RUGBY UNION: Cleobury Mortimer, beaten finalists in last season's Junior Vase, have been handed a home tie against near neighbours Kidderminster Carolians in the second round of the new EDF Energy Senior Vase.
Cleobury, who were beaten 46-3 by Surrey club Dorking at Twickenham in April, scraped into the second round of the new competition with an 11-10 win over Shropshire rivals Telford Hornets last Saturday.
They will now host Kidderminster at the Lacon Childe School on October 28.
The other all-North Midlands tie in the second round will be between Worcester Wanderers and Ledbury at Sixways.
There are four ties bringing North Midlands clubs together in the second round of the EDF Energy Junior Vase.
Bournville will play host to Dudley Wasps, Redditch entertaining Stourport and Upton-on-Severn and Woodrush travelling to Tenbury and Yardley & District respectively.
* Five Midlands-based players have been selected to represent the England and Wales Prison Service against their French counterparts at Broadstreet's Binley Woods ground near Coventry this afternoon (5pm kick-off).
Neil Underhill, the Rugby Lions lock, Andrew Mason, who plays full-back for Handsworth in Midlands Six West North, Stafford lock Pete Gormley, Luton prop Nick Peters and Leicester Lions flanker Austin Watts are part of a nine-strong English contingent for the challenge match.
The fixture was inaugurated 15 years ago and the England and Wales side will be attempting to avenge a 27-22 defeat in last season's meeting at Agen.
* Eight Midlands schools have qualified for the West Midlands Army Under-16 Schools Sevens finals day later next Thursday.
Finals day will be staged at the neighbouring Kings Norton and Five Ways OE clubs. Arden School and Coundon Court School will represent Warwickshire with Bridgnorth Endowed and William Brookes Schools qualifying for the Shropshire event while Redhill and Haybridge progressed from the Birmingham & Black Country finals.
In the girls competition, Warwickshire will be represented by Avon Valley and Bishop Ullathorne, Shropshire by Burton Borough and Meole Brace and Birmingham & the Black Country by Arthur Terry and Summerhill.
