RUGBY UNION: Coaches seeking Oxfordshire talent (From Witney Gazette)

RUGBY UNION: Coaches seeking Oxfordshire talent

10:30am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Rugby By Ed Mezzetti, Sports reporter specialising in Rugby, Cricket and Athletics. Call me on 01865 425456

OXFORDSHIRE will hold an open trial session as they build up to the County Championship Shield season.

The session will take place at Chinnor RFC on Monday, March 25 at 7pm.

Craig Burrows will be Oxon’s head coach, with Chinnor fly half James Cathcart in charge of the backs.

“We are holding an open session as last year’s was a really good way to see players and give the opportunity to as many as possible,” said Burrows.

Oxfordshire will play in Pool 3 of the Shield, which means matches against Surrey, Dorset & Wilts and Berkshire.

The Shield is for players of Level 5 (National 3 South West) or below, which means Oxon cannot select first-team players from Chinnor and Henley.

OXFORDSHIRE FIXTURES

April 27: Surrey (away). May 4: Dorset & Wilts (away). May 11: Berkshire (home).

• FORMER Oxford and Oxfordshire captain Frank Webb has died at the age of 81.

A strong-running front-row forward, Webb joined Oxford in 1951 and led them between 1956 and 1958.

He was capped more than 50 times for Oxfordshire, skippering the county between 1955 and 1958.

Webb then moved to Okehampton, where he went on to become Devon RFU president.