Banbury RUFC make the trip to Staffordshire this weekend as they face Lichfield RFC in a rearranged Regional 1 Midlands fixture, originally postponed earlier this month. With momentum building after an emphatic home win last time out, the Bulls will be determined to make this return visit count.

Head Coach Soane Tongaʻuiha and Director of Rugby Matt Goode take their side back to Cooke Fields knowing just how fine the margins have been between the two teams already this season.

Banbury’s Season So Far

Banbury arrive at Round 16 having shown clear progress and resilience across the campaign, with several strong home performances and eye-catching results on the road.

Results to Date:

R1: Banbury 31–19 Bromsgrove
R2: Banbury 50–15 Newent
R3: Dudley Kingswinford 14–27 Banbury
R4: Banbury 19–20 Lichfield
R5: Lutterworth 42–18 Banbury
R6: Stourbridge 30–28 Banbury
R7: Banbury 19–20 Newport (Salop)
R8: Nuneaton 5–63 Banbury
R9: Banbury 7–14 Bridgnorth
R10: Bournville 54–17 Banbury
R11: Banbury 32–15 Drybrook
R12: Newent 31–28 Banbury
R13: Banbury 32–12 Dudley Kingswinford
R14: Lichfield P–P Banbury
R15: Banbury 53–26 Lutterworth

The 53–26 win over Lutterworth last weekend was one of Banbury’s most complete performances of the season, built on forward dominance, attacking ambition, and improved game management. That result will give the Bulls confidence as they head back on the road.

The Opposition: Lichfield RUFC
Lichfield remains one of the most organised and competitive sides in Regional 1 Midlands. Well-drilled, disciplined, and strong in the set-piece, they are particularly difficult to beat at home.

When the two sides met earlier in the season at the Graf UK Stadium, Lichfield edged a tightly contested encounter 20–19, highlighting their ability to stay composed in pressure moments. That narrow result will still be fresh in the memory for Banbury, adding extra edge to this rearranged clash.

Key Focus Areas for Banbury

Turning Pressure into Points
Set-Piece & Physicality
Discipline & Territory
Momentum Management

From the Coaches
Head Coach Soane Tongaʻuiha has continued to emphasise belief, connection, and accuracy within the squad, while Director of Rugby Matt Goode has highlighted the importance of backing performances up week to week.

This rearranged fixture provides an immediate opportunity to measure Banbury’s progress since October and to turn a narrow home defeat into a different outcome away from home.

Final Word

This Round 14 rearrangement promises another tight, physical battle between two well-matched sides. With confidence high after last weekend’s result and lessons learned from earlier meetings, Banbury head to Cooke Fields determined to make a statement and continue their upward momentum.

Kick-off 2:15pm is on Saturday, good luck to all players, staff, and supporters making the journey.

Up the Bulls