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Staffordshire booked their place in the Midlands regional semi-finals of the National Under-20 Championship with a comfortable 49-10 win over Leicestershire at Burton's Peel Croft ground.
The win, coupled with a draw against Cambridge University in their opening match last month, was enough to secure Staffordshire one of the two qualifying places from Midlands Group A. The group winners will be decided when Staffordshire host East Midlands in a rearranged game with the date and venue yet to be arranged.
Last season Staffordshire reached the national semi-finals for the first time and they were stronger and better organised than a spirited Leicestershire side who disrupted by a number of late withdrawals caused by injuries in training this week.
Centre Ashley Paterson (Wolverhampton) was a key figure in Staffordshire's win as he scored a hat-trick of tries and fly-half Gregg Massey of Lichfield contributed 19 points with a try, four conversions and two penalties.
Paterson's opening try, which Massey improved, gave Staffordshire an early lead but a penalty from Leicestershire fly-half Ian Smith (Syston) reduced the deficit. Despite dominating for most of the first half, Staffordshire struggled to turn pressure into points and they had to rely on two penalties from Massey to increase their lead.
It was first half injury-time before Flanker Dominic Taylor, a Midlands Under-18 player this season from Burton, went over for Staffordshire's second try and Massey added the extras to make it 20-3 at the break.
But Staffordshire racked up the points in the second half with Massey and Paterson both capitalising on favourable bounces from kicks ahead to score opportunist tries. Flanker Dominic Taylor, crossed from close range before Paterson completed his hat-trick when he rounded off a flowing move.
Leicestershire's hard work was rewarded when centre Simon Cart of Loughborough Students scored a well worked try that Smith improved. But Staffordshire completed the scoring when replacement Michael Willetts of Adams GS burrowed over late in the game.
Leicestershire completed their programme with one win and two defeats in their three group matches.
The final group match in Midlands Group B will be played on Sunday February 24 when Oxford University entertain Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire at Iffley Road. The winners will join group winners North Midlands in the Midlands semi-finals which will now be played on March 9. The Midlands final will be played on either April 6 or 14.
The national semi-finals have been rearranged for April 20 and the national final will now be played at Twickenham on May 10.
The Midlands Under-20 selectors will now select two sides to play in the Midlands West v Midlands East match at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry on February 27 (7pm) as a trial for places in the Midlands Under-20 side for their annual Divisional match against London & SE later in the season and training matches against North Wales and the United States at Ruthin on June 1.