Buckinghamshire took control of the Inter County Championship qualifying group with a big 30-10 win against Northamptonshire at Daventry.  This win puts Bucks 9 points ahead of Hertfordshire.

The final group match between the two top counties at Elm Court on 25th November will probably confirm them as qualifiers for the main knockout competition (it would require a really one sided result between Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire for either of them to overtake Herts and/or Bucks).  Hertfordshire will need to win by a minimum of 25-15 to guarantee finishing as group winners.  Anything less and Herts will be involved in a preliminary match on the weekend of 3rd/4th February.