NORTH Midlands will make a belated start to their RFU National Under 20 Championship campaign when they make the short trip to Coventry to play Warwickshire at Broadstreet RFC on Sunday.

North Midlands were due to open their campaign against Notts, Lincs and Derbyshire at Nottingham earlier this month but the Three Counties called off the fixture because of difficulties in raising a team.

The NL&D match has now been rearranged for February 26 at Nottingham's Beeston ground (2.30pm).

North Midlands will go into their Championship campaign aiming to make up for a disappointing 2004/05 season when they suffered their first defeat in a group match at this level and failed to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time.

They will travel to Broadstreet buoyed with confidence, having beaten Warwickshire home and away in October at Under 19 level to reclaim the Sable's Head trophy after a two-year absence from their old rivals.

The majority of the Under 20 squad were involved at Under 19 level.

The North Midlands squad includes Old Saltleians centre Tom Lee who helped his club reach the quarter-finals of this season's Powergen Junior Vase.

Old Saltleians were beaten 3-0 after extra-time by Cleobury Mortimer two weeks ago and Lee would not have been available for county duty had the NL&D game been that weekend.

Warwickshire, who won Midlands Group 'B' last season to qualify for the national quarter-finals for the first time, lost 26-10 to Oxford University at Iffley Road in their opening game.

North Midlands Under-20 squad -- Backs: Mark Coulson (Moseley), Tamasi Tanumi (Newport), Peter Nathan (Birmingham University), Sam Cook (Newport), Tom Lee (Old Saltleians), Perry Pudge (Worcester), Willoughby Badger (Worcester), Tom Bissell (Dudley Kingswinford), Rob Crawford (Bromsgrove), Luke Ward (Worcester), Ben Williams (Pertemps Bees).

Forwards: Steven Head (Stourbridge), Rhydon Smith (Moseley), Dale Garner (Worcester), Shaun Earlem (Worcester), Alex Francis (Dudley Kingswinford), Neil Chivers (Dudley Kingswinford), James Hinks (Bromsgrove), Tom Gregory (Moseley), Robert Chivers (Dudley Kingswinford), Martin Poptani (Birmingham University), Lee Madelin (Moseley), Fred Rodwell (Birmingham University), Ed Lawrence (Bridgnorth).