Young Gav looked impressive with ball in hand when he came on at 10 last week. But he spent the summer playing with the Aussie Rules lads at Brinkburn alongside Aaron Myers and, even though both of them are new to the sport, they've made the England squad for the tournament in Germany. Good luck to them both.

In the more gentle game we'll be looking to keep our unbeaten run going. In two practice games and one league game we've only conceded one try and that was an unlucky interception.

But nobody would pretend we have hit any kind of form yet. Morpeth would be a good place to start putting some decent phases together. They have two players in full back Alan Rogers and goal kicking fly half Matthew Jinks who have both been thorns in our side in the past.

Jinks took full advantage of silly mistakes at Brinkburn last season while Rodgers shone in a thriller at the end of the season at Morpeth which we just shaded 25-22 in the final moments.

It might be a similarly close game this time around. There is now competition for places and we will have a strong bench with Greg Edwards back in the first team fold, Ryan Phillips back from work commitments and Tom Dixon back form holiday.

The Northumbrians were not their usual selves last season but are one of their favourites this time around with the return of three seasoned players. Influential No.8 Paul Scott has signed from Tynedale, powerful lock forward Ali Hall has joined from Jedforest and loose head prop Bob Leiper re-joined after spending last season with Ponteland.

West: Thomas, Weegram, Hodgson, Howe, Hare, Moss, Williamson, Carr [capt], A Dixon, Robinson, Rudd, Davies, D Boatman, Tones, J. Boatman. Subs: Edwards, Phillips, T Dixon.

Morpeth: from: A. Rogers, P. Cole, B. Hills, J. Cunningham, S. Hills, N. Mather, M. Jinks, C. Reynolds, S. Ramsay, J. Thornton, C. Pringle, D. Dickinson, J. Forsythe, A. Shippen, R. Armstrong, A. Watson, P. Scott, R. Morrison.