Three sides in action as the first team welcome back Guisborough to Sutherland Park at 1400. Whilst the 2’s and 3’s make the journey down the Coast Rd to play Rockcliff at 1415.

Novos look to make it three in a row on Saturday as they continue to find their feet at level 6. The season has already proven attritional with changes each week to the squad – injuries and availability testing our player pool. However, like the Consett game – changes equals opportunities.

This week we see Sion Gittins come back into the squad. Gittins has been a stand out before in recent seasons in both attack and defence. Rob Baldwin comes back into the group after being away last week and slots back into his eight role. He will be hoping for a dominant scrum performance from the lads so he can get off the back and carry hard. More regular first teamers come back in as Cam Wallace gets the 9 shirt this week and Sam Cleife gets back on the wing after being rested last week.

In addition, Jonny Allton comes into the second row, bringing his ball carrying and will add weight to an already solid scrum. The final change is Zac Smith who is rewarded after some strong games for the two’s, He gets a bench spot with vital versatility in an 18 man squad as he can cover the back row and inside backs.

Our defence will have to be a lot stronger than what it was against Sunderland last Saturday. We had a hard look at ourselves at an analysis session on Tuesday. I am sure a home game will bring the energy and physicality that is needed to give us our best chance to climb the table.

The pack will be itching to get into Guisborough at scrum time as we see Tom Taylor and David Medjogbodo-Lawson continue at 1 and 3. We have stolen ten scrums in the first six games not including winning scrum pens on our ball. The pair have been the cornerstone of our pack and Tom Young will provide cover off the bench. A fresher at Northumbria Uni, he has made a real impact and has done a great job at tighthead or when he has been asked to play hooker.

Novos balcony can look forward to seeing the bash em’ brothers reunited in Louis Matthews and Rob Baldwin. They are often energy leaders and the group thrive off their big hits and carries. Matthews has to be up there with the best players we have seen so far in the games we have played. Hopefully, we will see more of his trademark runs on Saturday.

Out in the backs – Josh Farley and Ben Jubb will want to put in the same efforts of last week. The pair along with Dylan Gittins and Louis Matthews really grabbed home of the game last week. 24-40 down, Farley moved to ten and ran the show with Jubb causing serious damage on the gain line. Including to himself as one bulldozing run ended with him breaking his nose and breaking the gain line !

Novos return to their full strength back three with the return of Sam Cleife. The speedster was 50/50 last week so the decision was made to rest him for this game. It paid off as we beat Sunderland and he is now fit to take his place. Hopefully, Cleife, Max Cook and Sam Busby will get the space they need to cause havoc.

Should be an absolute cracker of a game against a side who have been within a score of wining three of their losses. Like us they could easily be sitting on more points if a few things had gone their way.

So get down to Sutherland Park on Saturday, as we fight to try and maintain our positive start in a new league.

1st XV to play Guisborough at home, 1400 kick off, 1230 meet.

Tom Taylor, Sion Gittins, David Medjigbodo-Lawson, Jonny Allton, Owen Hayton, Jez Hunt, Louis Matthews, Rob Baldwin, Cam Wallace, Josh Farley, Max Cook, Dylan Gittins, Ben Jubb, Sam Cleife, Sam Busby, Tom Young, Zac Smith, Rhys Merlane

2nd XV to play at Rockcliff, 1415 kick off, 1230 meet at Vos for lifts.

Ant McQuillin, Ben Rodgers, Oderi Okoli, Rhys Gibbons, Dennis Osagie, Shay Wilkinson, Oli Taylor, Will Alexander, Andrew Maxwell, Ben Lumm, Adam Lambert, Ewan Dryden, Harvey Gadsden, Luke Masters, Matthew Russell, Leo Howard, Matthew Knox, Alfie Bowman, Rhydian How

3rd XV to play at Rockcliff, 1415 kick off, 1230 meet at Vos for lifts.

Ethan Carmichael, James Moore, Will Steward, Michael Scott, William Allan-Dunbar, Tom Storey, Alex Henry, Louis Oliver, Thomas Hobden, Clancy Hannon, Ethan Morton, Ross Cleminson, Max Mallon, Adam Longstaff, Ben Trotter, Ian Wood, Jack Bowman, Sean Hamill, Dylan Barratt, Christian Selkirk, Craig Logue

Up the Vos !