The Tynesiders are ten points clear at the top of Regional 2 North having lost only one game - at Upper Eden.
The first meeting between the two teams, back in sunny September, saw Northern take their chances in the first half. West coming back in the second with Lewis Scott getting a very last ditch try to earn a bonus point in the 38-24 defeat.
The pattern of that game was set for West with plenty of territory and pressure but not enough points taken, with the result that at the half-way stage we are sixth having won 5, lost 5, drawn 1.
One feature of the first half was the coaches’ confidence in giving Academy players their chance. This week Joe Cholmondeley is set to make his first start at scrum half in the absence of Matty Baggs who had to limp off in last week’s draw at Guisborough. Joe is, of course, the son of our very own Mark who represented England schoolboys - as a prop.
The other change sees Will Hilditch return on the wing with Lewis Scott providing backs cover from the bench.
The pack is the same one which started last week, which means that Elliott Reed continues in the second row. The 20 year old, who arrived from Rovers as a flanker, has grown into the role and showed he could more than cope against Guisborough’s “seasoned” forwards .
Connor McLurg also makes a welcome return to the first team squad after starring in the back row for the Stags in recent weeks.
The main aim for the second half of the season is to get into the new play-off places. This is the first season that promotion play-offs have been introduced and it is a complicated format with a distinct advantage to the team winning the relegation play-off in the league table.
It will be 2nd v 5th and 3rd v 4th in our league. The two winners will face off with that winner taking on the winner of Regional 2 North East (best playing records to decide home advantage). The team which wins that contest will then travel to the winner of the Regional One play-of. Win four games and you are promoted……
Firsts v Northern Kick off 2.00
| 15 | Matt Siddle |
| 14 | Will Hilditch |
| 13 | Ollie Connolly |
| 12 | Peter Youll |
| 11 | Sam Knight |
| 10 | Jobe Roxby |
| 9 | Joe Cholmondeley |
| 1 | Liam Pennick |
| 2 | Aidan Jackson-Smith |
| 3 | Andrew Rollins |
| 4 | Nick Bennions |
| 5 | Elliott Reed |
| 6 | Charlie Kay |
| 7 | Isaac Robinson |
| 8 | Chris Atkins (capt) |
| 16 | Adam Hutchinson |
| 17 | Connor McLurg |
| 18 | Lewis Scott |