Team manager Ray Shaw has predicted that Oxfordshire could go all the way to the final following their stunning 75-12 victory over Kent in the Tetley's Bitter County Championship on Saturday.

As Oxfordshire prepared for tomorrow's South Pool 2 game against Dorset and Wilts at Bournemouth, Shaw was bullish about their chances.

"With the quality of players we have available, we've got a good chance of going to the final at least," he said.

Anybody making such remarks about Oxon's chances in the last 20 years would surely have been locked up. But there is genuine optimism in the camp this year, due to the large contingent of players from the successful Henley club, under the guidance of their assistant coach Jim McKay.

Tomorrow's starting line-up contains 14 Henley players, the one exception being the Banbury No 8 Rob Cockerton.

Compared with the side that thrashed Kent, Danny Batty replaces the unavailable Sam Adlen in the centre, Mat Maudsley is preferred to Andy Noyce on the wing because of his greater goalkicking powers, and prop Phil New replaces Adam Hopcroft, who is required by Bath.

The one potential banana skin comes tomorrow week, when Oxon play Sussex at Banbury, on the same day as Henley entertain Rotherham in their final Premiership 2 game. "We expect to lose about six Henley players for the day, but we've already made contingency plans," said Shaw.

Last week Sussex beat Dorset & Wilts 23-16.