January 12 2007 RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION Press Release GORRIE INJURY MARS DIVISIONAL OPENER The opening day of the Under-16 Divisional Festival at Castlecroft in Wolverhampton today was marred by an injury sustained by James Gorrie, the London & SE lock.Gorrie of Halliford School and Middlesex, suffered a suspected dislocated hip during the game and had to be stretchered from the pitch.The air ambulance was summoned and the helicopter landed on the adjacent training pitch which forced London’s game against the South West to be abandoned 15 minutes from time with the scores level at 10-10.Gorrie received treatment from paramedics but did not need to be taken to hospital by the air ambulance which departed Castlecroft midway through the first half of the second game between the Midlands and the North which also had to be suspended for a short time on safety rounds to allow the helicopter to clear the area. The opening game was abandoned shortly after the South West had pulled level in an entertaining opening game through a well-worked try from left wing Reuben Haile (St Peter’s School, Gloucester and Gloucestershire). London took the lead when centre Louis Chance (Reeds School and Surrey) crossed after left wing Ashley Smith (St Bede’s School and Surrey) has twice featured in the build-up. The South West equalised through right wing Chris Wade (RGS High Wycombe and Buckinghamshire) who intercepted an over-complicated move by London within easy striking distance of their own posts.But London were back in front before half time when centre Owen Farrell (St George’s, Harpenden and Hertfordshire), the son of Saracens and former Great Britain rugby league centre Andy, set up number eight Jackson Wray (The King John School and Essex) for an excellent try. Farrell also had the chance to impress the watching England selectors with some long range passing in difficult blustery conditions before Gorrie got injured, the air ambulance arrived and referee Mark Liddell of Staffordshire was forced to call an early halt.  The stoppage appeared to unsettle both the Midlands and the North who took a long time to get into the second game. But once lock Joe Quinn (St Wilfred’s County HS and Yorkshire) had powered over late in the first half, the North established control and ran out 35-5 winners. Centre Andrew Forsyth (QEGS Wakefield and Yorkshire) set up Quinn for the try though the Midlands rallied briefly when scrum-half Joe Glover (John Cleveland College and Leicestershire) scored within four minutes of the re-start.  But the Midlands turned over far too much pressure to build on the opening that Glover gave them and the North soon regained the lead through left wing Christopher Deweever (Stockport GS and Cheshire) and never looked back. Further North tries came from tighthead prop Lee Imiolek (Sandbach School and Cheshire), wing Will Latta (Sedbergh School and Cheshire), scrum-half Craig Hampson (Ashville College and Yorkshire), replacement wing James Williams (RGS Lancaster and Lancashire) and fly-half Tom Catterick (Barnard School and Durham).  As is usual at the Under-16 Divisional Festival, no kicks at goal were taken in either match. The Festival continues at Castlecroft on Sunday January 14 when the South West will play the Midlands at 10am with the North taking on London & SE at 11.30am. The England selectors will then sit down to select a training squad of 45 which will form the nucleus of the England Under-16 senior and A teams fro games later in the season. The seniors will compete in the inaugural Four Nations Tournament involving France, Italy and Wales, which will be played on club grounds in the Black Country between April 5 and 11. The A team will take part in the annual Millfield Festival in Somerset, which this year involves France, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Romania, Georgia and the USA, between April 2 and 8. Player who miss out on inclusion in the 45-strong training squad will have a further opportunity to impress the England selectors when the four Divisional sides return to Castlecroft for a second Festival on Sunday January 28 (9.30am start). Paul Bolton RFU Regional Press Officer 07966 102 495