WORCESTER Warriors academy flanker Jake Abbott and Malvern winger Ryan Henshaw have been included in a re-jigged North Midlands side for this season's County Championship Shield opener against Durham at Stourbridge's Stourton Park on Saturday (3pm).

Openside Abbott, who plays for Stourbridge, and Henshaw will be joined in the squad by Malvern pair Ollie Jones and Ryan Watkins as well as Luctonians quartet Alex James (fly-half), Darren Brick (lock), Nick Byron (hooker) and Paul Hulland (number eight).

North Mids will be looking to win promotion back to the top flight of the three-tier Championship, the Bill Beaumont Cup, following their relegation last season.

There is also a new coaching team in place for this season in Alan Hubbleday, the former Moseley, Pertemps Bees and England Schools hooker, who now plays in the back-row for Old Halesonians, and Richard Henwood of Luctonians.

North Mids will play their other home game in the north group against Cumbria at Stourbridge on May 10 and then travel to Tynedale to face Northumberland on May 17.

North Mids: Lloyd-Jones (Stourbridge); Summers (Stourbridge), Winter (Moseley), Mitchell (Pertemps Bees), Henshaw (Malvern); James (Luctonians), Ward (Sutton Coldfield); Fowles (Nuneaton), Bick (Pertemps Bees), Tideswell (Stourbridge), Davidson (Pertemps Bees, capt), Brick (Luctonians), Daws (Stourbridge), Abbott (Stourbridge), Evans (Moseley).

Reps: Byron (Luctonians), Sturdy (Stourbridge), Coles (Moseley), Hulland (Luctonians), Jones (Malvern), Watkins (Malvern), Townsend (Leicester Lions).