Head Coach Soane Tongaʻuiha and Director of Rugby Matt Goode take their side into the weekend with four victories from their opening five fixtures following another impressive away success at Burton.

Lichfield arrive in Oxfordshire having returned to winning ways themselves last weekend, setting up another intriguing contest as Banbury look to continue an excellent opening to the season.

Four Wins from Five
Banbury's positive start continued last Saturday with a 34–22 victory away at Burton.

The Bulls travelled to Battlestead Croft looking to reverse a difficult recent record against their Staffordshire opponents and did exactly that, securing a fourth victory from five league matches.

It followed previous successes against Syston, Broadstreet and Bromsgrove, with Banbury's only defeat so far coming away at unbeaten league leaders Stourbridge.

Those results leave the Bulls third in Regional 1 Midlands with 17 league points, behind only Stourbridge and Newport (Salop) after the opening five rounds.

Saturday now offers an opportunity to build further momentum at the Graf UK Stadium, where Banbury produced a 33–17 victory over Bromsgrove in their only home league fixture so far this season.

The Challenge: Lichfield RUFC
Lichfield are competing in their second consecutive season at Level 5 after securing promotion from Regional 2 Midlands North.

They won that division in 2024–25 before adapting quickly to Regional 1 Midlands last season.

A competitive first campaign back at Level 5 saw Lichfield finish sixth with 69 points, recording 12 victories and a draw from their 22 league fixtures.

That placed them one position and three league points above Banbury in the final standings.

Their opening five fixtures this season have brought two victories and three defeats.

Newport (Salop) 29–25 Lichfield
Lichfield 44–21 Oxford Harlequins
Lutterworth 26–19 Lichfield
Stourbridge 43–38 Lichfield
Lichfield 21–15 Bridgnorth

Although the results have been mixed, three of Lichfield's five fixtures have been decided by seven points or fewer.

Their most recent outing brought a significant home victory over Bridgnorth, with Lichfield securing a 21–15 win against a side that entered the weekend among the leading teams in the division.

They travel to Banbury eighth in the table with ten league points.

Renewing Last Season's Rivalry
Lichfield returned to Banbury's league schedule last season following their promotion from Regional 2 Midlands North.

The two meetings produced very different contests.

January 2026 | Lichfield 55–17 Banbury
October 2025 | Banbury 19–20 Lichfield

The first meeting at the Graf UK Stadium could scarcely have been closer.

Banbury and Lichfield were separated by a single point at the final whistle, with the visitors edging a 20–19 victory in one of the Bulls' tightest contests of the 2025–26 campaign.

The return fixture at Cooke Fields produced a very different result.

Lichfield established a commanding first-half advantage and went on to secure a 55–17 victory, completing the league double over Banbury.

Those two results provide plenty of motivation for the Bulls as Lichfield return to Bodicote this weekend.

Key Focus Areas for Banbury
Building on Burton
Saturday's victory at Battlestead Croft continued an impressive opening run.

Banbury have now won three of their four away fixtures alongside victory in their only home game, giving Tongaʻuiha and Goode a strong foundation after five rounds.

Maintaining those standards from week to week will be important as the campaign develops.

Making Home Advantage Count
The Bulls have had limited opportunities at the Graf UK Stadium so far this season.

Their only previous home league fixture ended with a convincing 33–17 victory over Bromsgrove.

Saturday provides the chance to establish further momentum at Bodicote and reward the home support with another positive performance.

Managing a Competitive Lichfield Side
Lichfield's league position does not fully reflect how competitive their opening fixtures have been.

They lost by four points at Newport (Salop), seven at Lutterworth and five at unbeaten Stourbridge, while their victories have come against Oxford Harlequins and Bridgnorth.

Banbury can therefore expect a side accustomed to staying in contests deep into the second half.

Set-Piece Accuracy
A reliable scrum and lineout will again provide an important foundation for the Bulls.

Clean possession will give Banbury opportunities to establish their attacking tempo, while pressure at the set-piece can prevent Lichfield from controlling territory and building sustained phases.

Discipline and Territory
Last season's meeting at the Graf UK Stadium was decided by the smallest possible margin.

In another potentially tight contest, unnecessary penalties and straightforward territorial gains could become particularly costly.

Banbury will want to ensure they dictate where significant periods of the game are played.

Maintaining Attacking Pressure
The Bulls have scored 157 points through their opening five matches, averaging more than 31 points per game.

Their attacking threat has already been demonstrated in different circumstances, from the seven-try performance at Syston to the controlled home victory over Bromsgrove and last weekend's success at Burton.

Against a Lichfield side that has remained competitive throughout the opening month, Banbury will need to make their opportunities count when they enter the opposition 22.

Final Thoughts
Banbury return home in an encouraging position after an impressive opening five rounds.

Four victories from five have moved the Bulls into third place, with last weekend's win at Burton adding another strong away performance to victories at Syston and Broadstreet.

Lichfield arrive with a more mixed record but have shown throughout the opening month that they are capable of challenging the division's leading sides.

Their victory over Bridgnorth last weekend provides further evidence of the test awaiting Banbury.

Last season's meetings also provide an added edge, with Lichfield winning both encounters and edging the fixture at the Graf UK Stadium by just a single point.

For Tongaʻuiha, Goode and the Bulls, Saturday represents an opportunity to continue their early-season momentum, strengthen their position towards the top of Regional 1 Midlands and reverse last season's results against a familiar opponent.

Banbury RUFC vs Lichfield RUFC
Saturday 31st October 2026
Graf UK Stadium, Oxford Road, Bodicote, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 4AF
Kick-off: 3:00pm

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