ONE OF Cockermouth or West Hartlepool will take a giant stride towards Twickenham when they meet in a blockbuster Counties 1 Championship clash in the Papa Johns Community Cup second round. 

Strawberry How will play host to two of the country’s most in-form sides on Saturday 15 April.

Cockermouth, who finished second in their league, take on Counties 1 Durham and Northumberland champions West Hartlepool, who won all 22 of their league games this term. 

The Cumbrian side progressed to the second round after another tense encounter, edging league champions Upper Eden RUFC 18-15 away from home in a game that could have gone either way. 

"It's one of the biggest games we've had at the club for many years," said Cockermouth fixture secretary and Cumbria RFU President Brian Mitchelhill, ahead of his side’s second-round clash.

"The cup allows us to play against different teams and you can make it a really big day for your club.

"We're hopeful of a biggish crowd, good revenue in the club and a good game of rugby against completely different opposition."

For Mitchelhill and his side, there is no greater carrot than the chance of playing a final at Twickenham.  

"There is a lot of excitement." 

"I think it means everything to players to play at Twickenham. 

"We play rugby union at grassroots level, but everybody watches the England team playing at Twickenham and espouses to be able to reach those dizzy heights at some time in their career,” He said. 

Opponents, West Hartlepool ran out 28-21 winners at Didsbury in the first round of the Papa Johns Community Cup and for their coach Jamie Connolly, another new adventure is what the cup is all about. 

He said: "It’s a great opportunity to visit new places and test ourselves against new opposition.

For more about the Papa Johns Community Cup, including where to find next week’s men’s draw, visit englandrugby.com/pjccup