WE asked for expansive rugby last Saturday and that’s exactly what we got. We wondered what Tim Rumford, the Oxford coach, would say to his troops at half time when they were 56-0 down.

Well, we soon found out after the second half whistle blew as Oxford came out with much more aggression and started a mass brawl after only five minutes when forward Jordan Siddon didn’t like the way he was tackled and lashed out with a couple of haymakers, starting a mass brawl which resulted in him and Matty While of Barrow getting the red card.

That unsettled Barrow’s rhythm and the half was a much more competitive affair, with Oxford grabbing a couple of tries and Barrow winning 80-10, scoring 14 tries.

All of the team played well, but we did look more potent with Danny Morrow and Eze Harper back in the starting line-up – and we could even afford to rest Ryan Fieldhouse, Martin Aspinwall and Nathan Mossop, which bodes well for the Super Eights.

Tomorrow, it’s Whitehaven at the Recreation Ground in the last game of phase one which will determine who finishes second and third. Finishing second is quite important as it will give you the advantage of playing the third-placed team at home in the Eights.

At the moment, Barrow are second on points difference after Haven stumbled last week in North Wales when they were held to a draw 12-12 by the improving Crusaders.

So a draw will suffice and that might be an advantage should the game be close towards the end and Barrow get the tactics right. The pressure is all on Haven as they have to win.

Carl Forster, who at only 25 years of age, has done a tremendous job in his first season as a coach, and in the games I have commentated on he has led from the front and set an example to the rest of the team – and is the club's top try scorer.

Barrow beat Haven comfortably in pre-season and were 30-0 up at half time, but Haven have improved dramatically since then with Papua New Guinea internationals Jessie Joe Parker and Dion Aiye in great form.

However, on their day Barrow just have the edge and if we can keep disciplined, and minimise the errors, we should be victorious. It should be a great game and will certainly attract Haven’s best gate of the season, with the hundreds of travelling Barrow fans making the journey up the coast.

Unfortunately I won’t be one of them as I am attending my first grandchild’s christening, but I won’t miss any action with my discrete ‘earpiece’.

If the Super Eights formula is the same as last year (and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be), if you finish second you will play third, fourth, sixth and seventh at home and first, fifth and eighth away. If you finish third you will play fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth at home and first, second and sixth away.

So as soon as the fixture list is released please organise your calendar to support the Raiders.

All the best tomorrow.