NORTH Midlands Under 16s were beaten 13-0 by Leicestershire in the Super Sunday event involving all six Midlands counties at Ledbury’s Ross Road ground.

It was North Mids’ third consecutive defeat, but they battled hard against a heavier Leicestershire pack and, thanks to the front row of Ryan Furniss (Chantry High School, Martley, and Worcestershire), Matt Wilkes (Ludlow School and Shropshire) and Hugh McBride (Bromsgrove School and Worcestershire), they restricted the visitors to just one first-half try.

Leicestershire added a second try and a penalty after the break but North Mids’ half-backs Bryn Phillips and Will Goodwin, both of Ellesmere College and Shropshire, took the opportunity to impress the watching Midlands selectors.

North Mids complete their four-match county programme against Staffordshire at Bromsgrove RFC on November 27 (7.15pm).

The Midlands selectors will then name squads to take part in next month’s divisional trial at Solihull School.