Greater Birmingham have named ten newcomers in their starting XV for their opening match in this season’s Iskitz Three Counties Championship against holders Worcestershire & Herefordshire at Birmingham Exiles’ Elmdon ground on Wednesday February 21 (8pm).
Greater Birmingham were edged out by W&H in last season’s final at Edwardians but it will be a much-changed team that takes the field for the re-match.
Only captain Adam Lee, full-back Tom Burrows, centre Mike Ho, hooker James McQuoid and tighthead prop Julius Hunt have played for Greater Birmingham. There are five more potential debutants among the replacements where only Andrew Pearce and Morgan Hope have represented the county before.
Worcestershire & Herefordshire launched their title defence with a 22-18 victory over Shropshire two weeks ago and will progress to the final if they beat Greater Birmingham.
Shropshire host Greater Birmingham at Telford Hornets on March 14 in the final group match of the competition which is contested annually by the three Domestic Unions that make up North Midlands. The competition provides county representative rugby for players from clubs outside the National Leagues.
The final, between the top two teams in the group, will be played at Ledbury on May 20.
Iskitz, the Malvern-based international sports kit suppliers, are generously sponsoring the competition for a fourth season.
Greater Birmingham
15 Tom Burrows (Sutton Coldfield); 14 Chris Duckworth (Sutton Coldfield), 13 Mike Ho (Old Saltleians), 12 Joel James (Old Saltleians), 11 James Gordon (Old Saltleians); 10 Ben Morgan (Sutton Coldfield), 9 Adam Boot (Edwardians); 1 Peter Phipps (Old Saltleians), 2 James McQuoid (Edwardians), 3 Julius Hunt (Aston OE), 4 Harry Hudson (Edwardians), 5 Adam Lee (Old Saltleians – captain), 6 Gary Hykin (Manor Park), 7 Tom Lee (Old Saltleians), 8 Macaulay Hancox (Edwardians).
Replacements: Liam Wallace (Woodrush), Peter Pilling (Warley), Dan Lavendar (Woodrush), Brandon Lea (Camp Hill), Kai Lucas-Dumolo (Camp Hill), Andrew Pearce (Old Yardleians), Morgan Hope (Edwardians).