All 3 teams will take to the stage at a home venue for the first time since February last year where we completed a clean sweep across the board, and every single member of the club will be working to help bring about another successful day of rugby on home soil.

Kick off for all 3 games will be at 14:00 so be sure not to miss us kick off a great 2025!

Whilst all 3 games will be crucial for the club, the 1st XV fixture on the main pitch could potentially be a game that may end up deciding the future of the Northumberland/Durham 1 league as we sit in 2nd place with our opponents comfortably in 1st.

However, whilst the challenge is great, a brilliant couple of weeks playing alongside friends every Saturday over the festive break (some games more serious than others) has allowed for the entire squad to get some important minutes under their belts despite the time off.

The depth and ability across the board of the squad that has been selected for Saturday is a testament to the commitment and skill of the players in the club that were available for selection. As a result, we field what is likely to be the strongest 2nd XV we have put together this season by a long way. However, only being allowed a bench of 3, here follows the 18 men that will take the pitch to try and recreate last year's 32-31 victory over our opponents.

The front row sees some familiar faces make their return into a Novos shirt after some time away. Solomon Mak will prop down in the tight head slot, the powerhouse youngster has caused mayhem everywhere he has been at scrum time so far this season and you can best believe he will be more than ready to take the challenge to Sunderland tomorrow. Next to him returns Ollie Forster, another young lad whose lineout throwing under pressure led us to victory against our neighbors' medicals just a few weeks ago. Finally at loosehead is the more experienced Tom Taylor who will be more than ready to exact his revenge around the pitch after our loss to Sunderland away from home.

Behind them in the second row we have both Darren Kelly and Jeremy hunt in the 4 and 5 shirts. Both two brilliant playmakers around the park when needs be and they can both cut down anything that comes anywhere near them.

Rounding off the pack is our back row. Rob Baldwin, has he has done so often this season, settles down in his familiar number 8 shirt. Joined either side of him is both Dylan Gittins and George Bambrick, both immensely hard-working flankers who have the ability to make something from nothing. Their partnership was something to behold last season and they will be looking to recreate that tomorrow.

The half-backs, unsurprisingly, consist of Rhys Merlane at 9 and Josh Farley at 10, two fairly young players but have both certainly made the shirts their own recently. They both possess the ability to manage a game as well as spark a little bit of magic when needs be, something that will be vital for tomorrow.

The centers see the welcome return of Michael Searle into the 12 channel after he faced some time away from playing over the past 2-3 weeks, and Ben Jubb will join him in the 13 shirt to compliment the pairing.

Finally, in the back 3 we probably hold the most depth, but selected to represent the red, white and black tomorrow is Lewis Chater, Sam Cleife and Sam Busby. 3 electric players each in their own right with the ability to unlock a defense, so be sure to watch out for these 3 at 14:00.

The bench is rounded off by Ant MQuillian who will be more than eager to get another go in a 1st XV shirt after performing so well in the past, George Jowitt who will provide his consistency and physicality in defense and finally Harry Tankard who returns to playing after the Christmas period, will be more than ready to stretch his legs against tiring defenders.

It’s going to be a day to remember so be sure not to miss it! Kick Off @14:00

Up The Vos!

1st XV (H) Meet Time: 12:30

Kick Off 14:00

Taylor, Forster, Mak, Kelly, Hunt, D Gittins, Bambrick (C), Baldwin, Merlane, Farley, Chater, Searle, Jubb, Cleife, Busby, McQuillan, Jowitt, Tankard

2nd XV (H) Meet Time: 12:45

Kick Off 14:00

Lawson, Farrier, Stocken, Allton, Cokeley (C), Shilling, Westgarth, Bird, Cook, Russell, Harvey, Harris, Gilbert, Wills, Lambert, Mason, Vicary

3rd XV (H) Meet Time: 12:45

Kick Off 14:00

Bolam, Moore, Wood, Ward, Mason, Storey, Cook, Bass, Selkirk, Bowman, Mallon, Wilson, Strong, Faheem, Longstaff, Thomas, Wallis, Hamill, Cleminson, Challis, Hawkins, Graves, Logue