Wilkinson leads young Falcons at Gloucester

Toby Flood and Mathew Tait will play alongside him at centre and summer signing James Hoyle makes his debut on the wing.

Up front 21-year-old lock Andy Buist will make his first Premiership start since a knee operation, while highly-rated scrum half Lee Dickson will be on the bench following the injury to Hall Charlton.

With skipper Colin Charvis playing for Wales and Jamie Noon unavailable because of England duty next Saturday, the Falcons have ten players ruled out.

They include three locks in the suspended Andy Perry plus injured duo Geoff Parling and Stuart Grimes, and Director of Rugby Rob Andrew said: "It's a big test of our strength in depth, but it's a talented team we are putting out.

"Jonny has a tendency to be very vocal with the players, so him taking over as captain won't change things at all - it's just a formality.

"James Hoyle's form in the Development XV has been excellent. He is very much in the mould of the young backs we are trying to bring through.

"He was arguably the best England Schoolboy of his era three years ago. We tried to sign him but he went to Sale and got a bit lost there. He has all the skills and he's an extremely elusive runner with deceptive pace."

Andrew is also excited about his centre pairing of Flood and Tait, saying: "One of my main goals this season is to get Toby as much experience as possible at ten or 12. That gives us more options in the key midfield area, where you have to be a decision-maker and as tough as a flanker.

"Toby has good hands, great kicking and pace, and he's a tough kid as well. If we can develop him along the lines we did with Jonny, he will be a top player."

Owen Finegan takes Charvis' place at No 8 with Jason Smithson on the bench after becoming the top try scorer in the Guinness A League with seven in eight games.

After starting the season with Mowden Park, Smithson was put on contract by the Falcons following Phil Dowson's prolapsed disc in his neck, but the England Sevens player could be back earlier than expected in February.

In a pioneering operation at the Nuffield in Jesmond, Dowson has had an artificial disc inserted rather than the usual procedure of having bones fused, which would have required a much longer recovery period.

Full back Joe Shaw is also among the replacements today after a year out with an ankle injury.

Gloucester are without England men Mike Tindall and Phil Vickery, while Mefin Davies is with Wales, but Andrew observed: "Kingsholm is another bogey ground for us.

"But we have won at Northampton and drawn at Leicester this season and our away form has been much more consistent than in any other year.

"October was a good month for us but only one game was in the Premiership. This month all four games are in the league and all coincide with internationals."

Blaydon are expected to field both Windle brothers, fly half Richard and winger Rob, for the Powergen National Trophy fourth round tie at home to Waterloo.

Rob comes in for new signing Sengi Tuihalamaka, who is cup-tied after playing in the competition for New Brighton.

James Kyle returns on the other wing as Mike Sullivan is injured, while David Kay starts at scrum half in place of Nick Williams.

Skipper Dave Guthrie begins his comeback after injury on the bench for a match Blaydon will do well to win against a side who have lost only once this season.

Darlington, whose 20 tries from the pack are twice as many as any other side in National Three North, are again likely to rely on a forward-based game away to Leicester Lions.

Only three of the Lions' 15 tries have come from forwards, but the fact that they lead the yellow card count with nine suggests they don't lie down meekly.

They are two below fifth-placed Darlington, who have switched Craig Lee to fly half as his brother, Paul, needs to rest a groin problem for two or three weeks.

With Martin Howe returning in the back row, Phil Dawson teams up with James Beattie at centre and David Taylor replaces unavailable hooker Rob Goddard.

As Del Lewis is away for two weeks, Michael Taylor switches to blind side and Stuart Palmer continues at lock.

After four successive wins sixth-placed Tynedale visit leaders Nuneaton, where they won in the cup in September.

West Hartlepool visit North Two West leaders Stockport in the third round of the Powergen Intermediate Cup rocked by the resignation of coach Rod MacLure.

His no-nonsense approach had apparently created communication difficulties with some of the squad and it is hoped that ex-coach Dave Stubbs will take over by the end of the month. He has been invited to put together his own coaching team.

Club captain Brett Cullinane and first team skipper David Tighe have selected today's team, which has James Masshedar at full back.

Also in the cup, Middlesbrough visit Hull, who beat them 18-8 at Acklam Park in a recent league match. Lee Richardson is at full back and his brother, Dave, at fly half as Andrew Baggett and Simon Moore rest injuries.

Ben Horton will hook as his cousin Richard is unavailable, and with Richie Barker away for three weeks Iain Bradford switches to No 8 with Chris Palesci at lock.

In a rearranged North Two East match Stockton blood ex-colt Sam Toulson at No 8 for the visit of Durham City. Ian Todd also comes into the back row with Brett Wildridge switching to lock.

City have Ralph Smith at full back with James Walker moving to the wing as Will Rubie is unavailable. Mark Cammiss starts at loose head, Chris Wearmouth returns at lock and Stuart Smithson switches to blind side.

* The highlight of several new fixtures for the Newcastle Falcons Development XV promises to be the visit on December 3 of Stellenbosch University, the South African club with more teams than any other club in the world.

The Falcons also play a home match at Penrith, where they will play Sale on Monday, December 19. As there are no more Guinness A League matches until February, the Falcons have arranged to visit Border Reivers on November 16 and will play Glasgow at Percy Park on Monday, November 21 (6pm).