Northallerton are hoping their Powergen Junior Vase fourth round tie at home to Sheffield Tigers will be played on December 27 following last week's postponement.

The Referees' Society had apparently told the appointed official that Northallerton's scheduled friendly against Yarm was off, but omitted to tell him he would be required for the Vase match instead.

When he failed to show up more than an hour of frantic telephone calls failed to resolve the problem and it is now in the hands of Twickenham offcials.

Normal rules dictate that the match should go ahead on the first available date, which is tomorrow week.

Northallerton would be very happy with that as it will give scrum half James Read time to get over an injury and back row men Ben Allerton and Matty Cornforth would also return.

But the Tigers have apparently indicated that half their team would be unavailable, so they may press for the game to be played at a later date