Six North Midlands players have been named in the final Midlands Under 16 squad for the Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry from February 10 to 12.

The Midlands preparations for the festival were disrupted by bad weather with the final trial at Wilmslow HS last weekend cancelled because of snow. The selectors have used the gradings from the county matches earlier in the season and assessments made at the divisional assessment days to decide on their final squad of 24.

The six North Midlands players who have made the final squad are: full-back Jon Hughes (RGS Worcester, Droitwich and Worcestershire), scrum-halves Ben Williams (Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School, Hereford and Herefordshire) Harry Walbaum (King Edwards VI Five Ways and Greater Birmingham), lock Will Elt (King's Worcester, Worcester and Worcestershire) and flankers Josh Feek (Old Swinford Hospital School and Worcestershire) and Joe Wrafter (Old Swinford Hospital School, Worcester and Worcestershire).

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Midlands Under 18s' preparations for the Divisional Festival at Broadstreet later this month have been disrupted by the cold snap.

The Midlands were due to play the Northampton Saints Academy at Broadstreet tomorrow (February 5) in their final warm-up match but the game has been cancelled because of a frozen pitch.

The Midlands, who drew with Bedford Academy Under 19s in their opening warm-up fixture, are now considering trying to arrange a midweek match before the Divisional Festival from February 17 to 19.

KINGS Norton back-row forward Sam Woodward has been praised for putting his rugby skills to good use by tackling a mugger.

Woodward came to the rescue after he saw an 82-year-old woman knocked to the ground by the mugger who stole her handbag.

Woodward, who plays for south Birmingham-based Kings Norton in Midlands Three West South, rugby tackled the mugger and held him in arm-lock until police arrived.

The mugger, Benjamin Brown, was jailed for five years at Leicester Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to the robbery which happened in Leicester last July.

Judge Simon Hammond commended Woodward, a 33-year-old estate agent, for his actions.

TWO new Rugby Development Officers have joined the RFU's Rugby Development team in the Midlands West region, stepping up from the current jobs as Community Rugby Coaches.

Stuart Eades, currently a CRC in Worcestershire, has been appointed the new RDO for Worcestershire and South Warwickshire.

Staffordshire CRC Simon Hincks is the new RDO for Shropshire, Herefordshire, Dudley and Sandwell.

Eades replaces Ben Waterhouse who has started a new job as Director of Performance at the Golf Union of Wales. Hincks takes over from Kieran Spencer who has been appointed the new RFU RDO for Hampshire.
Eades and Hincks will start their RDO roles next week.

Hereford, the North Midlands Colts Cup holders, will make a belated start to their title defence with a home second round tie against Worcester Wanderers.

Hereford were due to host Old Halesonians in the first round but were awarded a walkover after their visitors conceded the tie.

Moseley, last season's beaten finalists, also progressed without kicking a ball as Droitwich conceded their first round tie. Moseley will now host Whitchurch in the second round which is scheduled to be played on or before February 26.

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.

Dear colleagues,

"Slaughter and May, not that again" could well be your reaction on receiving this letter. I would not blame you, but unlike most other aspects of the fairly, disastrous, 2011 experienced by the RFU, this Report remains upon the table.

Of all the issues coming out of, what could be fairly described as a debacle, the Slaughter and May Report is the one that most directly affects our clubs.

Briefly, its adoption would lead to a wholesale disenfranchisement of clubs to the ultimate benefit of a largely, self appointed Board of Directors.

Our clubs, the current "owners" of the RFU would no longer form the membership of the Union. In the interest of "diversity" membership would be handed over to any individual who chose to apply for whatever reason.

26/01/12 Midlands Under-18s selectors to name Divisional Festival squad
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26/01/12 County eight in Midlands Under-16 Final Trial