The triumphant Dorset and Wilts team celebrate at Twickenham

Dorset & Wilts are celebrating the greatest day in their history after beating Leicestershire 36-26 in the County Championship Shield final.

They came back from 16-10 down at half time to take the title in style, running in five tries in their first ever appearance at Twickenham.

Dorset & Wilts manager Hamish Morton said: "In achievement terms, this is the most important win in our history."

Skipper Frazer Wilford added: "Winning here feels fantastic."

Leicestershire had the fillip of a penalty by fly-half Mark Lord after only 24 seconds but his Dorset & Wilts counterpart Adam Westall levelled the scores from 30 metres in the fourth minute.

Westall would go on to suffer six missed kicks from the tee, compared with only one by Lord, but it was Dorset & Wilts' greater variety in attack and ability to move the weightier Leicestershire pack around the Twickenham pitch which counted most.

Both sides played with a positive attitude and the lead changed hands twice in the first half before Dorset & Wilts, who had defeated Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Sussex in pool play, and Oxfordshire in the semi-finals, ran away with it in the second half.

Centre Scott Chislett ran in Dorset & Wilts' first try after 15 minutes, converted by Westall, following a break by Terry Gilmour and replacement Tom Mannion's touchline juggle.

Lord kicked a pair of penalties either side of converting his own try for Leicestershire in the 30th minute when an attack up the left was held by Dorset & Wilts but recycled ball from a ruck allowed Lord to skip past prop Alan Manning's inside shoulder.

I suppose it's every boy's dream to walk up those steps at Twickenham and lift a trophy - a once in a lifetime experience Dorset and Wilts captain Frazer Wilford

Trailing 16-10, the Twin Counties burst into the second half with a try in 25 seconds by replacement prop Joseph Burns.

Westall converted and, although he missed from 40 and 30 metres later in the half, he was on hand to add the extras after flanker Sean Barwick went over.

More space opened up on the left for Dorset & Wilts to give wing Michael Pope their fourth try with 56 minutes gone, Westall converting, and, after a penalty by Lord to trim the Twin Counties' lead to 12 points, Pope almost scored again with seven minutes remaining.

He was held up a metre short but second row Liam Gilbert, who had a fine all-round match, followed up to reach out and score at the left corner flag.

A penalty try at a 79th minute scrum, with Lord converting, gave Leicestershire the last word but the Shield - for players at clubs at National League Three level or below - belonged to Dorset & Wilts.

Bournemouth prop Wilford added: "I suppose it's every boy's dream to walk up those steps at Twickenham and lift a trophy - a once in a lifetime experience.

"I think it's just desserts for a lot of hard work over this season and previous years by Dorset & Wilts.

"And hopefully it will encourage greater participation and plenty more good rugby in the counties in future."

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