The Daily Telegraph from London, Greater London, England • 38

38 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1988 SPORT 5 GOLF Darcy's faith in 40-year-old club brings fine 66 By Richard James in Stuttgart EAMONN DARCY, of Ireland, used a 40-year-old wedge and a 16-year-old setting six-below-par 66 in ters first round in Stuttgart. The man whose five-foot putt secured victory over Ben Crenshaw and Europe's first Ryder Cup success on American soil last summer, stroke clear of Derbyshire's Mark Roe. Bernhard Langer, who lost a play-off last year to Sandy Lyle, shrugged off his putting troubles, temporarily, to share third place on 68 with Yorkshire's Gordon Brand and American Tom Purtzer. Jose-Maria Olazabal, of Spain, Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty and Swede Mats Lanner had 69s. Severiano, fifth Ballesteros, starts, (72) Ian Woosnam (71) and Nick Faldo (73) struggled on the slippery greens, but Darcy positively skated over them after using his ancient wedge to deadly effect at the ninth.

He found the club in a bin of oddments in a pro-shop in Singapore 10 years ago, and after wasting two strokes at the short eighth by chipping into a bunker, he used it to hole out from 95 yards for an eagle two. He used the putter only 12 times in a five-birdie homeward 31. But the one that did the damage at Muirfield Village, is now part of a Johnnie Walker Ryder Cup exhibition touring Europe. He reverted to an old Ping club he brought on tour with him 16 years ago and once unsuccessfully tried to give away to Ballesteros, who could not get along with it and gave it back after two months. Roe, 51st on the money list but rated one of Britain's brightest prospects, dropped only one stroke to par.

He holed from 35 feet for one of his birdies, coming home in 32, and hit the pin at the last. Langer has switched to a splithanded putting style gripping the extra-long shaft of his club against his left wrist. After a round in which he missed only one short putt, he declared it to be his best on the greens for four months. putter to help him to a paceyesterday's German Mas- DETAILS British and Irish unless stated 66 Darcy. 67 -M Roe.

68 Brand, Purtzer (US), Langer (W Germany). 69 J- Olazabal (Spain), McNulty (Zimbabwe), Lyle, Lanner (Sweden). Ms 70 Walton, Person (Sweden), I Mosey, Somers, Rutledge. M. 71 1.

Parkin, Cooper, James, Durnian, Anderson (Canada), P. Teravainen (US). A. Sherborne, Ralph, Smyth, Rivero (Spain). 72 Calero (Spain), Turner, Waters, I Woosnam, Morgan, Jones, Ballesteros (Spain).

73 Dussart (France), Moody, A Stubbs, Drummond, Marchbank, Faldo, Anglada (Spain), King, Feherty, MacKenzie, Struever (W Germany). Brand's was an extraordinary effort. His caddie failed to turn up so he borrowed Jose Rivero's, the Spaniard not being due off until after lunch. After 11 holes when Brand was level par, the caddie had to leave him for Rivero and he carried his own bag three a spectator offered his services. Far from being unsettled, the Yorkshire professional birdied four of the last six holes to be home in 31.

Purtzer, 36, toiling in 85th place in the American money list, seems to have regained his appetite for the game. the first US tour He explained: "After playing I didn't feel like playing any more and I've teed it up in only five more tournaments. "I came over to Stuttgart because my caddie, Wolfgang, is a German and has a house here and Bernhard Langer organised a sponsors invitation." Olazabal is the only man with a mathamatical chance of catching Surrey's Richard Boxall at the top of the birdie points table in this final qualifier for the Equity Law Challenge on Oct 17 and 18 at Royal Mid-Surrey. Boxall, with 316 birdies and 12 eagles, looks certain to collect a £10,000 prize.as top qualifier, but Olazabal narrowed his lead to 22 points by collecting an eagle and five birdies in his 68. Warwickshire to begin finals without McEvoy WARWICKSHIRE will be without Peter McEvoy, who led Great Britain and Ireland to their memorable triumph in the Eisenhower Trophy in Sweden last week, for their opening match against Dorset in the English County Championship Finals at Seacroft, Skegness, today, writes Bill Meredith.

