Saturday sees Novocastrians take on a new league opponent – Upper Eden away at 1500. An opportunity to lay down a historical marker.

So it’s a new league opponent, one that we don’t know too much about. This has allowed us to focus on ourselves at training this week. Focusing on maintaining possession for longer by playing less high risk rugby. Whilst revisiting just how many missed opportunities we had last week against title contenders Percy Park. We are more than capable of causing an upset if we play our best rugby.

Five changes in the squad as a few regular first teamers come back into the group. Dylan Gittins returns after missing last weeks defeat at the hands of Percy Park. He was a big miss last week and will want to make up for his absence with a win this Saturday. Darren Kelly also comes into the pack as Ryan Gibson is out with injury. He will add some guile into a pretty young pack. Kelly has a knack of making the lads around him enjoy their day with his energy, toughness and rugby IQ.

In the back line, Harry Tankard gets his 13 shirt back that he held for so long in our run in to the league title last season. His pace will add to the gas we already have in the wide channels.

The last two starting changes see Cam Wallace start at 9 – he will be hoping for his usual fine performance to try and keep the shirt out of the hands of Rhys Merlane and Freddie Abraham. In addition, Sam Brooks jumps on the wing in the absence of Max Cook. Brooks has not been seen much after his entrance to Durham Uni. However, he has answered the call this week and the ex colt will be wanting to add to his try tally from his debut season.

We also see Ant McQuillin and Gavin Wilson join the squad but will enter the game off the bench. This will Wilson’s first league appearance since his return to his childhood club. Both players will want to make a lasting impression.

1st XV squad to play Upper Eden away at 1500, meet at Vos 1115 for lifts.

Tom Taylor, Sion Gittins, David Medjigbodo-Lawson, Jonny Cotterill, Darren Kelly, Rob Baldwin, Louis Matthews, Dylan Gittins, Cameron Wallace, Sam Evans, Sam Brooks, Ben Jubb, Harry Tankard, Sam Cleife, Sam Busby, Ant McQuillin, Owen Hayton, Gavin Wilson (league debut)

2nd XV squad to play Gosforth at home, 1500 kick off, meet 1345

James Moore, Rhys Gibbons, Odi Okoli, George Mitchell, Jez Hunt, Alex Henry, Louis Oliver, Alex Cokeley, Thomas Hobden, Ben Lumm, Ewan Dryden, Matt Tucker, Harry McBride, Harvey Gadsden, Matthew Russell, Matthew Knox, Chyaro Hylton, Max Mallon

3rd XV to play Rockcliff away at 1500, meet at Vos 1300 for lifts

Ian Wood, Andrew Maxwell, Harry Brown, Michael Scott, Tom Storey, Luke Roberts, Conrad Bains (club debut) Freddie Fox-Thompson (club debut) Christian Selkirk, Dan Murphy, Ethan Morton, Ross Cleminson, Owen Sanderson, Ben Davis (club debut) James White, Andrew Robson, Adam Longstaff, Ben Parkes (club debut) Thomas Aldridge, Clancy Hannon (club debut)

Up the Vos !