Last updated 13:24, Thursday, 22 May 2008

RAMPANT Northumberland booked their place at Twickenham on June 1 with a splendid win over North Midlands at Corbridge on Saturday.

Northumberland 29,North Midlands 5.

The side bristling with Tynedale players overwhelmed the fancied visitors with some dazzling rugby in the County Shield.

There were early alarums when in the very first minute when the Midlands side were able to touch down for a 5-0 lead after a kick in behind the defence.

Apart from this however, Northumberland were able to answer everything the visitors could throw at them.

Northumberland opened their account on 15 minutes when Tynedale back-rower Tim Swinson and player of the season gathered a loose pass and forced his way past the last two defenders. Tynedale fly half Gavin Beasley added the conversion to put North ahead.

From the kick off, Northumberland went on the attack again, allowing Tynedale centre Ben Duncan to crash over on 20 minutes.

Beasley added the conversion, and kicked North further into the lead with a penalty on the half hour mark.

Before half time, Swinson grabbed his second after a North Midlands clearance kick was charged down and the ball ran loose.

North Midlands started the second half by building some good attacks but Northumberland's defence proved as effective as their attack.

The only points of the half came after ten minutes when Tynedale full back Jack Smales glided past several defenders and finished his half-pitch length run with a try, Beasley converting.

Trailing by 24 points with half an hour left, North Midlands had an Everest to climb, but such was Northumberland’s dominance, they only managed to visit the North 22 on two occasions.

This fine victory, together with wins against Durham and Cumbria see Northumberland, sees Northumberland back in the top level of the county hierarchy next season, in the Bill Beaumont Cup.

The icing on the cake is next weekend’s trip to Twickenham to play in the County Championship Shield final against Cornwall, who won the Southern regional round robin.

The match will feature as part of the England v Barbarians match build up.

The Northumberland game kicks off at 10am, so anyone thinking of going will need accommodation.

Immediately after the Northumberland game, two - and probably three – of the Tynedale contingent will be linking up with the English Counties side which is touring the USA and Canada

Definitely in the squad are fly half Gavin Beasley, and prop Johnny Williams, and likely to join them is flanker Tim Swinson.