Critchley leads Walker men to victory By Bob Rodney BRUCE CRITCHLEY'S team of former Walker Cup players levelled the Great Match foursomes series at 2-2 by beating Peter Alliss's former Ryder Cup men by points to at Royal Cinque Ports, Deal, yesterday. Critchley's side, the Players, set Alliss's team, the Gentlemen, a difficult task when they took a 5-1 lead in the morning. Only Ryan Barnes Mills won for the Ryder Cup side. But a spirited recovery in the afternoon resulted in Alliss and Bernard Hunt having a chance to lead the way to victory on the 19th. But Alliss failed to hole a 12-foot putt against Ian Hutcheon and Peter Hedges.

So the match was declared halved. Critchley played a captain's part in winning his second match of the day, the second in the afternoon series, this time partnered by Robby Carr, and this ensured his side's victory. Morning: Critchley Dalgleish bt Alliss Clark 3 I Hutcheon Lucas bt Hunt Moffitt 8 Hedges Carr bt Dawson Wood 2 Sewell Carr bt Garner Panton one up; Cosh Green bt L. Platts Hunt 4 Christmas Kelly lost to Barnes Mills one up. Afternoon: Hutcheon Hedges halved with Alliss Hunt on the 19th; Critchley Carr bt Dawson Moffitt one up; Sewell Christmas lost to Clark Hunt 5 Daigleish Lucas lost to Barnes Panton 3 Green Carr lost to Garner Mills 2 1: Kelly Cosh bt Platts Wood 2 1.

Result: Critchley's Players Alliss's Gentlemen SPEEDWAY NATIONAL -Glasgow 50 (S Lawson 12), Peterborough 46 (M Poole 16): Long Eaton 49 (G Doyle 13), Exeter 47 (S Regeling 16); Wimbledon 62 (K Jolly 12, Morton 12), Mildenhall 34 (M Taylor 19). KNOCKOUT 1st leg: Oxford Coventry pstpnd, track waterlogged. He has a pressing business engagement, but will be back in the line-up for the crucial round robin matches tomorrow and Sunday against the other finalists, Kent and Cheshire. Mcvoy's absence is a blow for Warwickshire, but even so they will provide a stiff first hurdle for Dorset, who were last in the finals years ago. Dorset are also without one of their key players, Michael (Tom) Watson, the Daily Telegraph junior golfer of the year in 1987, who, has taken up a scholarshipAmerican university.

It looks like being a close tussle, with perhaps Warwickshire just having the edge. In today's other clash Kent tackle Cheshire, who last played in the finals, won title, when it was a event in 1954. Their captain, Phil Bailey, is having a fine season and leading his young team with a touch of inspiration. Kent, also relying on youth to a large extent, will be looking to the experience of Simon Wood and Mark Palmer to steady them if the going gets tough. This, too, looks like being a tight match and it could well end with honours even.

Worplesdon back to old strength WORPLESDON Golf Club's 61st open scratch mixed foursomes starting, towards today the shows traditional a swing top class and also an influx of bright new players, writes Bob Rodney. Jill Nicholson, of the promoting club, and Bernard White, from West Hill, defend their title against a strong field. Rivals could be West Essex teenager Emma Smith and clubmate, Scottish boy international, Vince Cox. Also in the field are well established stars Clair Hourihane, Catherine Bailey, Sally Prosser, Winnie Wooldridge, Jill Thornhill and Mike Hughesdon. WEATHERLINE 24 HOUR 88 REPORTS IN SECONDS Dial Weatherline on 0898 5004 followed by your regional code (see map) for weather reports direct from the Met.

