Newport (Salop) are seeking a new head coach for the 2013/14 season.

Newport play in National Three Midlands and this season reached its highest league position of fifth.

With a new clubhouse extension and improvements almost complete the club believes the infrastructure is now in place to make a realistic bid for promotion to National Two North within a two year period.

The club is looking to appoint a forward thinking and ambitious coach that shares this vision.

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North Midlands have called Moseley prop Stef Thorpe and Birmingham & Solihull hooker Will Radburn into their starting XV for the County Championship Bill Beaumont Plate final against Northumberland at Twickenham on Sunday May 26 (9.30am).

Both scored tries when they came on as replacements in the dramatic 40-36 win over Somerset at Bridgwater & Albion last Saturday which clinched North Midlands' place in the final and also secured them promotion to the First Division of the Bill Beaumont Cup next season.

Birmingham & Solihull pair Michael Hill, who made his debut against Somerset, and Finlay Sinclair both drop to the replacements bench as North Midlands attempt to avenge defeat by Northumberland in the Plate final at Alnwick two years ago.

Apart from a re-jigged front row North Midlands have named the same squad that was on duty against Somerset and head coach Scott Bemand has been able to pick from strength with no fresh injuries or unavailability.

THE Midlands Leagues structure for the 2013/14 season has been confirmed by the Midlands Leagues Organising Committee.

Worcester Wanderers have been level-transferred to National 3 South West following their promotion from Midlands 1 West with Lymm and Sandbach both being level-transferred from the North into National 3 Midlands.

The other Midlands clubs who will play their league rugby outside of the region are Luton, who have again been level-transferred to London 1 North, and Towcestrians who will play in South West 1 East. Malvern will return to the Midlands Leagues following their relegation from National 3 South West and play in Midlands 1 West.

Cheshire club Crewe & Nantwich have been level-transferred into Midlands 2 West (North) with Newbold-on-Avon level-transferred from Midlands 2 West (South) to Midlands 2 East (South). Aylestone St James, Rugby St Andrews, Bromyard, Birmingham Civil Service, Bourne, Stamford College OB, Stourport on Severn, Barton under Needwood, Greyhound and Birmingham Exiles have been geographically-transferred within the Midlands.

Old Halesonians 2nd XV capped a successful season by winning the North Midlands Reserve League with an unbeaten 16 match record.

The season came down to two winner-takes-all games against Sutton Coldfield, both of which Old Halesonians won to take the title.

Old Halesonians were presented with the trophy prior to their annual meeting by Bill Worth ,secretary of the Reserve League.

The Reserve League will undergo a big reorganisation for next season, in line with a review from the RFU, increasing to three divisions sitting above the CB Merit league to form a co-ordinated system of promotion and relegation across the Midlands.

If any clubs are interested in joining or if any individual wishes to take on a role as League Secretary, then please contact Bill Worth on 07926 447 478

SCOTT Bemand, the former Harlequins, Bath and Leicester scrum-half, will make a fond return to Twickenham on Sunday May 26, this time as head coach of the North Midlands county side.

Bemand, now working as part of the coaching team at National League One club Loughborough Students, is in his third season as coach of North Midlands who face Northumberland in the final of the County Championship Bill Beaumont Plate (9.30am) having clinched promotion by beating Somerset 40-36 in their final group match last week.

Bemand played a number of times at Twickenham during his illustrious career which included appearing in a successful North Midlands side in the County Colts final and for England against the Barbarians.

The 34-year-old, who toured Australia with England in 2006, has happy memories of his visits to Twickenham and hopes that his experience will help settle his players for the first of three county finals that will be played at HQ on Sunday.

Aston OE have become the latest North Midlands club to be attain RFU Club Accreditation status.

The presentations was made to Sam Grundy, Aston OE chairman, and Paul Plant, secretary of the club's mini and junior section, by Paul Kaminski, president of North Midlands, and Matt Wooldridge, Community Rugby Coach for Greater Birmingham.

The RFU Club Accreditation recognises the role and commitment of
rugby clubs within their local communities and aims to strengthen those clubs and assist in growing the game of rugby.

Aston OE, who will celebrate their 12th anniversary in 2014, field our senior sides every week and have recently re-started a junior section.

Harborne's O2touch group were one of six O2touch centres to join winners of O2's priority moments competition to play mixed touch rugby at Twickenham last Saturday (May 18).

The team who play under the name of Harborne Heat, which was led by O2touch operator and captain Gary Lambert, was the only squad comprising and playing an equal number of male and female players in the whole tournament.

The remaining nine members of the squad included Cecily Moore, Chirag Gorasia, Chris Slevin, Chrissy Tate, Ella Grima, Emir Hirji, Kumbi Kariwo, Mike Vandergriend and Tanja Schnitzel with Rachel Crowe travelling as supporter and later playing in place of the injured Lambert.

The team was further supported by the presence of fellow O2touch coach Harry Griffin.

20/05/13 Bridgnorth win Shropshire Sevens
18/05/13 North Midlands book place at Twickenham with dramatic winner
17/05/13 Yardley & District looking for new senior coach