Those games between West and Boro last season saw a 29-29 draw at Brinkburn thanks to an acrobatic last ditch try from Lewis Scott, and a superb touchline conversion from Zac Southern. Boro won their home game 29-5 but had to withstand a terrific West onslaught in the first half an hour.
Both clubs are now under “new management” with Chris Webb stepping up for West, alongside player-coaches Andrew Rollins and Peter Youll, with Davy Tighe coming in as “team manager” where he will use his years of experience to help Chris on the touchline.
Boro, who finished third last season, also have a new head coach in No.8 Ollie Hodgson who has returned to Acklam Park after ten seasons with Mowden Park.
West will be looking to improve on last season’s sixth place. They go into the first game after two 40 point wins in warm-up games and with excellent numbers at training - boosted by the cohort of Academy players who have now come of age.
Both Rollins and Youll will start the game after their return from Huddersfield and Billingham respectively. Chris Atkins will be missing as he is at Tim Blades’s wedding (congrats to the happy couple from everyone at West). Alex Barker had an impressive game against Medicals last week and will wear that No 8 shirt alongside Jake Linighan and Isaac Robinson. Connor McLurg sat out last week's game out due to illness and he'll provide back row cover form the bench.
Andrew Rollins packs down in the front row alongside Aidan Jackson-Smith, who covered every inch of the pitch last week, and Adam Hutchinson, while Nick Bennions continues his rugby development in the second row alongside a very fit looking Will Corbett.
Matt Siddle nailed six of his seven conversion attempts last week. He'll continue at fly-half alongside returning skipper Ryan Painter. with Ollie Connolly and Youll in the centres. At the moment West are spoilt for pacy inventive back three players with Will Hilditch, Max Tennant and Sam Knight asked to do the job this week.
Zac Southern wil provide backs cover with Liam Pennick covering the front row.
|
Firsts @ Boro Kick off 3.00 |
Stags @ Gateshead Kick off 3.00 |
| Sam Knight | Kai Peirse |
| Will Hilditch | Lewis Scott |
| Oli Connolly | Jacob Wood |
| Peter Youll | Owen Westhorp |
| Max Tennant | Jordan Painter |
| Matt Siddle | Ben Reed |
| Ryan Painter (capt) | Jacob Parker |
| Andrew Rollins | Fraser Henderson |
| Aidan Jackson-Smith | Tom Robertson |
| Adam Hutchinson | Matt Ward |
| Will Corbett | Jonny Wray |
| Nick Bennions | Ollie Webster |
| Jake Linighan | Jay Anderson |
| Isaac Robinson | Charlie Kay |
| Alex Barker | Owen Nugent |
| Zac Southern | Jay Corbett |
| Liam Pennick | Martin Todd |
| Connor McLurg | Dan Robson |
| Odin Thorpe | |
| Tyler Nelson | |
| Dan Foster |