Maybe scoring over 50 points on their Championship debut was not a good idea after all as Ampthill have responded to the challenge by drastically changing their team selection from last week. In come 8 players from Saracens so maybe Chinnor can claim to be participating in the Premiership Cup after all. Ironically Ampthill published their full squad for 24/25 season this week but many of Saturday's starting team don't seem to members of that squad.

Ampthill have done a superb job in recent years in consolidating themselves as a mid table Championship team. They are usually very strong at home and have a really good track record in giving some of the bigger names in the division a bloody nose. Coached by Paul Turner they play an open and adventurous brand of rugby. They managed to pick up Josh Barton from Jersey Reds midway through last year and he has quickly become the lynchpin and leader of the team. A very gifted fly half the new Captain has lightening acceleration with a real eye of the break and is happy to run from deep.

Ampthill come off a tough opening fixture away against big spending Doncaster Knights. They acquitted themselves well and were very much in contention for the majority of the match. With so many changes to the team it's difficult to have any real insight to what to expect although the undoubted quality of the Saracens DR/Loans will certainly mean the unchanged , part timers will be up against it!

We last played Ampthill in our first season in National One. Coincidentally our first game was the second game of the season in a new league, a game Chinnor won in a thrilling match. Ampthill featured Soane Tonga'uiha that day. Soane was a big part of Ampthill's success along with a few other Tongan team mates including Alexi Lutui and Maama Molitika and they really helped put Ampthill rugby on the map. Soane was a very popular member of the Chinnor playing/coaching squad after he left Ampthill. It's good to see his son Sonny being selected for England U18s. Ampthill got their revenge in the return fixture and went on to win the league and promotion to the Championship where they have thrived ever since. We have been on similar journeys and enjoyed similar success through the leagues and both retain roots in the local community and have thriving mini and junior rugby.