North Yorkshire's rugby heroes left for Twickenham and the Tetley Bitter Vase final today - with rousing messages of support ringing in their ears.

Well-wishers cheered as the proud team from Malton and Norton rugby union club boarded their bus for the journey to London, and district leaders wished them all the luck in the world.

The team play South Lancashire and Cheshire League Division Three side Hoylake in the final tomorrow.

Malton Mayor Norris Binner said he was confident the team were on peak form.

"If they play like they have in recent months I think they stand a good chance of winning," he said.

"I wish them all the luck in the world - I'm sure they'll do great."

Norton Mayor Margaret Taylor said she was looking forward to the fixture.

"I will be listening to commentary of the game on the radio and I hope they do well," she said.

Ryedale MP John Greenway is planning to travel down to London to watch the match - despite having a heavy cold.

"They are on good form and I'm sure if they play as well as they have recently they'll do really well," he said.

"They have done wonderfully well to get this far so I will be pleased with any result."

There was a nervous but excited air as the team gathered at the rugby club in Old Malton today.

Head coach Pat Stephenson admitted he was as nervous as the players.

"When it comes to the game I am sure they will be more relaxed. I keep telling them that they should be channelling this nervousness into their game tomorrow," he said.

Prop forward Carl Rushworth, 21, said he was a little bit nervous like most of his team-mates.

"When we got through to the final it was hard to believe - this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said.

Substitute prop Steve Riddolls kept a promise by having his 24-year-old beard shaved off for the match.

The 46-year-old told his team-mates at the start of this season that if they managed to get through to the final he would have it all shaved off.

"A promise is a promise," said Steve. "I've had a beard since 1977 so people have always known me to have one."

Steve's beard was removed at a special ceremony and his head was shaved too.

* A Twickenham match report will be posted on this website tomorrow afternoon.

Updated: 12:05 Friday, April 20, 2001