Under 20s

Under 20 Rugby within the North Midlands 2018/2019

 

Please see the link for the fixtures and results of the U20’s Jason Leonard County Championships –https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/jason-leonard-u20-county-championship/#/fixtures

When the RFU decided that the Age Groups of International Youth Rugby would change from Under 21 and Under 19 to Under 20 and Under 18 the Under 20 Development Committee was founded.   It was the Under 19 Committee of that day moving forward to control the Under 20 Development.

The County Championship for the Under  20’s continued in the same vain of that for the previous Under 19’s with all Constituent Bodies playing in a league system to provide Divisional entrants for the knockout stages with the final at Twickenham.   North Midlands U19’s won the Championship in 2000 and were losing finalists in the following year as Under 20’s.    The current Under 20’s County Championship is a 2 tiered system with the North Midlands electing each year to be in the upper tier, the Championship.  Both competitions follow the area league basis for produce Quarter finalists or Semi-finalists in the Knock-out stage.

During the Championship program players are viewed by Divisional selectors tasked with producing a Midland Counties Under 20 Squad.   In the past this team has played matches against several of the Irish Academy sides both home and away, as well as the USA Under 20 team as part of their preparations for the Under 20 World Cup of that year.

The Under 20 Development Committee of the North Midlands RFU along with other Midlands Divisional Constituent Bodies have long pursued the dream of an England Counties Under 20 side.   This was achieved a couple of years ago however to date the nearest a North Midlands player has achieved is Non-travelling reserve, something we wish to change.   Since then Adam Brankley and Jack Harrison have represented England Counties during their tour to Russia (2016)

How do you get into the North Midlands U20’s Squad?

There are several ways:-

  1. At the end of each season the Domestic Unions, Greater Birmingham, Shropshire and Worcestershire & Herefordshire play each other in an Under 19 Competition called the Houghton-Harris Shield, this highlights players.
  2. A player is recommended by his Club as being suitable.
  3. A trawl of Universities in the area will highlight players.
  4. Or by contacting one of the officials of the Committee.

 

Obviously there will be several Development and Assessment days before the Squad is selected.   That squad will play in “warm-up” games against other close Counties before the final match squad is selected.

The following dates have been proposed for the schedule this season:-

Weds 28th November – trial game.

Sunday 9thDecember – Friendly v Cheshire

Sunday 13thJanuary – squad training

Sunday 27thJanuary – Friendly v Warwickshire

Sunday 10thFebruary – squad training

 

Current Committee
Position Name Contact
Honorary President Mike Evans
Chairman Richard Bragg 07976-818877 / braggy321@gmail.com
Treasurer Bill Goodfellow
Team Manager
Head Coach 2018 / 2019 Richard Protherough 07981 673840
Assistant Team Manager Clare Foster 07717 795307
Backs Coach Vincent Harrhy 07495 147186 / vincentharrhy@btconnect.com
Mitch Mcgahan 07956 330837
Forwards Coach Brett Prior 07704 452814
Dan Lavender 07969 691443
General Members Don Waterson
Peter Ogden/ Tim Hardwick 07952 831570 / timbo16@virginmedia.com

 

Some of the Players of note over the years who played with North Midlands        Under 20’s
Scott Beamond Harlequins, Leicester
Shaun Perry England, Bristol, Worcester Warriors
James Rodwell England 7’s, Moseley
Jake Abbott England 7’s, Worcester Warriors
Lee Hinton Leeds
Peter Short England U21, Moseley, Bath, Exeter
Alistair Hall Scotland U21, Edinburgh
Jack Harrison  England Counties U20’s
Adam Brankley  England Counties U20’s
Ethan Priest  England Counties U20’s tour of South Georgia 2018
Sam Hollingsworth  England Counties U20’s tour of South Georgia 2018
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