North Mids v NLD TONIGHT at Billesley 7.45ko!

[Communications Team]

North Mids v NLD TONIGHT at Billesley! (Mon 30th @ 7.45)

Tonight (Monday 30 January) The North Midlands Under-20s kick off their U20 County Championship campaign against Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire at Billesley ( 7.45pm ko). Free entry, bar and catering open as usual.

North Midlands are in the ‘Midlands Group B’ for the first group of matches with just the winners progressing to the next stage. The eventual final is traditionally held at Twickenham in April.

Midlands Group B fixtures
Monday, 30 January 2012
NORTH MIDLANDS U20 Vs. NOTTS, LINCS & DERBYS U20 19:45 Moseley RFC - Club Ground

Wednesday, 15 February 2012
STAFFORDSHIRE U20 Vs. NORTH MIDLANDS U20 - KO and venue to be confirmed

Wednesday, 29 February 2012
NOTTS, LINCS & DERBYS U20 Vs. STAFFORDSHIRE U20 19:30 Mansfield RUFC - Club Ground

All the fixtures/results are here:

clubs.rfu.com/Fixtures/DivisionListForCompetition.aspx?CompetitionID=5730109

From the North Midlands Website: www.northmidsrfu.co.uk

Egerton in county Under-20s squad
25/01/12 by Paul Bolton

North Midlands have included Oxford University scrum-half Sam Egerton in their squad for their opening match in this season's National Under-20 Championship against Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire at Moseley's Billesley Common ground on Monday January 30 (7.45pm).

Egerton, who plays his club rugby for Newport, won his first Blue at Twickenham last month when he helped Oxford defeat Cambridge in the Varsity Match and his performance helped him to win a trial with Championship club London Welsh.

Egerton played for North Midlands Under-20s last season and rejoins the county squad having been unavailable for their warm-up wins over Cheshire, Warwickshire and Oxford University.

The squad to face NLD includes Luctonians wing Alex Rumsey who marked his debut for the Under-20s with two tries at Oxford having stepped up from the North Midlands Under-18 side.

North Midlands second match in the National Under-20 Championship next month on a date and at a venue to be confirmed.

North Midlands Under-20s

Backs: Alex Allen (Newport), George Baxter (UWIC), Dave Brazier (Moseley), Sam Egerton (Newport), Will Goodwin (Ellesmere College), Andy Oakden (Whitchurch), Chris Perry (Newport), Iwan Phillips (Whitchurch), Bryn Phillips (Whitchurch), Alex Rumsey (Luctonians), Caolan Ryan (Bromsgrove).

Forwards: Gino Belmonte (Bromsgrove), Jeremy Darley (Harper Adams University), Arron Hudson (Dudley Kingswinford), Sam Jones (Luctonians), George Lee (Ledbury), Louis Madican (Old Halesonians), Adrian Maynard (Bournville), Ben Meadows (Moseley), Connor Nicholls (Worcester), Joe Northwood (Harper Adams University), Scott Robinson (Hereford), Dave Spelman (Bromsgrove), Ben Thompson (Ledbury), Will Thornhill (Harper Adams University), Rob Young (Moseley).

[Communications Team]

North Midlands stunned by NLD fightback
30/01/12 by Paul Bolton

NOTTS, Lincs & Derbyshire staged a stunning second half fightback to beat North Midlands 24-16 in a lively opening match in Midlands Group B of the National Under-20 Championship at a frosty Moseley this evening.

North Midlands, unbeaten in their three warm-up matches, appeared to have laid the foundations for victory when they opened up a 13-0 lead by the interval.

But the Three Counties, losing Midlands finalists last season, were a transformed side after the break and used the Billesley Common slope to their advantage to run in three unanswered tries and clinch victory.

North Midlands were also at their best down the slope as Moseley number eight Rob Young drove over from a second surge after a line out drive and that was followed by a penalty from Newport full-back Liam Holder on the half hour.

A try from lock Jeremy Darley (Harper Adams University) on the stroke of half time appeared to have put North Midlands in control but their lead had been wiped out by the midway point of the second half.

NLD, who had been thwarted by some brave North Midlands defence in the first half, stunned the home side with a ell-taken try from fly-half Jim Wigglesworth (Hull) who latched onto a superbly paced chip from centre Elliott Gwynne (Ilkeston) that bounced kindly on a crispy pitch.

Wigglesworth added the conversion and he struck again after 62 minutes to give NLD the lead after lock Jake Thompson (Ashbourne) drove over for the try.

Wigglesworth capitalised on some slack North Midlands defence by spinning out of two tackles to score his second try under the posts and his conversion left the home side two scores adrift.

Holder reduced the deficit with a penalty six minutes from time but NLD were not to be denied and Wigglesworth wrapped up the scoring with a penalty of his own with the last kick of the match.