Office updated twice daily, seven days a week. 86 FOR YOUR FREE wallet-sized Weatherline card call 183 01 895 8983 The Met. Office WEATHERLINE Calls are charged at 5p for 12 seconds off peak. 8 seconds peak and standard including VAT. 1 St Andrews job is late for Panton By Michael Williams THE appointment of John Panton as honorary professional to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in succession to the late Laurie Auchterlonie, came too late for him to take up his main duty.

Panton was at Deal for the annual match between the old boys of the Ryder and Walker Cup matches when on Wednesday afternoon he received the invitation from Michael Bonallack, secretary of the A. That gave him too little time in which to make his way to St Andrews where, at eight o'clock on a Thursday morning each September, the professional tees up the ball for the incoming captain, in this case Sandy Sindrive himself into office, Panton, 72 next month, has few other roles to fill other than, perhaps, the occasional visit to the Masters and an open invitation to visit St Andrews whenever he likes. It is more the ultimate recognition to one of the game's most loyal professional servants, three times a British Ryder Cup player and 12 times a member Scotland's World Cup team. Panton would also have quietly approved Sinclair's drive into office as the cannon fired, though it was noticeable the new incumbent did not quite have the nerve of his predecessor, the American Bill Campbell, who before his ceremonial drive a year a ago, nonchalantly first tapped the ball with the sole of his driver without knocking it off the tee peg a much more difficult exercise than it appears. Nor did Sinclair, a former Scottish international who is possibly the shortest A captain, just as Campbell was possibly the tallest, emulate Alec Hill's feat of 25 years ago.

Having got the drive into office successfully out of the way, Hill then won the King William IV medal, which is the main busithe autumn meeting. This now attracts more than 500 golfers from all quarters of the globe even though the only serious golf they are likely to play is one round over the Old Course. It is enough to the there. Whether it was entirely worth it may have briefly crossed the mind of Peter Thorson, a ninehandicap golfer from Connecticut who may well have set some sort of record. Having started respectably 4,5,5, his visions of glory soared when he then made a very rare birdie at the fourth with an immaculate four-iron second shot to 18 inches.

Unhappily it was then followed by a 17, five the tee after two lost drives and seven more to get out of the left-hand bunker just short of the green. As witness to every one of them, I waited in vain for the plume of smoke that would have told that "happiness Happiness was, meanwhile, delayed for Athole Reid and Dr David Greenhough, who tied for the medal with scores of 73 and will therefore have to play off over 18 holes this morning. Farr breaks trophy duck By a Special Correspondent GRAHAM FARR, 27, the Ludlow professional, earned his first major winning the EC Osborne Midland Professional Championship by three strokes at King's Norton. Farr, whose previous claim to fame was a third place finish in the 1986 Welsh Open behind Ian came home Woosnam and, Philip Parkin, Yesterday he followed Wednesday's course record 65, in his second round, with a 67 in the third so could afford a final 74 and still stay well ahead. Jim Rhodes, the experienced South Staffordshire professional, was second on 279 finishing with rounds of 74 and 67.

Third, a stroke behind, was former Ryder Cup Brian Waites of Notts. 276- Farr (Ludlow) 70, 65, 67, 74. 279- Rhodes (S. Staffs) 71, 67, 74, 67. 280- Waites (Notts) 71, 71, 68, 70.

281- Stafford (Gainsborough) 73, 70, 67,71. 282- Annable (Walsall) 70, 68, 70, 74. 283- Dickens (Cold Ashby) 70, 74, 68, 71. 285- King (Worksop) 74 73 68 70. 286 Robinson (Woodall Spa) 73, 68, 71, 74.

