LUCTONIANS' director of rugby Alex Davidson is the North Midlands' new head coach for this season’s County Championship Bill Beaumont Cup Second Division campaign.

The former Birmingham & Solihull and Luctonians lock succeeds Dan Protherough, who replaced Scott Bemand as head coach having previously worked as his assistant.

North Midlands missed out on promotion last season and Davidson has set the target of reclaiming a place in the top flight in his first season in charge.

“We thank Dan Protherough for his contribution to the county both at Under-20 and senior levels in recent year,” said Davidson.

“But we thought it was time to freshen things up a bit and try to get through to a Twickenham final again and back into the top division of the County Championship.”

Davidson will be assisted by Mark Evans of Old Halesonians, who was forwards coach under Protherough, with Stourbridge’s Rod Petty joining the coaching team as backs’ coach.

North Midlands launch their County Championship campaign with an away game against Kent on May 7 followed by a home match against Devon on May 14.

Davidson's Luctonians side are struggling in National League 2 North, but go into this Saturday's home game against Sale in buoyant mood after an excellent 27-25 win at Chester.

Luctonians opened the scoring after 12 minutes when lock Michael Cheasley went over from close range, which Louis Silver converted.

And the away side extended their lead seven minutes later when captain Dan Smith was driven over from a line-out.

Lucs' pressure in the pack again paid off when they were awarded a penalty try after 31 minutes following a collapsed scrum; Silver converting.

And, two minutes later, Cheasley scored his second try.

But the second half saw a shift in momentum as Chester clawed their way back into the game with a Rhys Hayes penalty before Callum Bennett went over.

Hayes then scored a try of his own before being dismissed for foul play.

Replacement William Bown scored in the corner at the death, but Bennett missed the conversion and Lucs secured the win.

Meanwhile, former Luctonian Jonny Hill made his first Aviva Premiership start for Exeter Chiefs on Sunday.

The lock was a promising youth player at Mortimer Park and joined Gloucester when he was 17 following a successful trial.

Hill left Kingsholm last summer to hook up with Exeter and starred for the Chiefs as the Premiership high-fliers beat Worcester Warriors 30-15 at Sixways.