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'Vos Hope to Yield Shields

'Vos Hope to Yield Shields

Chris Ward26 Aug 2015 - 12:32
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Competitive rugby is back for another season, as Novos take on North Shields in the Northumberland Senior Plate.

Novos came agonizingly close to winning the competition last season, but a 32-23 defeat at the hands of Ponteland stopped the 1st XV winning their first ever county honours.

Novos take on Durham/Northumberland 2 side, North Shields and will be relatively confident knowing their record at this quarter final in previous seasons. Indeed it was at this stage 3 seasons ago that Head Coach, Magnus Leask, took charge of his first competitive game for Novos. 'Vos ran out 40-5 winners that day. Try scorers were: Bollado(2), Bass, Douthwaite and Stewart(2).

The Novos side may yet change, with one more training session still to come and the possibility of fewer or more places on the subs bench.

Tommy Goodman, who played all 1st XV fixtures last season looks to start where he left off, starts at loose head. VC, Pete Twentyman begins the season at hooker and 100 % trainer, Luke Menzfeld gets the nod at tight head.

The second row welcomes Josh Igoe and Chris Ward, with a back row made up of Stewart Wilson, Captain Littlefair and the venerable Ben Merrett.

New faces start the game in our back line, with ex-Northern scrum half Cillian O'Shaugnessy set to make his first ever appearance in a Novos shirt. At fly-half we welcome a third generation, Chater! Lewis makes his 1st XV debut at Fly Half, after finishing his studies at the RGS.

An interesting centre combo of Nash and Jonny Ward looks sure to delight the Sutherland faithful. Nash, will be hoping to add more games to this campaign, after only managing 10 last season due to injury. Ward will be looking to add to his tally of 95 1st XV tries over this campaign.

On one wing we see Sam Busby, making the long trip up from Yorkshire to play; Busby, a revelation last season, managed to pick up 8 tries in 15 games. The other wing welcomes Aedan Moloney, from Middlesbrough, on his debut. Aedan has impressed thus far with a few handy appearances over pre-season. At full back, new signing Carl Parkinson, fresh from his try scoring debut last week, is sure to excite.

The bench is currently made up of five substitutes but that may change. Rob Murphy is the only potential debutant on the bench. Players' player, Josh Stacey comes back from Scarborough, Shaun Stewart, Andrew Maxwell and Luke Mitchell make up the rest of the reserves.

It is sure to be a good season at Sutherland Park and it all starts on Saturday!

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