Darlington Mowden Park have been left to ponder the value of taking players on loan after Newcastle Falcons recalled back row man Phil Dowson.

The No 8 joined Mowden along with prop James Isaacson last month, supposedly until the end of the season, although they knew the Falcons could recall them at any time.

Dowson will not be able to switch clubs again this season and after two games for Mowden it is difficult to see how he can expect much first team action at Kingston Park.

Pat Lam and Jon Dunbar are ahead of him as No 8s, while Dunbar can also play at blind side in Epi Taione's absence, although the Tongan's ban ends in time for him to play in the Powergen Cup quarter-final at Leeds next Sunday.

Other flankers include Richard Arnold, Rob Devonshire and Andrew Mower, who has not been included in the Scotland squad for the Six Nations even though he is expected to have recovered from injury within two weeks.

Darren McKinnon will revert to No 8 for Mowden's match at home to National Three North strugglers Whitchurch today.

Tim Wilks, who played well at hooker at New Brighton two weeks ago, is named at open side, with Tony Irwin completing the back row.

Wilks, who comes from Bishop Auckland, has impressed since joining Mowden after returning to the area following a spell with Morley.

"He played as a hooker for Morley, but he prefers the back row," said team manager Jim Dyson. "He's quite a fiery character and he shows good expertise in things like body positions. He does everything right."

As in the match at Whitchurch, which Mowden won comfortably during a run of four defeats in six games, player-coach Kevan Oliphant will start on the bench.

"We want to give Jonny Golightly another go at fly half," explained Dyson. "In the last ten to 15 minutes at Whitchurch he cut them to pieces and we've told him if he produces that form throughout the game he will stay in for the game at Dudley."

Full back Kevin McCallum has recovered from injury and Mick Kent returns at centre, relegating Mark Wilkinson to the bench.

Also on the bench is Danny Brown, and with Ian Keeligan ill Dave Sinclair will play at loose head after a good performance at New Brighton.

Darlington lost by three points at Chester in November and hope to gain revenge in what should be a good contest at Blackwell Meadows.

While Halifax are favourites for the automatic promotion spot, Darlington and Chester are among five teams with hopes of gaining the play-off place against the runners-up in Midlands One.

They will also be keeping a keen eye on the contest between two other rivals at Hull Ionians, where West Park St Helens are the visitors.

Darlington will be hoping player-coach Craig Lee can find a way to unlock Chester's well-disciplined defence, which they were unable to breach despite attacking for the last ten minutes of the previous encounter.

With Paul Beattie still recovering from bronchitis, Marc Potts gets the vote on the wing ahead of Mark Butler, who will be on the bench with Joe Osleton and John Whitehouse.

Darlington have trained regularly during the cold snap at Blackwell Meadows, but as elsewhere the fear today is that the pitch will cut up following rain yesterday on ground still frozen below the top layer.

* Dean Richards has written off Llanelli's spectacular Heineken Cup collapse against Perpignan as a factor that could help his Leicester team in today's crunch European clash at Stradey Park.

Llanelli were destroyed 42-10 in France last Friday, leaving them facing a must-win encounter when they tackle the Heineken Cup holders this weekend.

A Scarlets victory should guarantee a quarter-final place as one of two best pool runners-up, but defeat on a ground where they have only suffered two previous European losses from 17 starts would mean elimination.

And they can't expect any favours from Leicester, who might have already secured pool one top spot, yet still require maximum points to guarantee a home draw at fortress Welford Road.

Llanelli expect a 10,800 capacity crowd for one of this season's great Anglo-Welsh occasions, and Richards is ready.

''I think Llanelli will be stung by the Perpignan defeat, but I don't think it will knock them back. They will come out fighting,'' he said.

''Stradey Park is going to be packed and it will be quite a passionate affair. It can be an intimidating place if you aren't aware of what it is and how many it can hold.''

Llanelli suffered an agonising 12-9 loss at Welford Road three months ago, when they provided Leicester with arguably their toughest opposition of the season so far.

And Scarlets coach Gareth Jenkins is seeking another ferociously-committed display in pursuit of that lucrative last-eight place.

''Whatever the result, it's going to be a mammoth Anglo-Welsh clash. These are the type of games that everyone in rugby wants to be part of,'' he said.

''There is no bigger motivation than Leicester coming to town, and at least it will be easy to get our mind-set right.''

Leicester, minus the suspended Austin Healey, could recall wing Fereti Tuilagi, while Will Johnson is tipped for a back-row start, with Josh Kronfeld and Lewis Moody on the bench.