IN BRIEF BOXING BASILDON: 8rd Lightweight: Mark Reefer (Hackney) bt Fernand Blanco (Belgium), stpd 1st. SOCCER SOUTHERN JUNIOR FLOODLIT CUP.1st rd: Tottenham 1, Norwich City 1. Wednesday's late results INT'L Germany 1, USSR 0 (Dusseldorf) Turkey 3, Greece 1 (Istanbul). FA 1st qual rd replays: Feltham 1, Chertsey 0-Marlow 3, Ruislip Manor 0- Leighton 1, Banbury Utd 2- Bashley 1, Newport (loW) 0- Bourne 3, Bedworth Utd 4. Gateshead 1, Workington 0-Accrington 3, Seaham Red Star 1 Marlow 3, Newport 0- Slade Green 3, Selsey 1.

Div 2 North: Tring 2, Barton Rov 1. Div 2 South: Flackwell Heath 3, Epsom Ewell 1 Molesey 2, Camberley T1. GREENE KING Div 1: Catford Wandrs 1, Metrogas 0. FOOTBALL Norwich 5, Oxford Utd 1 Bradford 3, Stoke 0. WEST COUNTIES: Bristol 2, Bournemouth 0 Torquay Utd 2, Cardiff 2.

SNOOKER CANADIAN MASTERS CH'SHIP (Blackpool) -1st rd: Wildman (England) bt Jenkins (Australia) 5-1; Williamson (England) bt Chalmers (England) 5-2; Medati (England) bi Edwards (England) 5-3; A Harris (England) bt Morra (Canada) 5-3; Johnston-Allen (England) bt Harris (England) 5-4; Dunning (England) bt Sheehan (Rep of Ire) 5-3; Morgan (Wales) bt Davis (England) 5-2; Whitthread (England) bt Bear (Canada) 5-4. YACHTING ROYAL LYMINGTON -XODpts: 1, Phoenix (J Cooper); 2, Vega (D Paton): 3, La Mouette (R Webb). DAILY TELEGRAPH JUNIOR GOLF Smith heads list of Algarve qualifiers 3 By Bill Meredith MICHAEL SMITH, 17, who recently led Brokenhurst Manor to the Club Championship of England, is the leading qualifier for The Daily Telegraph Junior Golfer of the Year finals at Penina, on the Algarve, next Penina bound Michael Smith, the leading qualifier, Darren Bradley (right), the youngest, and (below) Carl Watts, one of Smith's England boy colleagues Greens 'horrible' says Davies after opening 69 By Lewine Mair LAURA DAVIES is always she thought about the Old 69 two under par in the the word which sprang to her The third green the Hampshire course, she said, was "like a both in terms of sound effects and the way the ball sprang from its surface; there were a couple of others which, she suggested, could be Much though he admires Miss Davies, Joe Flanagan, the tour's executive director, made no secret that he was more than a little upset at her comments. "Laura talks a little as she plays in that she doesn't err on the side of caution. I would never want to stop the girls from saying what they think, but I always look to them to exercise a bit of tact," he said, before adding that Miss Davies's opinions, view of her golfing travels, were always worth having.

She did concede "there are some cracking holes out there" while, whatever she thought of the course, golf yesterday was inspired. It was one of those days when she hit shot after shot which had spectators chuckling delightedly. There was drive with which she cut the corner at the dog-leg second, a shot which left her with a wedge to the green where others were needing two woods and more. Again, there was a fairway bunker shot at the next for which, at the last minute, she exchanged her iron for a threewood and smashed the ball close to the green. The injured golfer is always dangerous and no one was surprised when Dale Reid, with both wrists bandaged, sped to the turn in 33 against the par of 36.

Round in the same three-under par 70 as Corinne Dibnah, Miss Reid spoke of tendon trouble so bad that she can stick pins in two fingers on her right hand and feel nothing. Alison Sheard reckoned that her 71 had much to do with a visit she paid last Monday to a sports psychologist who told her to think less about her performance, more about enjoying herself. She even talked herself into seeing the brighter side of a shot at the eighth which ricocheted off an oak tree and landed so close to the boundary hedge that she had to take a penalty drop. 69 Davies. 70 Reid, Dibnah (Australia).

