HENLEY Hawks have signed Oxford University’s Kieran Ball as they bid to ease their front row problems.
The loose-head prop, who played in the Dark Blues 20-10 defeat by Cambridge in last week’s Varsity Match, comes straight into the Hawks side for tomorrow’s National Division 2 South trip to to London Irish Wild Geese.
He previously played for Redingensians.
Neither Joe Morris nor Brad Cook, who played in the front row for the 43-28 victory against Worthing, is available.
Alan Awcock is also absent, so Liam O’Neill is recalled from the bench to play in the centre.
Leaders Chinnor will look to maintain their promotion push when they host Canterbury.
Matt Williams’s side are just one point ahead of Cinderford having won 13 and drawn one of their 14 matches this season.
Witney are without their prolific points scorer Arron Lambourne for their South West 1 East derby trip to Oxford Harlequins.
Phil Thomas comes in for the injured full back, while the experienced duo of Dave Hankinson and Carl Strutt fill the centre vacancies, as they look to avenge the home defeat by their Oxfordshire rivals at the start of the season.
Quins make three changes with Jack Todd coming in at flanker, Sam Watkinson returning to fly half and Tom Edwards recalled on the wing .
There is another derby match this weekend with Bicester entertaining Banbury.
TOMORROW’S LINE-UPS
Henley Hawks (v London Irish Wild Geese, away, 3pm): Robinson, Andre, O’Neill, Perry, Portland, Butler, Jackson, Ball, Emery, Premett, Clements, Albon (capt), Hyde, Haynes, Lowe. Reps: Hadfield, Wunder, Tibbatts, White, McCrae.
Witney (v Oxford Harlequins, away, 2.30): Thomas, B Fisk, Strutt, Hankinson, Morgan, Puddle, Birks, Burke, Copperwheat, Richens, M Webb, Mortimer, A Fisk, Edwards, Campbell. Reps: Harris, Lloyd Allen, Boshel.
Oxford Harlequins (v Witney, home): Craig, Crowe, Stacey, Nutt, Edwards, Watkinson, O’Brian, Barlow, Davies, Farahani, Ojo, Purchase, Todd, Ward, Latu. Reps: Gifford, White, Dimond, Guthrie.
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