WORCESTERSHIRE & Herefordshire have been hit by injuries for their opening match in the defence of their RLF North Midlands Championship title against Greater Birmingham at Droitwich tonight (7.30).

A number of Malvern, Bromsgrove and Hereford players who were included in the provisional county squad sustained injuries in league games last weekend forcing the selectors to cast their net far and wide.

There will be six newcomers in the starting line-up and 13 different clubs represented in the squad of 21.

Team: R Mauger (Bromyard); D Ryan (Worcester Wanderers), D Billayne (University College Worcester), B Pullen (Pershore), R Young (Mal-vern); G Richards (Malvern), A Hill (Old Halesonians); C Maritza (Evesham), S Dick (Hereford), N Goodwin (Stourbridge), R Atkinson (Hereford), M Williams (Ledbury), P Hart (Worcester Wanderers), N Godfrey (Droitwich), A Johnson (Hereford, captain).

Replacements: A Moseley (Stourbridge), D Lillywhite (UCW), J Daniel (Malvern), R Haynes (Pershore), S Holloway (Bromyard), D Quinn (Kidderminster Carolians).