Oxfordshire Shield

Oxford coach John Brodley says his team to face Blue Boar in tomorrow's first final (12noon) is "a classic mixture of youth and experience".

Brodley has selected six Leadbitter Oxford Academy players, alongside stalwarts such as captain Mark Viner and prop Gary Walter.

Hooker Jack Rudman, scrum half Jon Derrick, fly half Robbie Hill and full back Graham Crapper start, with Josh Byles and Stuart Wakenell on the bench.

"The team selected for Saturday has evolved over the season," said Brodley.

"Experienced players like Walters, Paul Molyneux and Tom Olley have been instrumental in helping the Leadbitter Academy youngsters adjust to senior rugby.

"This has created a great team spirit and togetherness which we hope to use to our advantage against Blue Boar.

"I have always promoted youth whenever possible whether at club or county.

"They provide excitement to the game with their unpredictability and their enthusiasm rubs off on the rest of the team.

"I am very pleased to include six of them into the final squad and demonstrate that in the Oxford Partnership we are not full of spin, but active in promoting and supporting our youth."

Blue Boar have named four Grove first-teamers and lock Adam Pearson who has played for Oxford Harlequins this season in their squad.

Centre Ben Nicholl and flanker Carl Alder both start, with Steve Dixey and Jimmy Wallbridge on the bench.

Pearson, an Oxford Brookes student, will partner Bicester's Nigel Cox in the second row.

Boar could not have selected players from Southern Counties North or higher last season, but have have exploited a misprint in this year's county handbook..

Its cup rules section stated the Shield was for level eight clubs rather than clubs and players.

Bicester tried to get Boar expelled from the Shield for fielding ineligible players following their semi-final defeat, but their appeal was quashed.

Secretary Brian Kentish said: "We are not very impressed with all this talk. We've not broken any rules."

It could also be argued that Oxford have benefitted in a similar way from their partnership with Quins.

Kentish added: "We are definitely the underdogs against Oxford.

"We don't have training sessions, apart from our previous matches against Wheatley and Bicester.

"We played very well in the first half against Bicester. We are looking forward to this one."

Kentish also suggested they may bring a few more supporters than expected.

"The pub is up for it," he said.

"We take the game seriously, but we also like to enjoy ourselves."

Oxford: Crapper, Hartley, Olley, Walker, Longuet-Higgins, Hill, Derrick, Walter, Rudman, Mitchell, Mason, Viner (capt), Soetters, Knapp, Dixon. Reps: Molyneux, Knox, Byles, McDonald, Wakenell.

Blue Boar: Sandbach, Young, Brufell (capt), Nicholl, Cover, Stoop, Sykes, Lay, Orpwood, Paul, Pearson, Cox, Alder, Harrison, Weaving. Reps: Vaughan-Fowler, Barnes, Dixey, Shepherd, Wallbridge.