WHARFEDALE may have been relegated from National League One after a 20-year stay but they are set to play a big part in Yorkshire's bid to win the Bill Beaumont Cup.

Not only is the Greens' Jon Feeley head coach for the County Championship campaign, which starts tomorrow against Lancashire at Scarborough, but eight of the Dalesmen's squad have been picked too.

They are props Ali Wade and Joe Altham, lock George Hedgley, flanker Josh Burridge, fly half Jamie Guy, centres Cameron Hudson and Huw Morgan and winger Oli Cicognini, while also in the squad is Otley centre Michael Coady.

"We are very pleased that Jon has been chosen as Yorkshire's coach," said Wharfedale's rugby chairman Michael Harrison.

"Also that eight players from our squad have been selected too, although we don't know how many of them will be starting."

Wharfedale are expecting to announce their coaching set-up for next season very soon – but Harrison is not expecting their relationship with Greene King IPA Championship club Yorkshire Carnegie to change, even though the Dalesmen will be in the same division as Otley and Harrogate next season.

He said: "Only Hull Ionians are in level three from Yorkshire and there should still be enough players to go round Otley, Harrogate and Wharfedale next season, although there would be a complication were Yorkshire Carnegie to be promoted as Premiership loan players cannot drop three divisions."

However, with Carnegie having lost the first leg of their semi-final 30-17 at home to Doncaster Knights last Sunday, it is more likely that the south Yorkshire club will progress to the final – probably against Bristol, who beat Bedford 45-16 away last Sunday.

Harrison has been instrumental in setting up the Pilot League, in which Wharfedale Foresters have been taking part this season, although it has been dogged by withdrawals of teams and concessions of matches.

However, Harrison has some good news, saying: "I went to a meeting the other week near Kirkby Lonsdale, which was attended by representatives from Cumbria, Yorkshire and Lancashire, and the RFU have agreed to fund it for another year as long as there aren't too many concessions."