Harlequins (v Amersham & Chiltern, away): Warman, Jelley, Nutt, A Coper, Burn, Todd, Cosins, Steventon, Chadbone (capt), Hall, Forde, Brown, Farahani, Vaiomo’unga, Watkins. Reps: Edney, Clayton, Maspero.

Witney (v Swindon, away): H Lamb, L Collins, J Lamb, Harper, Purkiss, Dubost, G Campbell, Burke, S Collins, Richens, Bennett, Haire, M Copperwheat, C Campbell, J Hicks (capt). Reps: Fuller, Mortimer, Monks.