DURHAM are to hold a reunion of the three teams which have reached the County Championship final at Twickenham in the last 35 years.

It will be held at the first home match in this season's championship on May 10 at a venue yet to be decided, when the opposition will be either Cumbria or Hertfordshire. Mike Weston's side of 1967, Jon Bland's 1989 champions and Graeme Naisbitt's runners-up of 1994 are all being invited.

Durham's opening match is away to Cheshire the previous Saturday.

Durham County president Brian Watt will be joined by two other Durham referees in Rob White and Andy Smith on a 12-day trip to South Africa to officiate in games in Natal Province, leaving on March 27.

The trip is part of the exchange which saw three South Africans visit Durham last month, when the senior member impressed in his control of the Horden v Middlesbrough match.

A Japan High Schools squad are to visit Hartlepool Rovers in March. Following a game against England South 18 Group they will be at the Friarage on Tuesday, March 18 (3pm) to play the England North 18 Group Schools team.

They will complete their tour by facing England 18 Group as a curtain-raiser to the Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham.

RFU president Derek Morgan has invited Ray Attle, chairman of Chester-le-Street, to be his guest at the England v France match on February 15 to recognise his service to the game, particularly his work as a junior coach. Durham president Brian Watt will also be a guest of the RFU on the day.

l England winger James Simpson-Daniel is set to make his comeback on Saturday - two months after being struck down by glandular fever. The 20-year-old Gloucester star, who hails from Middlesbrough, is on course for an appearance against Heineken Cup opponents Viadana at Kingsholm.

He has not played since England beat world champions Australia in November, when Simpson-Daniel celebrated his second cap by setting up fellow wing Ben Cohen's match-winning score.

Glandular fever was diagnosed shortly after that stirring 32-31 victory, and Bristol's Phil Christophers replaced him when England blitzed South Africa in record-breaking fashion seven days later.

Simpson-Daniel's last appearance for Gloucester came during the Zurich Premiership win against Northampton on November 2.

''I have done all the training that I can, and I feel ready. I will take extra care this week,'' said Simpson-Daniel.

He is likely to make an appearance off the replacements' bench as Gloucester face opponents that they racked up 80 points against earlier this season. Simpson-Daniel scored three of his team's 12 tries on that occasion.