NEWCASTLE Falcons will not be able to include Tongan powerhouse Epi Taione if their Heineken European Cup tie against Leinster goes ahead at Kingston Park this evening.

As the hearing has yet to be held into his dismissal against Gloucester last Saturday, Heineken rules do not allow him to take part.

This is harsh on Taione as Newcastle are adamant he was severely provoked by spitting and a racist comment. In his absence Jon Dunbar will switch to blind side, with Rob Devonshire at open side and skipper Pat Lam at No 8.

With only next Saturday's visit to Newport to come after this game, Newcastle have won only one of their four Heineken matches to date and it would take a very unlikely series of results for them to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Leinster, who beat the Falcons 28-9 in Dublin in early October, top the group and will be going flat out to ensure qualification.

They have the exciting British Lions centre Brian O'Driscoll in their line-up and and among their other internationals are winger Denis Hickie, prop Paul Wallace, lock Malcolm O'Kelly and No Victor Costello.

Leinster arrived yesterday, while ITV Sport continued their preparations to screen the match, which is scheduled to kick off at 6.15.

While a decision might be left as late as 5pm, a pitch inspection will take place at 1pm and there is every chance the game will be postponed if there has been another hard frost overnight.

It would then be hoped to play the match tomorrow after noon with a 2.30 kick-off as schedules will not allow it to take place later in the season. The final group matches are next weekend and the quarter-finals the week after that.

The Falcons have selected Billy Balshen at hooker, with Nick Makin on the bench following the facial injuries he suffered against Gloucester.

Newcastle: D Walder, M Stephenson, J Noon, T May, V Tuigamala, J Wilkinson, H Charlton, M Ward, C Balshen, G Graham, H Vyvyan, S Grimes, J Dunbar, R Devonshire, P Lam (capt).

Leinster: G Dempsey, D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy, N Spooner, B O'Meara, R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, P Wallace, L Cullen, M O'Kelly, T Brennan, K Gleeson, V Costello.

The league and county cup double header between Blaydon and Darlington Mowden Park looks certain to be off with snow covering a frozen ground.

While Mowden are happy to go along with Blaydon's suggestion to play in midweek they see no reason to rush into it as the next round of the county cup is not until February 16. Mowden lock Ian James suffered a reaction to his shoulder injury after his 30-minute comeback at New Brighton last week, while full back Kevin McCallum popped a couple of ribs and will be out for two or three weeks.

If Mowden beat Blaydon they would be unlikely to play their cup semi-final on February 16 as they have pencilled in the postponed league visit of West Hartlepool for that date.

West are running into fixture problems with today's home match against Doncaster definitely off. They have little idea when they can fit in their first round county cup match at Consett.

Consett have some hope of playing their Durham and Northumberland Division One match at home to Horden today, but prospects elsewhere in the North-East are very bleak.

Wigton are hopeful that their pitch will be fit for the visit of Darlington in North One and they will surely field a stronger side than when they lost 123-10 at Blackwell Meadows last month.

Darlington winger Paul Beattie has recovered from his hamstring injury but has now developed bronchitis, so either Mark Butler or Marc Potts will step in.

Whoever is not selected will join prop Joe Osleton and flanker John Whitehouse on the bench.

Scrum half David Andrew, who broke an arm in the first match of the season, has started training and will shortly be competing with Rob Stuart for his place.

Also in North One, Middlesbrough are not expecting to play at Bradford and Bingley, while in North Two East Stockton's home match with Old Crossleyans has been called off due to a frozen pitch. Redcar are due to visit Goole.