NEWCASTLE Falcons have former All Blacks centre Mark Mayerhofler back for tomorrow's home match against Sale Sharks.

He missed last Sunday's opening defeat by Saracens with a calf injury and his return sees Tom May switch to the wing and Ben Gollings to full back in place of Joe Shaw.

Prop Ian Peel and scrum half Hall Charlton, who came off the bench last week, are also in the starting line-up.

Director of Rugby Rob Andrew said: "Despite the disappointing start there were certain points in the game when we played very well. If we can sustain that for longer periods we know we can win.

"We can't repeat Sunday's first half. We did all the hard work at the start of the second half and managed to claw back the points but we just didn't finish it off."

Sale have named controversial prop Kevin Yates on the bench, despite being summoned to appear before an RFU disciplinary panel on Tuesday.

Yates, capped twice by England in 1997 while with Bath, went to play abroad following allegations that he bit off part of London Scottish player Simon Fenn's ear.

He has now been cited for striking Northampton forward Andrew Blowers last week but is free to play until the hearing.

Sale also include former South Africa fly half Braam Van Straaten, who has joined them from Leeds and will team up at half back with Scotland's Bryan Redpath.

Newcastle: B Gollings, M Stephenson, J Noon, M Mayerhofler, T May, D Walder, H Charlton, I Peel, N Makin, M Hurter, G Archer, M Andrews (capt), E Taione, W Britz, H Vyvyan. Replacements: M Ward, W Kay, C Hamilton, P Dowson, J Grindal, P Godman, A Cadwallader

Darlington Mowden Park rushed through the registrations of two centres this week, only to find neither are fit for the visit of Wharfedale in the second round of the Powergen Cup.

Martin Shaw, who is on the Falcons' pay-roll, has not recovered from an ankle injury suffered in a pre-season match against Glasgow, while Chris Blacklock damaged a shoulder in training.

Blacklock, from East Rainton, is a former West Hartlepool player who moved on to Rosslyn Park then went to play in Australia.

With Nick Hooper, who started last week's match, also injured, Mowden have drafted in another West product in Mark Laycock, who is still with the Newcastle Academy.

He will play outside Dave Richardson with Mark Bedworth reverting to fly half.

With Richard Arnold still not fit - he could make his debut at home to Darlington next week - the captaincy switches from Tasi Tuhana to Tom McLaren, who will play at No 8 with Jon Dye at blind side.

Ian Keeligan starts, with Danny Brown on the bench, and Andy Foreman is at scrum half as Richard Holbrough has a neck injury. Chris Mattison makes his first appearance of the season on the wing.

Among the replacements are academy boys Luke Stringer, a scrum half, lock Andy Buist and back five forward Eniola Gisende, a Nigerian who has been in Britain for ten years.

All could be in the Newcastle teammate Orrell on Monday night for the opening match in a new Second Teams League.

All Mowden players are theoretically available for this competition.

Darlington have a free day after being knocked out at Blaydon, who visit Tynedale in the second round today with both teams having won their first two games.

New full back Dan Clappison is unavailable for Blaydon and they also have several injury worries.

It's first round day in the Intermediate Cup and Middlesbrough visit Malton and Norton with former coach John Dixon again having to play at lock.

He replaced Tom Ellis at half-time last week, when he was one of only two players who were not Boro products.

Dixon will start this time as Ellis is unfit, while Mark Featherstone returns at centre.

Stockton have opted out of the competition after failing to fulfil several cup fixtures in recent seasons.

* Durham have selected a blend of youth and experience to tackle West Hartlepool TDSOB in the club's 50th anniversary game at Grayfields tomorrow (2pm).

The county team includes former Stockton player Simon Moore, now with Market Bosworth in Leicestershire, at fly half.

Durham: Craig Stephenson (Westoe), Iain Dixon (Darlington Mowden Park), David Fairlamb (Westoe), Paul Kirton (Hartlepool Rovers), Brian Foreman (Horden), Simon Moore (Market Bosworth), Gareth Foreman (Hartlepool), Gareth Nesbitt (Westoe), Tasi Tahuna (Darlington Mowden Park), Graham Herbert (Durham City), Mark Skirving (Stockton), Matthew Muchall (Westoe), Wayne Brown (Stockton), Andrew Temple (Horden), Andrew Wiles (Hartlepool Rovers).

TDSOB played their first game on September 5, 1953, against Hartlepool Old Boys third XV at the Grayfields ground.