Oxford University will face two testing fixtures on a pre-season tour to Scotland.

The Dark Blues will play the Thistles, a combination of Edinburgh and Glasgow’s A teams plus Newcastle Falcons A.

They will be based at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh where former backs coach James Boyd and ex-scrum half Brendan McKerchar are on the staff.

Director of rugby Steve Hill said: “I think both games will be very tough for us.

“It is a good time to find out how good we are.”

Before that, the students will take on Chinnor at Kingsey Road on Wednesday, September 15.