Pre-Season is officially over, serious stuff begins this weekend, Novos 1st team take on North Shields in the county cup and a ‘B’ squad take on Westoe 3rds in a friendly.

Novos welcome old rivals North Shields to Sutherland Park for a Cup Fixture which marks coach Magnus Leask’s first competitive game in charge on the back of a tough pre-season which has seen an average of 40 players attending training and lots of new faces adding to the squad and a real sense of confidence and purpose as we approach the new season.

North Shields finished in Mid table last year and are always a very tough side to beat, generally they have a big combative pack and strong hard runners across the backs. The last time the sides met was in Pre-Season last year when Novos ran out 35 – 30 winners in a close game. Form wise a creditable 26 – 7 loss to Medicals has represented the North Shields pre-season efforts while Novos ran division one Blyth close before losing to a last minute score and last week had a tough game with a good Ponteland side losing out 30 – 5.

Novos are in the fortunate position of being able to name a very strong squad despite a lot of unavailability and it’s a real mark of the strength in depth we have here at Novos and certainly means the coach will have some really tough decisions to make when the full squad is available with competition for places red hot.

It really makes for an exciting time with Novos supporters having every reason to look forward to a good showing this season

In the front row Jim Higginson makes a competitive bow alongside Pete Douthwaite and Ben Walker, Jamie Wallace and Neil Spence are in the second row while Ex-Shields back row Adam Burbridge slots into a back row with Ben Merrett and Alex Littlefair.

In the backs Andy Maxwell is a welcome return at Scrum Half after spending last year in London and another Irishman Saul Shanahan makes a 1st team debut at stand off. Shaun Stewart and Matt Bradford form a strong centre pairing and Lawrence Goodman, Darren McCrory and James Bass provide plenty of pace in the back three.

On the bench Gavin Evans and Jonny Smith cover the front row and Liam Pape covers the 2nd and back row. Covering the backline Rich Harrison, Chris Fife and Dan Bollado will be looking to get plenty of game time.

As always on a bank holiday weekend Novos have a fair few of the squad away but despite having more than 20 squad members away can still name a very strong squad. New signings Jonny Coller, Paddy Davies, Jordan Robinson, Steve Neill and Mark Curphey look like players who could come into this group but were not available. Regular squad players Sam Burnside, Liam Savage, Michael Reidy Ed Yuill, Luke Mitchell and Rory Diggle are away and our students Sam Dixon, Pete Twentyman, Joe Stamper, Matt Miles and Will Trick are due back in early September. Add to that Rob Campbell and Mike Cousins struggling with injuries.

Jack Watkins and Jamie Diggle are wrapped in cotton wool with their Rugby League national Play off commitments coming up for Gateshead Storm. Not only did both secure a monumental grand final winners medal (Alongside Jonny Smith and Saul Shanahan), they were both named in the North East dream team with Jack scooping North East Player of the year! Whilst there is no link between Novos and any Rugby League club its nice to see some of the boys enjoying success in the 'other code'!

The final missing squad member is Richie Mitchell who is celebrating becoming a father for the first time, Novos welcome the latest member Heath Mitchell born on Wednesday and congratulations from us all at Novos!

There are also congratulations in order for 1st teamer Gavin Evans and Ladies player and Novos stalwart Janette Shaw who got engaged recently!

Its nice to be able to report such good news!

A Novos ‘B’ Squad were due to play South Tyneside College but they have cried off so Westoe 3rds provide the opposition to run as a pre-cursor to the main event with a 1pm kick off – Novos have named a 30 man squad for a game that will be slpit into 4 x 20 minute quarters.