Brett Cullinane, Davy Tighe and Tim Sawyer are now very much the old stagers in a side with a tremendous amount of potential. Will this be the season when it starts to be realised?

The coaches have made it quite clear that this season is one of ambition rather than consolidation. Those ambitions received a major boost when both Aaron and Chris committed themselves to the club where they learnt their rugby.

Both could have been playing in a higher league, after offers during the summer, but the quality of coaching on offer from Messrs Stubbs, Burgon and Stabler, plus the buzz which is around Brinkburn at the moment, was too much too give up.

That includes the arrival next week of some smart new portacabins to provide a large function room, overspill changing for Sundays, as well as a much needed large kitchen and toilets. They have been kindly donated by Chris Musgrave the man who is developing the former Samsung site.

It is all part of slow and setady progress. Driffield will provide a stern test of what we might expect on the pitch on this season. They have lost dynamic No 8 Kerry Woods and a couple of England Under 18 half backs who have gone to Hull.

In their place come two Aussies at Craig Gray at scrum half and Mick Kauter at openside who will be making their league debut at Brinkburn.

West: Hare, Lamber, Edwards, Hodgson, Weegram, Moss, Tighe [capt], Carr, Sawyer, Cullinane, Rudd, Davies, D Boatman, Myers, J Boatman. Reps; Wallis, Tones, C Miller.

Driffield T. Foster, A. McClarron, R. Anderson, C. McClarron, T. Plumridge, P. Jones, C. Gray, K. Nellist, R. Mitchell-Williams, R. Rowntree, B. Cooper, O. Cooper, J. Stephenson, M. Kauter, R. Jones. Subs. S. Furbank, S. Maggs, T. Luke