NORTH Midlands Under 20s were beaten 33-5 by defending national champions Gloucestershire in a rugby friendly at the Coney Hill club in Gloucester.

Although North Midlands travelled expecting a training match at the start of their build-up to this season’s National Under 20 Championship, Gloucestershire treated it as a trial game and brought on an entirely new side for the second period.

The fresh legs made an impact as Gloucestershire scored 21 points in the second-half through three converted tries.

North Midlands will continue their build-up to the National Under 20 Championship in the new year when they host Cheshire at Newport’s Forton Road ground on Sunday (2.15pm).

Meanwhile, North Midlands players have been named in a 28-strong Midlands Under 18 squad for a training session at Bromsgrove School on Sunday.

The North Midlands players are: hooker Matt Cox (Bromsgrove School and Worcester), lock Nile Dacres (Worcester Sixth Form College and Five Ways OE), scrum-half Joel Dudley (Bromsgrove School and Worcester), prop Chris Fox (Bromsgrove School), number eight Matt Kvesic (Worcester Sixth Form College and Worcester), props Mark Padgett (Ellesmere College and Mold) and Louis Padian (Bishop Challoner School and Moseley), flanker Will Radburn (Worcester Sixth Form College and Worcester), hooker Henry Waltier (Bromsgrove School and Worcester), centre James Whybrow (King Edward VI Five Ways and Five Ways OE) and lock Sean Young (Bromsgrove School and Worcester).

Six North Midlands players have also been named in the 24-strong Midlands Under 16 squad for next month’s first Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry.

The North Midlands players are: props Hugh McBride (Bromsgrove School) and Ryan Furniss (Chantry HS), number eight Barnie Woods (Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School), hooker Tom Griffiths (Bishop of Hereford Bluecoat School), scrum-half Oliver Simcox and centre James Hill (both Old Swinford Hospital School).