POCKLINGTON RUFC’s James Thompson overcame his injury concerns to play scrum-half for Yorkshire Under-20s as they beat North Midlands 38-17 in their County Championship quarter-final at York.

Thompson, from Holme-on-Spalding Moor, has also been playing for Pocklington’s first team, but had had to pull out of his club game with a leg injury to ensure he was fit for the county fixture.

Yorkshire led 24-0 at the interval but had to overcome a spirited second half comeback from the Midlanders before sealing victory with a late try.

Yorkshire are now only one game away from a Twickenham final, but they face a daunting semi-final at Cornwall on March 15.

Meanwhile, a quartet of Pocklington U17s county players were in action against Eastern Counties at Cambridge RUFC.

The four - fly-half Mattie Proctor, from Allerthorpe, scrum-half Tom Richardson, from Pocklington, flanker Nathan Smith, from Pocklington, and prop Charlie Cartwright, from Holme-on-Spalding Moor - all started.

Smith scored one of Yorkshire’s tries in their 27-10 success.