Wilson given his head

10:28am Saturday 12th April 2008

NEWCASTLE Falcons' highly promising England Saxons prop, David Wilson, is to start at tight head in tomorrow's home match against London Irish, and 19- year-old scrum half Micky Young could make his debut.

Wilson, from South Shields, was 23 this week and after representing his country at every level from under-16s, he is tipped for top honours.

But he has had to play second fiddle at Newcastle since the arrival of All Black Carl Hayman, who will be on the bench tomorrow.

Also among the replacements is Young, a West Hartlepool product who is in line for his senior debut because Lee Dickson has a hip injury and Hall Charlton has an abdominal problem.

Both England centres are missing as Toby Flood has joined Jamie Noon in picking up an ankle injury, so Steve Jones comes in alongside Tom Dillon.

F l a n k e r Ben Woods is also ruled out after breaking a hand in the E u r o p e a n C h a l l e n g e Cup quart e r - f i n a l win over Castres.

He is replaced by Brent Wilson, while Andy Long returns at hooker, with Matt Thompson dropping to the bench.

Caretaker boss Steve Bates said: "Toby just had a slight ankle problem, which has been bugging him all week. Both he and Jamie were very close to playing, but we felt it just wasn't worth the risk.

"Carl Hayman has played pretty much 80 minutes in every game since he arrived in the autumn, and in Davey Wilson we have a ready-made replacement who is extremely talented and determined to get some game time. Davey is right up there in the pecking order for young English props and it is only right that he gets his chance."

Bates also expects big things of Young, saying: "Apart from all the standard qualities you would expect from a scrum half at this level, the biggest thing that sticks out for me is that he is a fantastic competitor and he has that winning attitude ingrained in him.

"Without wanting to put pressure on the lad when he is still so young, to me he has something of the Gary Armstrong about him. He has a real tough streak in his make-up.

"He is developing very strongly.

He has good skills, he's very strong and the next step for him is just to get more game time. If the situation is right then we will look to introduce him in to the game."

Newcastle Falcons: Mathew Tait, Tom May, Tom Dillon, Steve Jones, John Rudd, Jonny Wilkinson, James Grindal, Micky Ward, Andy Long, David Wilson, Andy Perry, Mark Sorenson, Andy Buist, Brent Wilson, Phil Dowson (captain).

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