NORTH Midlands will compete in the new County Rugby Union Shield competition this season.

The County Championship has been divided in two with the top 16 counties competing in the Championship and the bottom 11 - including North Midlands - in the Shield.

The new competition will be played in four pools and North Midlands have been drawn against Dorset & Wiltshire in the smallest pool.

They will play each other home and away with the first leg at Dudley Kingswinford on April 27, 2002 and the return at Bournemouth on May 4 or 5.

The winners will then travel to play either Eastern Counties. Warwickshire or Staffordshire in the Shield semi-finals on May 18. The winning semi-finalists will be automatically promoted to the 2002/2003 County Championship. The losing semi-finalists will be involved in a promotion play-off with the 13th and 14th ranked counties in this season's County Championship.

There will also be a County Shield final which will be played at Twickenham on June 1, the same date as the County Championship final.

n Rob Chapman, the former Ledbury prop and chairman will be the guest speaker at the Worcestershire & Herefordshire county dinner on October 12.

The evening provides one of ten social highlights of the year in the two countries and last year's function was attended by the majority of member clubs.

Following the success of last year's events the dinner will again be staged at the Vale Golf and Country Club at Bishampton near Pershore and will be preceded by the county's annual golf day.

For further details, call Steve Guy, the county president on 01386 860427 before October 1.