From the RFU website - http://www.rfu.com/News/2011/June/News%20Articles/070611_Baldwin_leads_Counties_in_Salamanca.aspx?

 

07 June 2011

Rob Baldwin leads England Counties from No.8 in Salamanca

Coaches make 12 changes with Spain match places still in the balance

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England Counties go into the second game of their three-match tour to Spain against the Castilla Leon Union in Salamanca on Wednesday with 12 changes to the starting line-up as the selectors fulfil their pledge to give every player a start in one of the first two matches.

The target for the Counties, the representative flagship of the County and Community game outside the Aviva Premiership, is to earn selection for the final game of the tour, the match against Spain in Valladolid on Saturday and despite a hefty 53-24 victory in the opening game in Madrid, there are still a number of places up for grabs.

Wharfedale captain Rob Baldwin leads the side after sitting out the opening game, while also appearing for the first time will be centre Cameron Mitchell, ruled out by injury in Madrid, Gavin Woods and Fergus Mulchrone.

"I’m really pleased and honoured to be asked to do the job," says the Yorkshire No 8. "I’ve captained my club for the last two years and I’ve also led the Yorkshire side, but this is my first time as captain of the Counties.

"I need to concentrate on my game first and hopefully lead from the front. I’m really looking forward to it."

Brothers Fergus and Charlie Mulchrone start

A new page in the annals of Counties rugby will be written by brothers Fergus and Charlie Mulchrone. The Cheshire pair will be the first brothers to wear a Counties shirt together since 2006 when Dave and Paul Knight were both involved in the game against Tunisia at Broad Street.

For Baldwin, the captaincy comes on the back of having to sit out the first game completely, as happens for four players in each match with 26 players on tour and 22 in a match squad.

"You have to take it on the chin and take the rest time that goes with it," he said. "Now I’m looking forward to getting going and putting in a balanced display, but not trying too hard. If you try to do too much it can all end in tears in this heat. I just want to go out and do my job.

 

"I think we need to come together more as a team and trust in each other, trust what your mates do, trust what other positions do, trust what we’ve done in training rather than trying too hard.

"There will be times for individual flair and when they occur, we want to see it being expressed, but the lads we are playing against will have been together a long time and, like Madrid, it will show.

"When you do into someone else’s back yard and you’re fighting for every scrap of ball, the opposition aren’t going to give it up easily. We need to put our bodies on the line and we need to do it for 80 minutes. One thing we need to learn from the Madrid game is that we can’t expect to win it by putting in a good performance in the first 20 minutes.

"The were scrapping for the full 80 minutes and still coming at us at the end, so we know what to expect."

One place in the squad has yet to be finalised. At this stage one of the back replacement slot has yet to be filled followed the repatriation of injured scrum-half Harry Peck to England. His replacement has yet to be finalised.

England Counties

Fergus Mulchrone (Cheshire); Curtis Wilson (Leeds Carnegie & Yorkshire), Peter Hodgkinson (Bedford & Cheshire), Cameron Mitchell (Plymouth Albion & North Midlands), Ollie Brennand (Fylde & Lancashire); Aaron Penberthy (Redruth & Cornwall), Charlie Mulchrone (Macclesfield & Cheshire); Gavin Woods (Caldy & Cheshire), Matt Hall (Blaydon & Northumberland), Rob Schillaci (Hertford & Hertfordshire), Steve Pape (Rosslyn Park & Somerset), Richard Boyle (Tynedale & Northumberland), Ben Sparks (Stourbridge & Gloucestershire), Jack Preece (Birmingham Solihull & Gloucestershire), Rob Baldwin (Wharfedale & Yorkshire) capt

Replacements: Tommy Taylor (Sale Jets & Cheshire), Martin Kent (Macclesfield & Cheshire), Ben Hilton (Launceston & Cornwall), Aaron Myers (Westoe & Durham), Steve Hamilton (Rotherham & Kent), Gareth Collins (Leicester Lions & Warwickshire), A N Other

2009 CHESHIRE CUP FINAL

 

MACCLESFIELD

 

VS

 

BIRKENHEAD PARK

 

 

At: Winnington Park RUFC,

Burrows Hill, Northwich, Cheshire. CW8 3AA

 

EASTER SATURDAY

11^th APRIL 2009

 

Kick Off 3.30pm

 

Preceded by the

 

JUNIOR PLATE FINAL           K.O. 1.30 pm.

OLDERSHAW      v

ASHTON ON MERSEY

 

ADMISSION (Inc Programme and Car Park)      £5.00

Under 17’s            Free

All proceeds to CHESHIRE RFU.

 

www.cheshirerfu.co.uk

Twickenham winners meet in Bill Beaumont Cup opener

Yorkshire, holders of the RU County Championships Bill Beaumont Cup, will start their defence with a home game against Shield winners Northumberland when next year’s competition begins on May 9, 2009.

The White Rose side comfortably defeated reigning champions Devon at Twickenham in this season’s final, while Northumberland also enjoyed Twickenham success when they beat Corn wall to add the Shield trophy to their promotion to the top flight.

Cheshire, relegated from the Cup, open their Shield programme with a visit to promoted Leicestershire, while Cumbria have a first-day home assignment against North Midlands.

Durham, relegated last season after losing their final game to Cumbria, begin their County Championship Plate campaign with a home game against Notts, Lincs & Derby on May 2.

The North regional programme is:

 

BILL BEAUMONT CUP

NORTH

Week 1                     Warwickshire                 vs.          Lancashire

9 May 2009              Yorkshire                       vs.          Northumberland

Week 2                     Lancashire                     vs.          Yorkshire

16 May 2009            Northumberland             vs.          Warwickshire

Week 3                     Lancashire                     vs.          Northumberland

23 May 2009            Yorkshire                       vs.          Warwickshire

                                                                                    

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD

NORTH

Week 1                     Leicestershire                 vs.          Cheshire

9 May 2009              Cumbria                         vs.          North Midlands

Week 2                     Cumbria                         vs.          Cheshire

16 May 2009            North Midlands              vs.          Leicestershire

Week 3                     Cheshire                        vs.          North Midlands

23 May 2009            Leicestershire                 vs.          Cumbria

                                                                                    

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP PLATE

POOL 1

Week 1                     East Midlands                vs.          Staffordshire

2 May 2009              Durham                          vs.          Notts, Lincs & Derby

Week 2                     Notts, Lincs & Derby     vs.          East Midlands

9 May 2009              Staffordshire                  vs.          Durham

Week 3                     Durham                          vs.          East Midlands

16 May 2009            Notts, Lincs & Derby     vs.          Staffordshire

Week 4

23 May 2009            Semi-finals

 

Issued by Tony Simpson, RFU North Press Officer (07764 336708)