NORTHALLERTON Rugby Club will compete at Twickenham on Sunday after qualifying for a cup final.

Now the first team will make the 206-mile journey to the world-famous stadium to compete in the National Senior Vase final against Honiton, from the Devon area.

The team qualified for the competition after an unbeaten run last season, with the road to Twickenham starting with a 31-0 victory over Whitley Bay in November before defeating Sunderland, then Aspull from Lancashire and finally a 41-30 nail-biting win over Leicester Forest in the semi-final on Easter Saturday.

This year's final will be the last time it will be held at Twickenham so the players are hopeful of Northallerton's name being the last one on the Twickenham trophy.

Club chairman Steve Metcalfe said it would be the biggest crowd the team has played in front of, with thousands of spectators expected.

If the team, which is representing the north of England at the game, lifts the trophy, it will be paraded through Northallerton in a tractor and trailer cavalcade.

But Mr Metcalfe said: "We have to win it before that can happen!

"We have had a very good run this last couple of years and now we're representing the north at Twickenham.

"We're taking three buses down and other people are travelling down separately so I think we will have most of our supporters there. The club is part of the community and all the people who support us, from sponsors to volunteers, are a big part of this, it is not just the players."

Club captain Jonny Frank is in his seventh year at the club and third as captain and the club's player/coach is local firefighter James Hopkin, who has been helped out by new Australian fly-half Ashley Rio and also player Jeremy Deas, who has been kept out of the Twickenham squad due to a serious knee injury.

The first-team squad all live within 25 minutes of the club which helps with availability and team bonding.

Mr Metcalfe said: "Northallerton RUFC would like to thank everyone who has got behind the club this season, and in particular those who have come forward with sponsorship and support on the road to Twickenham."

The game, against Devon team Honiton, will be live-streamed on the England RFU website on Sunday.