OXFORDSHIRE’S president says changes to the county’s cup competitions were discussed – but a lack of clubs led to retaining the same format.

Sides kick off their campaigns this weekend in an attempt to lift silverware at Iffley Road in the spring.

But the Oxfordshire Cup and Shield have been hampered in recent years by an increasing number of walkovers and struggles to field strong teams.

An Oxford Mail feature in April discussed the possibility of freshening up the competitions.

Over the last five seasons, 31 per cent and 24 per cent of Cup and Shield ties respectively were not

played.

A number of ideas to change the format, which included playing games midweek under floodlights, were suggested.

But Oxfordshire RFU president Jenny Bosley insisted altering the structure was not possible.

“We just don’t have the clubs to change the format,” she said.

“If we got a few more we could have been able to do a three-way tier – lower, middle and high – but we have 21 clubs and it’s just not possible.”

Bosley added: “It was discussed, but you only have certain Saturdays to work with.

“If you have bad weather, some of those Saturdays are taken up and league takes precedence over local competition.

“It’s a little bit more complicated than people think.”

WEEKEND FIXTURES

OXFORDSHIRE CUP

Preliminary round: Chinnor 2nd v Oxford University Greyhounds.

OXFORDSHIRE SHIELD

Preliminary round: Alchester v Wheatley, Oxford University Whippets v Faringdon, Blue Boar v Oxford Brookes University 2nd, Abingdon v Didcot.