BISHOP of Hereford Bluecoat School provide six members of the North Midlands Under 16 side for their first match of the season against Staffordshire at Castlecroft in Wolverhampton tonight (7pm).

They were part of the Herefordshire side that won the Bank of Scotland Cup for the first time recently.

The county beat Worcestershire in the final of the North Midlands Under 16 domestic competition, having beaten Shropshire in their opening match.

Worcestershire provide five players, Greater Birmingham one and Shropshire three.

Five players have been forced to withdraw from the squad because of school commitments with Old Swinford Hospital School and Adams GS.

North Midlands will play their second match at this age group against Leicestershire at Syston on Sunday (2pm).

North Midlands Under 16s: Chris Watson (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School); Stefan Ellis (Prince Henry's HS, Evesham), Jack Hodges (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School), Vaughan Thomas (King's School, Worcester), Josh McPherson (Ninestiles School, Birmingham); Craig Rowlett (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School), Ollie Frost (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School); Richard Townsend (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School), Sam Lewis (Ellesmere College), Bill Bennett (Bewdley HS), Stuart Lewis (Bishops Castle Community College), Wayne Cooper (Stourport HS), James Heggett (Bromsgrove School), Chris Morgan (Brine Leas School, Nantwich), Luke Yarrenton (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School).

North Midlands clinched third place in this season's Midlands Under 18 Championship with a 10-7 victory over Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire in the play-off at Broadstreet.

North Midlands opened up a 10-0 interval lead with tries from flanker Will Blackwell (Ellesmere College) and full-back Michael Penn (Bromsgrove School).

A tapped penalty from Worcester fly-half Tim Streather set up the first try.

They defended the lead, despite a much-improved second half display from NL & D who responded with a converted try mid-way through the second-half from centre Will Bradley.

But North Midlands managed to hold out for victory in the second match of the Midlands Festival.

East Midlands won the competition for the sixth consecutive season by defeating Warwickshire 17-10 in the final.