That equates to 60 lads pulling on the shirt - despite quite a few still unavailable through injury, holiday and work commitments.
However, it will be an unchanged First XV which takes to the McCracken Park pitch against a Northern side which was just pipped for promotion last season, and which ran out 20-64 winners against a youthful Consett side last week.
The only change to the squad sees Liam Pennick coming in for Adam Hutchinson, who came off the bench to score the winning try against Percy Park last week. Hutch is away and so joins Max Tennant, Will Hilditch, Will Corbett and Chino Rocha on the unavailable list.
Games between Northern and West are always worth a watch. Last season we went down 36-38 at home to a controversial last minute try from a restart. We then gave Park a bit of a fright in the 26-16 defeat at McCracken Park where massive pressure and penalties on the home line failed to provide a penalty try - much to everyone's surprise.
The Stags came up against a lot of Mowden Park imports last week, but earned great credit for their hard work and team spirit in the 74-14 defeat. They will be bolstered by the return of Matty Baggs and Kieran Scollay in the backs, with a fit looking Ollie Webster returning in the second row after losing four stone during the summer - without the aid of any fashionable weight loss aids. Hard work and no junk food - he's available for consultation..
Ollie will pack down in the second row alongside skipper Jonny Wray and will have an athletic back row behind him - including Elliott Reed who joined from Rovers in the summer, Isaac Robinson who is back in training after submitting his Masters' dissertation, and Connor McLurg who was Man of the Match last week.
The Bucks will have a tremendous blend of youth and experience in their ranks as they travel up the A19 - inclcuding Jon Cole on one wing outside Ollie Laycock who steps up to senior rugby. Scott Butcher is also in the team as one of the former first teamers who have pledged to help bring on the next generation.
|
Firsts @ Northern Kick off 3.00 |
Stags v Northern IIs Kick Off 3.00 |
Bucks Squad @ Peterlee & Horden |
|
| Ben Reed | 15 | Greg Edwards | Aaron Pike |
| Sam Knight | 14 | Aaron Johnston | Tyler Nelson |
| Ollie Connolly | 13 | Owen Westhorp | Liam Larkin |
| Peter Youll | 12 | Kieran Scollay | Ollie Laycok |
| Jacob Wood | 11 | Curtis Ross | Louis Weatherall-Smith |
| Jobe Roxby | 10 | Zac Southern | Jon Cole |
| Matt Siddle | 9 | Matty Baggs | Jacob Parker |
| Jack Angus | 1 | Matt Ward | Graeme Scott |
| Aidan Jackson-Smith | 2 | Aaron Muir | Matt Mousley |
| Andrew Rollins | 3 | James Tyers | Luke Thompson |
| Nick Bennions | 4 | Jonny Wray - Capt | Euan Devonshire |
| Jake Linighan | 5 | Ollie Webster | Ben Stevenson |
| Alex Barker | 6 | Elliott Reed | Glynn Pickering |
| Charlie Kay | 7 | Isaac Robinson | Tom Leadbitter |
| Chris Atkins - Capt. | 8 | Connor McLurg | Jay Anderson |
| Odin Thorpe | |||
| Liamk Pennick | 16 | Matt Baggs | Scott Butcher |
| Ryan O'Keefe | 17 | Louis Ward | Will Collins |
| Lewis Scott | 18 | Will Tighe | Sam Henderson |
| 19 | James Cook | ||
| 20 | |||
| 21 | |||