Away assignment for injury-hit Rotherham Titans

Stung by a string of tight defeats, they make the trip down to Oxfordshire to face a Chinnor side who were many people's pre-season favourites to win National One.

The Thame-based club finished tenth last term but have pumped up their squad to transform themselves from also-rans to contenders.

Titans will travel south with a squad hit by absentees. Prop Reece Ward suffered a labral tear in his shoulder joint during last week's stoppage-time defeat to Darlington Mowden Park and is out for six weeks.

In the backs, Jamie Cooke is injured and Harry Dunne and Sam Allen are unavailable due to work commitments. Tom Bullough is expected to return to partner Connor Field in the centres.

Ruled out... Reece Ward.

Director of rugby Martin Jenkinson said: "You would normally have nine front row players but at the moment Rikki Stout, Ianto Jones, Jack Bergmanas and now Reece Ward all injured."

Titans will be looking to spring a surprise result after a difficult start, winning two of their opening six. Chinnor, who sit fourth, are chasing a third straight victory.

Added Jenkinson: "Chinnor had a slow start that none of us expected but you get that sometimes when you have an influx of players.

“They have recruited people like Carl Kirwan, a Premiership player, and Ofisa Treviranus, the Samoan captain from London Irish. They have brought in Lawrence May, who played 20 odd games for Ealing last year. They have signed a hatful of names.

"It's a hard game but we are going down there for a result."

Kick-off is 3pm.

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