North Midlands lock Sam McDonald and full-back Chris Pennell, members of the Worcester Academy, are in the England Under-19 squad for the Six Nations match against Ireland at The Stoop tomorrow (7.45pm).
McDonald was capped by England Under-18s in the AER Championships in France and the Home Unions Tournament in south Wales last season. Pennell is the son of former England and Worcestershire cricketer Graham Dilley. n Five North Midlands players are in two England Under-18 squads to play Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Flanker Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors) is in the squad preparing for the Home Unions Tournament in Gloucestershire next month while the other four are in the squad preparing for the European Championship in Treviso, Italy, next month.
That squad includes winger Miles Benjamin (King Edward's School, Birmingham), fly-half George Crook (Bromsgrove School and Worcester), prop Joel Diggins (Bromsgrove School) and hooker George Thomas (Bromsgrove School, Luctonians and Worcester).
* Worcester play Wolverhampton in the Midlands final of the National Under-17 Cup at Broadstreet on Sunday March 26 when the Midlands Plate final will also be played.
In the semi-finals Worcester beat Moseley 8-3 while Wolverhampton were 16-5 victors at Wyggestonians.
In the Bowl competition Syston and Old Northamptonians reached the Midlands final at Broadstreet. The Midlands Shield final at Broadstreet will be contested by Bedford Juniors and Droitwich.
* Tudor Grange School, Solihull, and Northampton School for Boys play in the Midlands Under-14 State Schools' final at Northampton on Tuesday (2.30pm).
* East Midlands reached the quarter-finals of the National Under-20 Championship, beating Staffordshire 15-10 at Burton. Tom Adams (Lichfield) scored a try for Staffordshire.
* Nuneaton play Lincoln at home on Sunday before Ampthill face Whitchurch at Broadstreet a week today (7.30pm) in rearranged Midlands regional semi-finals of the RFU National Under-17 Plate.
