HENLEY Hawks’ crunch National 2 South promotion clash at Worthing tomorrow could beat the big freeze.

Officials at the Sussex club are optimistic the match will go-ahead with the pitch reported to be playable yesterday.

Flanker Ryan Newman and wing Xavier Andre are set to return for Henley, while Andy Downing moves to lock in place of Peter Elder. Neil Baggett drops to the bench.

The replacements also include Oxford University lock Tom Evans and prop Will Bigley who are back after shoulder and hand injuries.

Elsewhere, it looks as if it will be a blank day for Chinnor in National 3 South West with their rearranged trip to Redingensians set to fall victim to the cold snap.

Redingensians director of rugby Gary Reynolds reported that their pitch was frozen, with ground temperatures forecast to drop to -9.6c in the early hours of Saturday.

The original match was abandoned due to Chinnor wing Ken Prinsloo breaking his leg, but now it looks as if another new date will have to be found.

Meanwhile, Chinnor’s derby clash at Oxford Harlequins, which was postponed last Saturday, has been rearranged for Saturday, February 25.

Witney fixture secretary Pete Holliday reports that a thaw will be needed for their home game against Marlow in South West 1 East to take place.

It’s another rearranged game, with the original match abandoned due to the referee injuring a hamstring.

Oxford Harlequins are due to visit Henley Hawks in the Oxfordshire Cup semi-finals on Sunday.

Henley have named a second team squad for the fixture as their first team are in league action on Saturday.

Quins have lock Will Clayton back after injury.

Manager Steve Chadbone hopes the game will go ahead to avoid Quins playing twice in a weekend at a later date.

WEEKEND SQUADS

SATURDAY

Henley Hawks (v Worthing, away): Allen (capt), Bart, James, Wells, Andre, Comben, Gaunt, Milford-Scott, Church, Hadfield, Downing, Winterbottom, M Payne, Newman, Woodward. Reps: Bigley, Penny, Crossland, Evans, Baggett.

SUNDAY

Henley Hawks (v Oxford Harlequins, home): from Beckett, Brennan, Gibson, Bennett, Middleton, Wilkinson, Wells (capt), Ashmore, Quelch, Trendell, Onyeme, Haynes, Perry, Knight, Adamson, Whittle, Dudding, Humphries, Gentilli, Huggins.

Oxford Harlequins (v Henley Hawks, away): Mayfield, Pepiol, Nutt, Tevita, Jones, Smith, Cosins, Chadbone (capt), Edney, Steventon, Brown, Clayton, Forde, Vaiomo’unga, Sammut. Reps: Boulton, Graham, Noyce, Todd, Farahani.

  • JON Hudson, full back in Oxford University’s Varsity Match victory in December, has been elected club secretary for 2012.
  • THREE Oxfordshire players are due to represent the South West in this weekend’s under 16 divisional festival at Broadstreet RFC.

Scrum half Ben Pointon (Rugby School), flanker Jackson Burton (Cokethorpe School) and lock Jake O’Leary (Wellington College) will hope to catch the eye of England selectors before the national squads are chosen.

  • HENLEY No 8 Elizabeth Lennox has been named in the South West ladies squad to face the Midlands at Whitchurch RFC on Sunday.