71 A Sheard (S Africa). 72 Lunsford (US), Scobling, Glass, Conley (US), Taya (France). 73 Percival, Thomson, Copeman (S Africa), New, Smillie. 74 Lunn (Australia), Rumsey, Panton, Lawrence, Lautens (Switzerland). month.

His gross 66, four under the standard scratch score, at Salisbury and South Wilts puts him at the head of the top 12 who will be heading for Portugal on Oct 27 two strokes better than Carl Watts, of Worthing, a fellow England boy international who had a two-under 70 on his home course. They were two of six youngsters to beat the standard scratch score when winning their Daily Telegraph holiday trophies and will certainly set a high standard when the battle for honours takes place over 36 holes at Penina on Oct 28 and 29. None of the other six qualifiers had a score of more than one over SSS which suggests the eventual winner follow in the proud footsteps of the previous three champions, Terry Berry, Andrew Coltart and Michael Watson, who have all established themselves in the amateur game. the Mark Payne, of Sandilands, follows his brother Jim, who qualified for The Belfry last year where he finished third, after a one-under 69 on his local course. Young Payne, 16, already plays for Lincolnshire and is determined to better his brother's admirable performance in 1987.

The youngest qualifier is Darren Bradley, 15 last month. His gross 67 at Truro in August earned him admission to the ballot for four places available for those with a score of one over sss. Bradley's name came out of the hat, along with Ross Robertson (Royal Norwich), Watson (Thorpe Hall) and Tim Hill (Parkstone) who will be making his third appearance in the finals. In the last holiday competition at Sleaford on Sept 2, Richard Milne managed a one-under 72 to clinch his seat on the plane from Gatwick. The 12 finalists will fly to Penina on the morning of Thursday, Oct 27.

On arrival they will have a practice round on the fine, Sir Henry Cottoncourse carved out of swampland. The first round of the final will be on the Friday, followed by the final 18 holes on the Saturday, after which the player with the best gross score over 36 holes will be crowned Daily Telegraph Junior Golfer of 1988. In the event of a tie the title will be decided on a sudden death playoff. The official presentation will be made that Saturday evening when the champion will receive a handsome trophy from Lord Deedes, former Editor of The Daily Telegraph. The second and third-placed players will receive silver and bronze medals.

All 12 finalists will be receiving full details of the arrangements shortly and should make sure that they have a valid passport well in advance. QUALIFIERS (subject to Smith (Salisbury Wilts); Watts (Worthing); Payne (Sandilands); Welch (Llanymynech); Milne (Sleaford); Swaffield (Worcestershire); West (Yelverton); Laird (Brampton); Watson (Thorpe Hall); Robertson (R. Norwich); Hill (Parkstone); Bradley (Parkstone). Lycett claims his third title By a Special Correspondent DR NORMAN LYCETT, 58, general practitioner, won Sine Welsh seniors' title with four strokes to spare on his home course at Aberdovey yesterday. Following up his overnight score of 76 with 74, he owed his a purple wthree patch the opening nine holes which he covered in a twounder-par 32.

In the four years he has been eligible to play in the event his record makes impressive reading. Winning the championship at his first attempt in 1985, he shared the title the following year with Edgar. Mills, of Maesdu, and last year finished in a three- -way tie for second place. Finishing in the runner's up spot this year was Ian Hughes, from Abergele, whose final 73 was the lowest score recorded over the two days. 150 -N A Lycett (Aberdovey) 76, 74.

154 I Hughes (Abergele) 81, 73. 156 -WI Tucker (Monmouthshire) 74, 82. 157-WS Gronow (East Berks) 77, 80. 158 Jones (Aberystwyth) 79, 79. 159 -N Rees (Ashburnham) 79 80, Playerk (Clyne) 78, 81.

