NEWCASTLE FALCONS and Northumbria University flanker Mark Wilson will represent England Students on home soil tomorrow evening.

Wilson is part of the England Students side that will face Irish Colleges at Kingston Park and, as part of the build-up to the game, England’s players were addressed by former England Students hooker Rob Vickers, and the Newcastle Falcon brought one of his team-mates along for support.

“I was asked by the England management to come and say a few words to the boys at their team hotel, and naturally was delighted at the opportunity,”

said Vickers.

“However, I did warn management that most of the Student players probably would not know who I was, so I managed to rope in a bit of celebrity help.

“There’s no doubt that they all know who Carl Hayman is and, as a Falcon and All Black great, he commands instant respect from everybody. He’s well known as being a man of few words, but when he does speak, it’s definitely worth hearing what he has to say.”

Wilson will win his second England Students cap tomorrow and the 20-year-old said: “It’s been an amazing experience all round.

“As well as my rugby with Northumbria University and Blaydon, I’ve been training with the Falcons first team pretty much full time and loved every minute of it.

“To be around guys like that can only be beneficial, I’m working hard all the time and through hard work just hope to keep improving.”

■ Tickets for tomorrow’s England Students vs Irish Colleges at Kingston Park (ko 7.30pm) are available by calling 0871-226-6060, or from Kingston Park’s ticket office on the night priced £5 for adults and £2 for under-16s.

■ Blaydon’s captain and hooker Matt Hall has been called into the England Counties squad for tomorrow night’s match against an Ireland Clubs XV at Stourbridge.

That means both Blaydon and Sunday’s visitors Tynedale will have three players on representative duty tomorrow.

The National One derby was put back 24 hours because Tynedale front row men Jonny Williams and Joe Graham, plus centre Jack Harrison, were selected by the England Counties.

Blaydon’s director of rugby Tom Rock is hoping all his representative trio will be available for selection on Sunday.

He said: “We will delay naming our side until Saturday but, hopefully, they’ll be okay We’ve won our last three and Tynedale are flying, so we’re hoping for a bumper crowd. I’m really looking forward to it.”