Hertfordshire's strong contribution to the County Championship in recent years has received recognition at last with the selection of Chris Rainbow (Newbury) in the England Counties XV squad for the forthcoming three-match tour to Russia, the first by a senior England team.

Chris, who started his rugby at Hertford and had a spell at Bedford before joining Newbury, put in strong performances in Hertfordshire's games against Gloucestershire and Devon in their year's Bill Beaumont Cup competition and thoroughly deserves his selection in the squad. This is the first time a Hertfordshire player has been recognised in this way, although there have been some near misses in selection in the past.

The selectors have cast their net widely, with players drawn from 15 different counties and 17 different clubs and the side fully justifies its role as the representative flagship of the County and Community game outside the Guinness Premiership. From Tynedale and Northumberland in the North to Plymouth Albion and Devon in the deep South West and all ports in between, the squad is possibly the most diverse group ever brought together under the Counties XV banner since the team was formed in 2002.

With 12 newcomers to the England Counties scene, the squad also fulfils its role as a player development vehicle. It enables players to put down a marker that can ultimately lead to senior England honours, as Shaun Perry, David Strettle and Dean Schofield have recently underlined.

Esher prop Duncan Cormack, who captained the side this season’s games against an Ireland Clubs XV in Dublin and France Amateurs at Blackheath, will again lead the team, which will have a new coaching combination in Harvey Biljon from Blackheath and David Baldwin from Manchester.

"Every game for us is a challenge and an adventure and this tour will maintain that rich tradition," says Counties XV Manager Jim Robinson: "We have a group of players, some of whom have not played at this level, and little time to weld them into a coherent unit. And we have new and unknown opposition. We will be the first senior England representative side to visit Russia and that adds to the excitement and keen anticipation. We have quality players in our squad and I'm looking forward to working with them and seeing them perform. As we've said before, England Counties XV is the team that represents the vast majority of the game in England, the rank-and-file counties and individuals who sustain 99% of the club game in England. We're proud of that tag and we'll be representing those people with pride and distinction."

Backs: Oliver Viney (Lancashire & Preston Grasshoppers), Frankie Neale (Kent & Blackheath), Tom Jarvis (Gloucestershire & Lydney), Hamish Smales (Northumberland & Tynedale), Chris Malherbe (Yorkshire & Wharfedale), Aaran Cruickshank (Devon & Plymouth Albion), Mark Bedworth (Yorkshire & Wharfedale), Scott Rawlings (Staffordshire & Manchester), Mark Woodrow (Gloucestershire& Doncaster), Matthew Leek (Surrey & Esher)

Paul Knight (Gloucestershire & Moseley), Chris Pilgrim (Cheshire & Loughborough University)

Forwards: Neil Spence (Yorkshire & Bradford & Bingley), Chris Rainbow (Hertfordshire & Newbury), Mike Blakeburn (Surrey & Esher), Chris Morgan (Somerset & Newbury), Gregor Hayter (Oxfordshire & Newbury), James Winterbottom (Middlesex & Henley), David Campton (Warwickshire & Coventry), Alex Davidson (Pertemps Bees & North Midlands), James Tideswell (North Midlands & Stourbridge), Carl Rimmer (Warwickshire & Coventry), Tim Mathias (Devon & Plymouth Albion), Liam Wordley (Staffordshire & Henley), Glenn Cooper (Somerset & Newbury), Duncan Cormack (Surrey & Esher) captain.

Thursday 7^th June 2007 – Rugby team of Krasnoyarsk v England Counties XV

Tuesday 12^th June 2007 – VVA-Podmoskovie (Champions Club) v England Counties XV

Saturday 16^th June 2007 – Russia v England Counties XV