RUGBY UNION Knibbs back as deputy for Mogg RALPH KNIBBS, the Bristol centre, will resume an abbreviated representative career when he plays on the wing for the South West against Leinster at Bath on Monday evening, writes John Mason. The elusive running of Knibbs, who a first played in the centre for Bristol as a teenager, has earned him a place as deputy for the injured Richard Mogg, the longserving Gloucester back. Tony Swift (Bath), first capped by England seven years ago, is the division's other wing and is due to play on the right after appearing on the left in the December championship last winter. Swift has been a rapid-fire member of the Bath try-scoring armoury this month and will be on the right against Gloucester in the Courage League One match at the Recreation Ground tomorrow. A bruised dozen, excluding replacements, of tomorrow's club nine Bath, three re-muster as South West colleagues on Monday against Leinster whose brief visit from Dublin includes a match with Llanelli at Stradey Park tomorrow.

If Bath's game plan permits Swift the same freedom he is likely to get for the South West, tomorrow's league match, which involves two unbeaten sides, could out-rank other memorable encounters between long-standing rivals. Malcolm Preedy, the Gloucester loosehead, who has kept Gareth Chilcott, the England forward, out of the team to meet Leinster, has reported fit after a nasty ear injury against Pontypridd last week. Preedy re-joins club colleagues Kevin Dunn (hooker) and Richard Pascall (tighthead). SQUASH RACKETS Kenyon falls to outsider MIR ZAMAN GUL, of Pakistan, caused the main second round upset at the Pakistan Open squash championship in Karachi, yesterday, by beating sixth-seeded Phil Kenyon, of England. The unseeded Pakistani eliminated the world's 11th-ranked player 6-15, 17-14, 15-5, 15-10 to claim a quarter-final place.

It was an 52- minute battle that left Kenyon drained by the heat. Top seeds Jansher Khan and Jahangir Khan moved closer to another clash in the final. Jansher took 16 minutes to dispose of England's Hiddy Jahan 15-5, 15-1, 15-3. Jahangir downed compatriot Maqsood Ahmed 15-8, 15-2, 15-11 in a match of frayed tempers. 2nd rd: Jansher Khan bt Hiddy Jahan (GB) 15-5, 15-1, 15-3; Newton (Australia) bt Harvey (GB) 15-9, 15-7, 15-7; Robertson (Australia) bt Maqsood Hanif 15-12, 15-12, 15-8; Nancarrow (Australia) bt Whitlock (GB) 17-16, 15-9, 5-15, 15-9; Umer Hayat Khan bt S.

Butt (Canada) 17-15, 15-5, 15-10; Zarak Jehan Khan bt Johnson (Sweden) 15-13, 15-10, 15-16; Mir Zaman Gulbt Kenyon (GB) 6-15, 17-14, 15-5, 15-10; Jahangir Khan bt Maqsood Ahmed 15-11. Davies goes to see Dai, the ranchero outspoken and, when asked what Thorns' greens after her opening Toshiba Players Championship, lips was RUGBY LEAGUE Edwards must see out Wigan contract By John Whalley SHAUN EDWARDS, the Wigan captain, will not be leaving the club. The Great Britain stand-off, who asked for a transfer last week, has been told he must honour the remaining two years of a three-year contract. Edwards, who had been heckled by a section of the crowd in a recent home game said: "I don't want to go into the reasons for the transfer request. The club have said I've got a contract and I have to honour it." Leigh have agreed terms of £18,000 for Wigan's prop Tim Street.

Oldham will listen to offers for backrow forward Bob Marsden following his written transfer request. Championship leaders Wakefield expect to have Keith Rayne, Brent Todd and John Glancy fit for Sunday's game with Salford, Mark Graham's last in the League before he flies out for the World Cup final. The crowd of 8,244 who saw the Rodstock War of the Roses game at Headingley on Wednesday was the biggest attendance for a county match in Yorkshire for 22 years. John Fieldhouse is expected to play for St Helens Alliance team against Leeds tonight. The forward has had four leg operations in the past 12 months.

