NEWCASTLE Falcons have recalled Epi Taione and Mark Mayerhofler in place of England centres Mathew Tait and Jamie Noon for Sunday's Premiership match at home to Wasps.

Scotland lock Stuart Grimes is also absent on international duty, so Craig Hamilton steps in, while there are also recalls for winger Michael Stephenson, hooker Matt Thompson and flanker Semi Sititi, who replaces Mike McCarthy.

David Walder will be on the bench after his knee operation, with Director of Rugby Rob Andrew saying: "He has trained all week but we will give him a fitness test to see if there is any reaction. We want to get him back into action."

Wasps will be without England trio Matt Dawson, Josh Lewsey and Joe Worsley, but flanker Jonny O'Connor has not been selected by Ireland.

The fact that the Falcons' front row resources remain stretched means they have been unable to release Ed Kalman for duty with Darlington Mowden Park.

They hope to be able to let him go before the registration deadline at the end of the month, with Andrew still scouring the globe for a replacement for Marius Hurter.

Mowden can at least call on Danny Brown for tomorrow's home match against New Brighton, when they desperately need to end a run of six defeats in National Three North.

He will replace Dave Sinclair, but there is a doubt about loose head Ian Keeligan, who pulled a muscle in training on Tuesday.

Utility back Gareth Kerr returns to the squad after a three-week absence, but Mark Bedworth needs at least another week as he recovers from illness as well as injury.

Mowden feel they have been let down by Jonny Golightly, who they have helped through two years of injury problems. He came off the bench against Blaydon two weeks ago but hasn't trained since.

Backs coach Kevan Oliphant will be in charge as Martin Pepper is going to watch his protg, Mathew Tait, make his England debut against Wales, while the third member of the coaching team, Andy Howells, is injured.

The former Blaydon man went home to Wales at Christmas and smashed an ankle in a veterans' match. He had the pot off this week and is due to have the pins out today.

Darlington make one change for the trip to Cleckheaton, who are one place below them, with Fijian Joe Naga starting in place of unavailable lock Matt Dilworth.

Naga, who came off the bench for a 20-minute debut in last week's win against Tynedale, could play at blind side with Michael Taylor moving up to his Durham Under 20s position in the second row.

After the 48-11 win against Cumbria at Penrith in last week's opening game, Taylor is playing for the county again on Sunday against Cheshire at Hartlepool Rovers (2pm).

"He is keen to play both for us and the county, which is good," said Darlington's player-coach Craig Lee. "He's doing very well at the moment."

With centre Lee Davis in the Yorkshire Under 20s squad for their match against Northumberland at Northern, Darlington will have newcomer Neil Howe as their backs replacement.

They also have prop Paul Scott back for bench duty, along with back five forward Dave Evans, an Irishman who joined at the start of the season but has been out with a broken leg.

Stockton recall Andy Bare at full back for their North Two East match at home to Driffield, with Simon Crozier reverting to the wing.

Hooker Danny Muirhead returns for Glyn Delmar, while strong-running centre Dan Taylor and colts flanker Paul Mallory are added to the squad.

* St Peter's School, York, have reached the semi-finals of both the under 18 and under 15 event in the Daily Mail Cup. The juniors scraped through 8-7 away to Old Swinford Hospital courtesy of a last-minute penalty by Jonathan Bairstow, son of the late David Bairstow, the ex-Yorkshire and England wicketkeeper.

The under 18s beat Worcester RGS 28-7 and will meet either holders Colstons or St Paul's, from London, in the semi-final. In the other quarter-final Durham School visit Old Swinford Hospital today.

* Former Darlington Mowden Park skipper Richard Holborough is to play for Sunderland for the rest of the season. Following injury he recently quit Mowden because his medical studies meant he could not devote the necessary time to training. Sunderland, where his ex-Mowden teammate Tony Irwin is player-coach, have agreed that he can just turn up and play.

* Durham Under 20s for Sunday's match against Cheshire at Hartlepool Rovers (2pm) is: R McDermott (Durham Univ), F Monahan (Darlington), M Wright, D Herbert (Durham City), O Brennand, J Rix (Durham Univ), L Watson (Horden), A Carr (West Hartlepool), A Small (Hartlepool), S Thundi (Otley), C Wearmouth (Barnard Castle), M Taylor (Darlington), S Palmer (Hartlepool), G Dunnett (Durham Univ), S Powell (Harrogate, capt).