Worcestershire & Herefordshire win RLF North Midlands Championship

18/05/10 by Paul Bolton

Worcestershire & Herefordshire won the RLF North Midlands Championship by beating defending champions Shropshire 16 -3 in a lively but scrappy final at Stourbridge's Stourton Park ground this evening.

The victory meant that Worcestershire & Herefordshire completed their campaign unbeaten following wins over Greater Birmingham and Shropshire in their group matches.

Solid defence under pressure and two tries in a five minutes period late in the first half from number eight Andy McEwan and winger Steph Ellis helped to secure the win against a Shropshire side missing five key backs.

Shropshire, who won the title for the first time in four years 12 months ago, lacked cohesion in an attack as a consequence and had to rely on a first half penalty from Jamie Simpson for their points.

Luctonians scrum-half Simpson opened the scoring when he slotted a 24th minute penalty having early struck a post with a similar kick.

But Worcestershire & Herefordshire hit back immediately with McEwan, the powerful Dudley Kingswinford number eight, breaking some flimsy tackling and powering over.

Hereford fly-half Dean Powell, an accurate kicker in the group match wins
over Greater Birmingham and Shropshire missed the conversion having early hooked a kickable penalty close to the posts.

Simpson missed the chance to narrow the gap when he was off target with a 28th minute penalty instead Worcestershire & Herefordshire stretched their lead with an opportunist try when Pershore's Ellis capitalised on a favourable bounce to sprint clear for another unconverted try.

Old Halesonians centre Rees Pritchard almost went over for a third try just before the break when he slipped a tackle but Shropshire managed to regain their composure in time to smuggle the ball off him and clear the danger.

The Two Counties led 10-3 at the break and nudged ten points clear when Powell eventually found the target with a well-struck penalty after 54 minutes when Shropshire were penalised for holding onto the ball in a ruck as they tried to attack from close to half-way.

Shropshire's better moves broke down in a congested midfield but a flowing move gave Bridgnorth wing Matt Farrington a run on the left before Powell relieved the pressure.

A break from Harper Adams University full-back Andy Crabtree almost put England Deaf international winger Adam Faulkner clear but the Two Counties again snuffed out the threat.

Those missed opportunities proved costly for Shropshire as Powell banged over his second penalty ten minutes from time.

The RLF North Midlands Championship is contested annually by the three Domestic Unions that comprise the North Midlands RFU and gives players from outside the National Leagues and those who do not play regular first team rugby at National Leagues level the opportunity to experience a high standard of representative rugby.

The competition has again been generously sponsored by RLF (Robinson Low Francis), the national firm of construction and property consultants, who are long-time supporters of the RLF North Midlands Championship and grassroots rugby in England.