YORK Acorn ARLC head into their Challenge Cup first round tie on Saturday full of confidence – but with boss Scott Rhodes admitting it is in many respects a warm-up game ahead of the new league season.

The inaugural National Conference campaign kicks off a week on Saturday, with Acorn hoping to be in the shake-up for promotion back to the premier division, despite being in a transitional phase.

They have not been able to arrange friendly fixtures in the preceding fortnight, however, due to the cup’s preliminary round – which was twice postponed because of inclement weather and eventually played last week – and first round, away to Shaw Cross Sharks this Saturday (2pm).

The aim of amateur clubs remains getting to the third round, when Championships clubs enter, but Rhodes – while expecting a new-look Shaw Cross to provide a much sterner test than in the interim NCL mini-season – said he might tinker with his team, having one eye on the league campaign to come.

Referring to last week’s 42-4 win over Hull League representatives Norland, Rhodes said: “We did well in patches. We’re using these games to have a look at players really. We’ve not had game time and you could see that at the weekend. It was a bit scrappy with the ball in hand, but we did pretty well in the end.

“We will probably change the team a bit. We’ve had a chat about the cup. With the Rugby Football League putting these cup games on us like they did, we had no time to get a friendly in there.

“We will concentrate on our performance but we’re looking at players progressing. There are a lot of players fighting to get in the team, so they’ve got to show up.”

Danny Caldwell and Jimmy Mountford are in contention, though Matt Withers and Nicky Caldwell are unavailable and Leigh Rientoul and Martin McTigue picked up knocks.

Acorn saw off division two outfit Shaw Cross 56-0 and 32-0 in the autumn interim season, and returned to action last Saturday with the surprisingly comfortable cup win. They will therefore be favourites to reach round two. But Rhodes said: “I’m expecting it to be a tougher game than last time.”

New Earswick have been handed a boost in the run-up to their Pennine League championship clash with Dewsbury Moor at White Rose Avenue.

Second-rower Jack Sinclair has been selected for the BARLA Great Britain under-23 squad, with a chance of a two-week tour to Jamaica in June.

Sinclair’s immediate priority, however, will be to help his side bounce back from last weekend’s woeful 22-6 defeat at Westgate Wolves.

Training has been cut to one night a week to allow players carrying knocks more recovery time.

All Blacks ‘A’ are away to Slaithwaite Saracens ‘A’ in division four. Basement side Slaithwaite have yet to win this season, but will not be taken lightly by New Earswick.

Coach Alan Pallister will hope to field a strong side, although he will be without Carl Pallister, who has injured his lower back.

Promotion-chasing Selby Warriors host Odsal Sedbergh in division two hot on the heels of their Andrew Bennett Memorial Trophy win over Sharlston Rovers ‘A’.

Warriors, the Trophy holders, won 20-4 in the quarter-finals last week. Try-scorers were Matt Irving, Dave Makin, Gavyn Lightowler and Ben Pearson.

Warriors ‘A’ travel to Sherburn Bears in round one of the Selby & District Cup on Saturday.

• Former players of York Acorn are being invited to attend an old boys’ reunion, celebrating the 21st anniversary of the club, at Thanet Road, tomorrow, starting at 7pm.