Rugby - Cumbria one match away from Twickers final (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Cumbria one match away from Twickers final

12:59pm Saturday 21st May 2011 in Sport

CUMBRIA have made a couple of changes to last week’s winning side against Notts, Lincs & Derby ahead of their County Championship Shield semi-final against Surrey at Aspatria on Saturday, 2pm In the forwards Ryan Johnson moves forward into the second row to allow Mike Stephens to start at open-side flanker.

In the backs Martin Armstrong starts at outside centre, with Gavin Cartmel moving to the wing and Ed Swale, who did well last weekend on the wing and as an emergency scrum-half when Paul Newton was injured, stepping down to the bench.

Surrey’s return to the County Championship after a five-year absence could not have gone better. They came back with a bang by winning both their pool matches against Sussex and Middlesex.

The team is coached by Dorking’s Richie Andrews and England Counties selector Duncan Cormack and based on the Dorking side, with Cobham’s hugely experienced former Harlequins lock Bill Davison as captain.

Paul Hodgson, the London Irish and England scrum-half is also part of the coaching team.

Cumbria (v Surrey at Aspatria, 2pm): Penrith unless stated – Alistair Ledingham (Wigton); Gavin Cartmel, Martin Armstrong (Workington), James Sanderson, Joe Nattrass; Mike Scott (Aspatria), Paul Newton; Chris Tweddle (Workington); Ian McDowell, Andrew Irving, Rob Dawson (capt), Ryan Johnson, Gary Hodgson, Mike Stephens, Mike Raine Replacements: Glenn Carr, Andrew Bowe (Workington), David Todhunter (Workington), Callum Rowlandson (Whitehaven), Mike Tinnion (Aspatria), Ed Swale, Matthew Atkinson (Wigton).