POCKLINGTON youngster Henry Mitchell is trending a path that could lead towards England glory.

Mitchell, 20, has been handed the fly-half jersey as the Yorkshire Under-20s attempt to lift the Tetley's Under-20s County Cup at Twickenham this weekend against North Midlands.

And the Newcastle University student, whose brother Sandy was at Newcastle Falcons last season, will look to follow trail-blazer Charlie Hodgson in graduating to full honours.

Sale and England No 10 Hodgson, who is only denied the chance to go the World Cup in Australia by a knee injury, was a key member of the White Rose side that won the inaugural U20s competition in 2000 and provides the perfect inspiration.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Mitchell told the Evening Press. "It should be a really good occasion.

"Charlie Hodgson led Yorkshire out a few years and is now at Sale Sharks and has played for England so it just makes you wonder what is possible, but it will just be an honour to play at Twickenham.

"This is the one thing I will have on my brother - he played for England Under-18s, but I will have played at Twickenham for Yorkshire."

Mitchell will be joined on the famed Twickenham turf by fellow products of the Pocklington youth section Richard Booth and Matt Webber.

Although the trio have moved away Pock along different paths, centre Booth is at Durham University and prop Webber is making a name for himself at Loughborough University, they remain good friends.

"It will be awesome us all playing together at Twickenham," added Mitchell. "We've known each other since we were all knee high to a grasshopper.

"All our friends and family are travelling down together so it will be a real family occasion."

As well as the Pock trio, the U20s squad will also include Harrogate duo Richard Davies and Nick Beaumont, ex York Colt Matthew Stockdale and former St Peter's pupil Richard Pike.

And as well as attempting to emulate Hodgson, they have the history of the U21s side - which made way for the U20s - that won six out of 12 competition to match, with Tony Underwood and John Bentley former stars.

But having produced a number of brilliant displays to reach the final, Bedale-based chairman of selectors Doug Gillett remains confident of success.

"We have a pretty impressive record," said Gillett. "And this current crop of players are a very promising bunch.

"After beating everyone in the Northern division, we defeated East Midlands 52-20 and then we went on to beat Cornwall 39-12 in the semi-final at Redruth, which was a tremendous result.

"The team is playing well as a whole and has made great strides throughout the season.

"But we are very wary of the North Midlands and you are only as good as your last game, but the coaches Bob Hood, who is coaching the England Counties squad, and Steve Townend, of Wakefield and who has over 40 caps for the county, have done an excellent job, so we are really looking forward to the final."

Although the seniors failed to reach Twickenham this year, the Harrogate-based sevens squad could make it a real Yorkshire day at the home of English rugby.

Yorkshire, who are selected entirely from Harrogate, won through to their County Championship Sevens semi-final tie against the North Midlands with a convincing campaign in the Northern district qualifiers at Altrincham Kersal last weekend, where they defeated Lancashire, Cheshire and Northumberland in relatively easy fashion.

Last season, Yorkshire defeated Cornwall 42-26 in the final after beating Middlesex 19-12 in the semi-final. They could face Cornwall again this year as they face the Easter Counties in the other semi-final.

York's date at Twickenham

YORK Under-13s will attempt to get in on the act at Twickenham when they line up for the Gulliver's Festival of Rugby finals day on Sunday.

The boys, who shared the trophy last season as Under-12s, are confident they can go on and lift the title outright this time around.

Oliver Hawking and Michael Harrison share the try-scoring exploits, while Andy Leigh is the side's leading points scorer.

The boys, potentially in their last year together, have enjoyed a tremendous spell - winning four of the past five Yorkshire Cups, while they drew 0-0 with Cobham to share the 2002 title at Twickenham.

Updated: 11:57 Friday, May 23, 2003