North Mids all set for decider

4:25pm Thursday 15th May 2008

NORTH Midlands have recalled Luctonians trio Alex James, Darren Brick and Nick Byron for Saturday's County Championship Shield promotion decider against Northumberland at Tynedale (3pm).

Malvern wing Ryan Henshaw also starts the match, as does Worcester Warriors academy prospect Jake Abbott, who also plays for Stourbridge.

James, Brick and Byron missed last week's win over Cumbria at Stourbridge because they were required by their club for the North Midlands Cup final against Hereford. But they are all available on Saturday and are back on county duty for a game that will decide who wins promotion to the Bill Beaumont Cup next season. The winners will also win the north group and go through to the shield final at Twickenham on June 1.

Teenage fly-half James, who impressed on his North Midlands debut against Durham, takes the place of Ryan Watkins of Malvern who moves to the bench.

Byron, a former Australia Under 21 hooker, returns to the replacements bench.

North Midlands will need to give a final fitness check to Moseley number eight Mark Evans before they finalise their side.

Evans suffered a knee injury against Cumbria and is set to have a final check on his condition today.

If he is not fit, Malvern's Ollie Jones will be promoted from the bench.

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

Replacements: Byron (Luctonians), Fowles (Nuneaton), Coles (Moseley), Jones (Malvern), Townesend (Leicester Lions), Watkins (Malvern), Gowland (Dudley Kingswinford).

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