North Midlands have been forced to reshuffle their squad for their National Under-20 Championship quarter-final against Cheshire at Dudley Kingswinford on April 1 (2.30pm).
Injuries and unavailability over the Easter weekend mean that seven players – props Connor Deignan and Kai Owen, lock Matt Addison, scrum-half Will Hardwick, fly-half Bryn Goodall, wing Cael Hodgson and centre Ollie Allsopp – have been added to the squad that defeated East Midlands 41-37 at Dudley Kingswinford last Sunday.
Hardwick, who plays for Birmingham University and Bournville, is the son of former England, Coventry and London Irish prop Rob Hardwick.
Last Sunday’s victory, in North Midlands’ first competitive match of the season, secured them a home tie in the national quarter-finals with Cheshire finishing runners-up in the North group behind Yorkshire.
Cheshire beat North Midlands 47-26 in a warm-up match at Newport in December but the North Midlands squad that was on duty that day was much different to the one that has been named for the quarter-final.
North Midlands Under-20s
Backs: Lewis Turner (Hereford), Ollie Allsopp (Birmingham Moseley), Dan Pemberton (Whitchurch), Arthur Morgan (Kidderminster Carolians), Cael Hodgson (Old Halesonians), Bryn Goodall (Hereford), Sam Hollingsworth (Birmingham Moseley), Rhys Harrhy (Newport), Will Hardwick (Birmingham University and Bournville).
Forwards: Bruce Robinson (Worcester University), Connor Deignan (Luctonians), Kai Owen (Newport), David Kane (Cleobury Mortimer), Ethan Priest (Bromsgrove), Charlie Hill (Newport), Matt Addison (Harper Adams University), Sam Shepard (Moseley Oak), Matt Sprigg (Bromsgrove), Jack Coffin (Moseley Oak), Charley Wright (Bridgnorth).