Darlington Mowden Park will wait as long as possible before deciding whether to unleash Kelekolio Paino on the wing in today's derby at Blackwell Meadows.

The 6ft 7in Tongan, normally a lock, returned after a four-month injury absence on the wing against Fylde last week and looked dangerous whenever he touched the ball.

He is to have a late fitness test on a shoulder before Mowden confirm an unchanged side for the National Three North match, which kicks off at 3pm.

Tom McLaren is back from Australia but has to settle for a place on the bench, with Richard Arnold continuing at No 8.

Following the injury to Graham Haswell last week, Darlington have decided to leave Craig Lee at full back, with Mark Butler and David Haswell at centre.

Darlington's fervent hope that Tynedale will do them a favour by winning at Liverpool St Helens has not been helped by the call-up of Jamie Murray and Paul Boston for the Scotland squad for the Hong Kong Sevens.

Ben Duncan is also missing from the Tynedale team as he is on Scotland Under 21 duty.

* All North-East clubs are invited to a meeting at Ryton next Wednesday (7.30) to discuss setting up a league structure for second and third teams.

Ryton president Bill Scott said: "If we are to continue to cash in on the Rugby World Cup success we have to do something for second and third teams, otherwise the game will be in a precarious position.

"We try to run four sides at Ryton, but last season there were three Saturdays when only the second team were at home and the matches were cancelled. We had volunteers coming in to do the food, which was wasted, there was no money taken over the bar, and worst of all the lads didn't get a game.

"Clubs seem increasingly reluctant to travel for friendlies, so we need a structure where we play home and away with ten or 12 clubs in each division.

"In the North West they have a set-up with five or six divisions and they have 17 more clubs applying to join it next season.

"We had the World Cup at our club recently and hundreds of people came along, mainly younger ones. But if we want them to play and keep on playing we have to be able to provide them with regular games."

* Former England captain Martin Johnson has agreed to play for the Global Chiefs in the Soa Otuvaka benefit match at Newcastle's Kingston Park on April 10.

Also in the squad are former Falcons stars Inga Tuigamala, Gary Armstrong and Doddie Weir, plus England's Jason Robinson, Northampton back row man Andrew Blowers and former All Blacks No 8 Zinzan Brooke.

Newcastle's Epi Taione will lead the side, which will feature several Pacific Islanders. He is assembling the squad on behalf of his friend, with whom he came to England to play for Tynedale when they were both 19.

Otuvaka, who has a wife and two children, is suffering from an inoperable brain tumour, which first came to light when he collapsed during last season's Durham Cup final while playing for Darlington Mowden Park.

The benefit match kicks off at 6.30pm and Mowden are making sure their players and fans can attend by having a 2pm kick-off that day in their home match against Tynedale.

Tickets priced at £10 can be bought via Newcastle's ticket hotline on 0870 0856060.

* Newcastle's acting captain Hugh Vyvyan has revealed that his decision to leave after eight years at Kingston Park was one of the most difficult of his life.

The 27-year-old No 8, who joined the Falcons while at university in the city, is expected to face two of his future Saracens teammates in the Powergen Cup final at Twickenham on April 17.

Sale forwards Alex Sanderson and Iain Fullarton have also been lured by Saracens' spending spree.

Vyvyan's girlfriend lives and works in London and he also relishes the chance to play alongside England flanker Richard Hill and former All Blacks captain Taine Randell.

Newcastle are planning a major signing to compensate for losing Vyvyan. They are keeping tabs on a couple of Samoan World Cup forwards and one possibility is Semo Sititi, currently with the Borders.

Phil Dowson and Ben Gollings will not be available for Newcastle's next match, at Leeds next Sunday, as they are in the England squad for their defence of the Hong Kong Sevens title. Leeds winger Dan Scarbrough is also involved.

* Stockton prop Ben Jenkinson is recovering at home after a successful operation on his broken neck, which he suffered against Middlesbrough last week. He will be in a surgical collar for at least six weeks.

Stockton are grateful they have no game today as centres Mattie Oates (rib) and Graham Kell (hand) also broke bones against Boro.

They are trying to arrange a Sunday or midweek date for their home Durham Cup tie against Darlington Mowden Park, with the winners to entertain either Westoe or Darlington, who play at South Shields next Saturday.

That's the scheduled semi-final day, when Blaydon will be at home to the winners of today's West Hartlepool v Horden tie.

West will be without Paul Rudd because of his knee injury and his fellow lock Carl Miller could also be ruled out by a shoulder problem.

Andrew Davies will switch to lock, with Henry Tones returning to the back row alongside Stuart Bennett, who will again relish playing against his former club