It has been another selection nightmare for the coaches following last week's last gap five pointer at Morpeth. But strength in depth is the key to winning competitions and already 26 players have featured for the first team.
The most unfortunate was "veteran" Simon Cavey who seems to have lost little of the pace which he enjoyed as a teenager. His first team "debut" last week, following a string of excellent performances for the Stags, lasted only ten minutes by which time he had scored one of his trademark tries. His pulled hamstring keeps him out of action this week.
There is only one change to the first team selected at training on Tuesday. Colin Cheslin has work commitments so the centre partnership of Moss and Hodgson is restored. Scott Jordan returns at full back - after missing last week because he was on an RFU coaching course.
Anth Carr returns after a fortnight working on the south coast, and resumes in the front row where Stephen Stockdale also returns afetr recovering from a nasty virus. Adam Coates, who performed admirably last week together with Ross Wood, will be the cover on the bench.
Northern will be bringing former Brinkburn favourite Chris Stewart in their front row. They have not set their new league on fir,e but their defeats have been relatively narrow and they have shown they can score points.
By all accounts they should have beaten much fancied Team Northumbria at McCracken Park last week but had to settle for a draw.
West: 15 Scott Jordan 14 Darren Thomas 13 Peter Hodgson 12 Paul Moss 11 Adam Larkin 10 Gareth Foreman 9 Andrew Foreman 1 Anth Carr 2 Liam Bailey 3 Stephen Stockdale 4 Andrew Davies 5 Tom Dixon 6 Dan Boatman 7 Jon Boatman (Capt) 8 Paul Rudd 16 Adam Howard 17 Adam Coates 18 Gav Robinson
Northern 15 Philip James 14 David O’Sullivan 13 Alex Clark 12 Chris Robson 11 Dom Fawcett 10 Kelham O’Hanlon 9 Dan McKercher 1 Chris Stewart 2 John Coffey 3 Scott Finlay 4 Alan Douglas 5 Dan Tucker 6 Jon Cunnigham 7 Harrison Clark 8 Clive Rankin 16 Adam Ben-Said 17 James Marwick 18 Jonathon Job