By JONATHAN DAVIES, whom in times of trouble be off again on his travels Patagonia. Davies is today sunning himself on a Greek beach, but will be back in time to play for Llanelli against Neath, his former club, tomorrow week before heading for South America. The occasion has anthropolog. ical overtones. Several small communities Patagonia, following emigration in the 19th century by Welsh hill farming families, are Welsh-speaking rancheros to this day.

A television film is being made of the lives and customs of these groups and Davies, who is bilingual, is assisting in this venture. Travelling with him will be Ieuan Evans and Carwyn Davies, Llanelli colleagues who are also fluent in Welsh. There is a rugby purpose, too. The three will play in seven-aside tournaments, at least one of which will in Buenos Aires. Their two- trip, which begins on Oct 5, will also help restore links between the Welsh Rugby Union and the Argentine Board.

John Ryan, the new Wales coach, will be keeping fingers crossed that the three return home in the best of health. The list of walking wounded in Wales, who play Western Samoa in little more than six weeks, grows daily. Bleddyn Bowen, who went to New Zealand in the summer as captain only to return early with a broken wrist, lasted 10 minutes in his opening game for Swansea on Wednesday evening. He damaged his left knee. Bowen said yesterday that the in injury was little more than a bump, not a twist.

There was some fluid on knee and he hoped to playing again in a fortnight. Ryan's list also includes the injury-prone John Devereux of Bridgend, who has broken a bone in a hand, and the long-serving Phil May, the Llanelli lock, who is troubled by an ankle injury. Cardiff's Robert Norster, the Rothmans Player of the Year and an outstanding lock in any company in the world, has not resumed playing yet and Tim Fauvel, capped as a replacement against New Zealand Christchurch in May, is still in Australia. Haydn Morgan, the London Welsh coach who resigned this week after barely three weeks in the post, maintained a discreet silence yesterday. I understand Morgan, twice a British Lion, felt he was not getting the co- he deserved.

He took no part in team selection this week. John Mason the globe-trotting little man upon most Welsh rugby hopes rest, will early next month. Destination? Duo offer high hopes for Havant By a Special Correspondent HAVANT, who began their Area League South programme with a comprehensive victory over Stroud, have high hopes that two new members will help them maintain their unbeaten start to the season at Sudbury tomorrow. The Hampshire club are handled this season by Brian Powell, the Royal Navy coach who was assistant coach to the Combined Services and British Police who toured New Zealand in June, and have added wing Mike Wedderburn, formerly of Harlequins, to their line-up. North Walsham, London League Two North champions last season, who play East Anglian rivals Ipswich in their opening London One fixture, have three new players: Balfour, the Norfolk centre, David Kidner, a fullback from Holt, and Robin Emblem, a blindside flanker from Crusaders.

Stuart Russell, who played for Wales against the US Eagles in 1987, before an eye injury sidelined him, has joined Bishops Stortford from London Welsh and will be in the team at Thurrock in London two. Thurrock were last League, Sunday's final of the Essex Under-21 competition by Blackheath who, remarkably, played with only 14 men. The future of the Middlesex County Clubs Merit Table has been assured with a £15,000 sponsorship deal over the next three years from Fullers Brewery. Kent, who were last week beaten by Hertfordshire in a game, have named their team to play Sussex in next Wednesday's Toshiba County Championship opener. They include three survivors from the team beaten by Warwickshire in the 1986 final Rosslyn Park's David Osbourne and Paul Essenhigh and Askeans' John Field.

KENT Sussex (Askeans, Sept 28): Ashworth (Old Alleynians); Osbourne (Rosslyn Park), Graham (Coventry). Mi Scott (Blackheath), Corless (Askeans): Field (Askeans), Evans (Pontypridd); Essenhigh (Rosslyn Park), Taylor (Nottingham), Croxford (Harlequins), Rauh (Askeans), Catt (Richmond), Thresher (Harlequins), Neison (Tunbridge Wells), Langhorn (Harlequins)..