Our opposition this weekend, Old Haberdashers, are a rapidly improving side. They have put in some big performances in recent weeks against Brentwood and Amersham and Chiltern - losing out on both occasions but by very small margins.

When they came to Mill Road earlier in the season they started slowly but in the second half their midfield came to life and they made life extremely difficult for our boys. By their own admission, the teams fielded by Old Habs can vary from week to week. They are a friendly and welcoming group; they have an 'old school' approach to rugby that makes the club an attractive option for experienced and busy players who can't always commit to training and/or games but still love to pull the boots on in a competitive game on a Saturday. They cannot be underestimated and must be respected.

There are one or two changes to the side that toppled Chingford last weekend. With Rhys Hartley unavailable through injury, Charlie Thorogood will start at hooker after his man of the match performance against the former league leaders. The only other change in the pack sees a back row shuffle and the return of Harrison Pickett to No.8 with Oliver Pickett moving across to blindside flanker.

Unfortunately David Higgins took a knock last weekend so Jack White will start at fly half. Joe Flexman will start at inside centre alongside Jona Crisp. Jona has made a superb contribution to side since his return. Jona is an intelligent footballer and a superb communicator. His vision and skill has enabled our back three to have more influence upon the game and at crucial moments in the game he made significant interventions. For instance, deep into the second half against Chingford he made a crucial tackle that succeeded in isolating the ball carrier and heaped the pressure on the visitors; ultimately leading to the eventual Chingford implosion!