Blues face a Twickenham dash

Grove to handle first, then a quick trip east for World Cup ticket-holders

EXPECT a mad dash from the pitch at the end of Newbury Blues’ league game with Grove at Monks Lane on Saturday.

The home club had hoped to bring forward the kick-off time, even as early as Friday night, to enable players to go to Twickenham to watch the England-Wales World Cup group match.

But the Oxfordshire club are standing by the scheduled 3pm kick-off time, which means Twickenham ticket holders will have to get a move on to make it for the 8pm start there.

“They will be literally running off the pitch at the end to get up to HQ,” ssaid coach Lee Goodall.

Blues are forced into changes for the game anyway with Dan Thorne. Toby Thorne, George Robinson-Slater, Aaron McDowell and Greg Price all missing, but back into the squad come Duncan Craigen, Josh Love, Tom Sanders, Jamie Futcher and top try-scorer Josh Bartlett.

Unbeaten Tadley Tigers go to Chipping Norton in the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premir Division while Hungerford search for their first win in the same competition when they entertain Milton Keynes at The Triangle.

Thatcham head to Buckingham in Southern Counties North.