MATT Goode is confident Oxfordshire’s disappointment at missing out on a day at Twickenham will not affect their quest for silverware.

The men’s first XV face Berkshire in the Division 3 final of the Bill Beaumont County Championship at Richmond Athletic Ground this afternoon (12.15pm).

The game takes place just two miles from the home of English rugby, but until last month Oxfordshire hoped to be running out at Twickenham itself.

Those dreams were dashed when the location of the fixture was changed to allow the men’s and women’s Division 1 and 2 finals to be held at the 82,000-capacity stadium.

Oxfordshire shrugged off the bad news to beat North Midlands in their Pool 1 decider and Goode reckons they can do the same this afternoon.

“We’re gutted, as that’ll be a lot of boys’ only chance to play at Twickenham,” the head coach said.

“But we’re the same as anyone, when we step over that whitewash all games are the same.

“We’ve got a good bunch of lads with a winning mentality.”

Oxfordshire’s class of 2022 are aiming to emulate the county’s dramatic County Championship Division 3 win at Twickenham five years ago.

Craig Burrows’ side claimed their first victory at the iconic stadium by virtue of scoring more tries than opponents Sussex in a 29-29 draw.

This time around, Oxfordshire reached the final by beating Notts, Lincs & Derbys and Buckinghamshire in Pool 1, before overcoming North Midlands 18-11 in the decider a fortnight ago.

Chinnor’s Greg Goodfellow scored the try that clinched victory for a squad that features players from several clubs down to Chipping Norton in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier – the eighth tier of English rugby.

You would have forgiven Oxfordshire for taking time to gel, but Goode revealed they clicked instantly.

He said: “We had one training session before the County Championship to get started.

“We’ve brought a bunch of boys in with a mix of youth and experience who have never really played together and it’s worked really well.

“The counties we played were all training for several weeks, so to come away with three wins is superb.

“We’ve got it bang on this year. We’re mixing boys who have been there and done it with boys who have got that desire to play and work hard for each other, with some real quality.

“The coaches are all from different clubs and they’ve all been brilliant.”

Berkshire have more higher-division experience, with 33 members of their 38-man squad plying their trade at level six or above.

Goode does not expect that to be a factor, though.

He said: “Their players will have played a little bit higher, but in a final that has no relevance.”