Oxford Harlequins have been promoted into the National League after beating Banbury RFC to clinch the title with two matches to go.

Still with games to play in the Regional 1 Midlands league, the Quins have secured enough points to ensure closest rivals Stourbridge are unable to catch them.

The Quins cruised to a 54-7 win on Saturday (March 16) over their local rivals Banbury  RFC to hit the 90-point mark with Stourbridge 10 points behind

The promotion was the Horspath Road-based outfit's second in only three seasons.

thisisoxfordshire: Oxford Harlequins promoted to National League after title win

At the end of the 2021/22 season, the Quins won promotion from level six to level five of the RFU Championship pyramid and now have advanced to level four, the National 2.

The Quins will become the first Oxford club to play in the rugby National League.

Director of rugby at Oxford Quins Stu Wells said: “Saturday’s victory saw the culmination of a five-year dream, to make Oxford Quins a national league club.

“Our Head Coach, Pete Davies, arrived here with a clear goal, to take the club to the national leagues within 5 years. He’s done it in three.

“And the amazing part, we’ve done it whilst retaining our amateur status, not a single player here is paid to pay rugby, not one.

“They did this, for the sheer joy of it, as was evident on Saturday.”

Last season, the Quins won the county cup for the first time since 2014 and were the first Oxfordshire club ever to be awarded World Rugby Magazine’s Team of the Year.

The season also saw the club lift the two County Bowls, two league championships, the Lord Mayor’s Cup and Plate, and the Men’s and Women’s Cups at the Oxford 7s.

Next up for the Quins in the remainder of the season is Barnstaple, Launceston before facing local rivals again Banbury RFC in the Papa John’s Cup.