The Bucks are also in action with a short trip to Mayfield Park to take on Old Boys' thirds.

It's testament to the hard work put in over the last couple of seasons that the club can field three sides in league action. That's despite not having some of the more established players available.

A question most often asked by supporters is "Where's so-and-so?"  That includes Ryan Painter, who has led the team in typical committed fashion for the last seven seasons, but who told the coaches he wanted to "step back" to concentrate on working on his new home. In typical Roo fashion,  he has still been seen at games both home and away and says he will still play "if needed."

Chris Atkins assumed the captaincy, of course, and he returns this week at No 8 after recovering from his leg injury at Upper Eden. He will pack down alongside Isaac Robinson who is also back in action after completing  his Masters' dissertation.

However, Jake Linighan is still missing from the second row. He now has work commitments, after recovering from a minor foot operation, and we also have yet to see Will Corbett who was a stand-out second row last season, but also has to put his career first. Hopefully, we will see Will in the second half of the season.

Fortunately, Nick Bennions has taken on the responsibility of manning the engine room and he has scored six tries in his five games. This week he will be partnered by Chino Rocha who has made such an impression since joining from Beverley, However, Chino will also soon be missing for a few weeks. He's heading back to Argentina to film a documentary on a charity run the length of South America by Mike Humphreys from Humberside which will raise money for MND research.

Will Hilditch will also be heading off to see family in Australia, but says he will probably only miss four league games.

No doubt there will be other comings and goings to keep the coaches on their toes, including annual ski-ing trips, but for now there's the Morpeth games followed by a week's rest.

Games against our Northumbrian friends tend to go with the home side. We go into this one having lost at bogey side Keswick and, with the narrow home defeat by surprise package Sunderland,  have won three and lost three and have slipped to fourth place.

Morpeth arrive having played a game less after their own game at Keswick was called off - they are in seventh place just three points behind. Both sides may feel they have something to prove after our defeat in the Lakes last week and Morpeth's surprise 30-39 home defeat by struggling Consett.

There's also changes in the backs. After scoring a hat-trick against Aspatria, Sam Knight was unable to travel to Keswick and returns at full-back, while Max Tennant is also back in the starting line-up. Last season's top try scorer has been very unlucky with injury having so far played only one full game.

The Stags will also have some players returning to action including Lewis Scott, who will be in the centre, and Jack Angus at loosehead, while Jay Corbett will be making one of his rare appearances from the bench. Nason Hall from Potomac will be the man in the middle.

The Bucks will also have a mixture of youth and experience as they take on Old Boys with Stu Waites and Jonny Boatman in the ranks, not to mention Adam Coates.