HEAD coach Pete Davies believes Henley Hawks can spring a few surprises in National League 1.

Hawks head into their opener at Rosslyn Park tomorrow on the back of a promising pre-season and a victory over Welsh champions Pontypridd.

Davies is in high spirits and is backing Henley to hold their own after they were relegated from the division in 2014.

He said: “We want to be in the top half of the table.

“We are looking to cause lots of upsets throughout the season - we are very much the underdogs going into games.

“It does not matter who we play, it will be tough, but hopefully Rosslyn Park will take us lightly and we will catch them cold.”

Davies hands debuts to seven players with Tom Emery, Ant Brennan, Jake Albon and Julian Watkins starting in the pack.

In the backs, Elliott Cox, Johnny Williams and Jack Bradford are in line for their first start, while scrum half Connor Murphy has recovered from a broken ankle.

Forward Oscar Hirskyj-Douglas misses out (shoulder).

Chinnor head into their National League 2 South campaign, confident of improving on last season’s sixth place finish.

Director of rugby Matt Williams set up testing friendlies against Coventry and Rosslyn, from the league above, but believes it has given his side ideal preparation for their trip to Southend.

He said: “We are looking to improve on last year and if we do that we will be pushing at the top end of the table.

“I think we are in a strong place going into the first league game.

“Southend away is the perfect start for us because it is one of the hardest places to go in the league as they proved last year."

Andy and Mark Darlington are set to make their debuts in the front row, while Andy Berry is at tight-head after rejoining the club in the summer.

Tom Burns, Joe Vandermolen and Matt Tibbatts are also in line to make their first appearances in the pack, with Tiploma Kivalu waiting in the wings on the bench.

In the backs, Greg Goodfellow, Mark Davies, Jack Adams and Adam Dehaty will all pull on a Chinnor jersey for the first time.

Oxford Harlequins have set their sights on the top three ahead of their South West 1 East opener at local rivals Grove.

Quins, who have moved back to Marston Ferry Road after seven years at Hinksey, were relegated from National League 3 South West last year.

It has been a busy summer on and off the pitch, while Alan Hancock has taken over as head of rugby and Keni Fisilau head coach.

With a two-year plan in mind, promotion is not the priority this season, but Hancock is eager to see Quins’ youngsters flourish.

He said: “Our goal is to finish top three.

“If we come below that then that’s not met our bar.

“If we get promoted, we get promoted, but we want to bring in the youth to step up to National 3.

“We still think that is a two-year process.”

Quins face Grove for the first time since they were beaten by Craig Burrows' side in April’s Oxfordshire Cup final and Hancock says his team have a point to prove.

He added: “I would like to think Grove will want to look for the double, but I want to deny them that privilege.

“We have learnt our lesson from the cup final.”

Flankers Angus Milton and Robin Craig, as well as No 8 Christian Perkins, are set for their debuts.

There also first starts for scrum half Noel O’Brian, centre Freddie Braithwaite-Exley and winger Axel Poulet.

Grove head coach Burrows is expecting a difficult start against Quins.

No 8 Ollie Rees and full back Graeme Crapper are set to face their old club, while fly half Mike Martin will make his debut.

Guy Nichol (ban) and Pat Wiltshire (unavailable) miss out.

Burrows said: “When the fixtures came out we had a smile on our face.

“They (Quins) will be strong and it will be a very difficult game.

“It will be close and good to see how we go – there is no better way of having the excitement of the game and a big local derby.”

Grove have lost flanker Dave Wells to Henley Hawks, while winger Harry Carr has moved out of the area.

After coming tenth last year in their second season in English rugby’s sixth tier, Burrows is targeting a top six finish.

He said: “We have got a small squad, but if we are lucky with injuries I think we have got to be aiming for top six and try to get to the cup final again – that would be a successful season.”

Witney kick-start their campaign with a trip to Leighton Buzzard.

The west Oxfordshire side finished fifth last year, thanks to an 11-match winning run.

Coach Richie Craig said: “Our aim this year is to build on the success of the last two seasons and continue the momentum we have created throughout the club.

“The start to the season is going to be a very testing time for the squad with games against Leighton Buzzard, Windsor and Oxford Harlequins away in the first four weeks of the season.

“These will be difficult, but definitely competitive and enjoyable fixtures, for all those involved.”

TOMORROW’S TEAMS

Henley Hawks (v Rosslyn Park, away): Cox, O’Neill, Williams, Bradford, Andre, Comben, Murphy, Manning, Emery, Brennan, Clements (capt), Albon, Watkins, Hall, Stapley. Reps: West, Langdon, Davey, Richardson, Allen.

Chinnor (v Southend, away): Angell, Dehaty, Adams, Fatialofa, Martey, Davies, Goodfellow, A Darlington, M Darlington, Berry, Oliver, Burns, Vandermolen, Tyas (capt), Tibbatts. Reps: Kivalu, Townsend, Manning, Jones, Blewitt.

Oxford Harlequins (v Grove, away): Douglas, Poulet, Crowe, Braithwaite-Exley, Etheridge, Dimond, O’Brian, Sharpe, Battson, Boulton, Purchase (capt), Neal, Milton, Craig, Perkins. Reps: (from) Fisilau, Edney, Ward, Hodgson, Watkinson.

Grove (v Oxford Harlequins, home): Crapper, White, Clipsham, Sevier, Cramp, Martin, J Chilvers, Eckert (capt), Dixie, Walsh, Miles, Ponting, Gratwohl, Peel, Rees. Reps: C Chilvers, Law, Tugwell.

Witney (v Leighton Buzzard, away): Dodman-Edwards, Monks, Strutt, Clarke, Taylor, Lamb, Campbell (capt), Fuller, Collins, Richens, Hyde, Hare, Miller, Routledge, Lane. Reps: Wickens, Canavan, Godfrey.