Selby RUFC may have put Twickenham out of their minds, but they can revive their dreams of cup glory by defeating West Leeds in the first round of the Yorkshire Shield on Saturday.

Selby will go into the game in good heart following a morale-boosting 18-15 win at home to Pontefract last week, which stabilised their position in Yorkshire One.

Shaun Austerfield returns at centre after being unavailable last week, but otherwise the backs are unchanged.

Toby Pemberton does return to the squad with the promising Simon Weller added as a three-quarter back up.

In the pack, second row forward Jason Cicero takes a rest to give his shoulder injury some respite, with Wright Phillips switching from No 8 to the second row. Rob Triffit starts this week in the other second row slot in place of the unavailable Ben Marshall.

Duncan Phillips is also unavailable this week and is replaced by the promising Jonathon Crane, who has been impressing all season in the 2nd XV. Jamie Pocklington starts at No 8.

Selby meet a Yorkshire Three side doing well in the league, lying in fourth place with 13 wins and just four defeats in the campaign.

Pocklington, who struggled against league leaders Sheffield Tigers late on last time out in Yorkshire Two, face another big test when they welcome their nearest rivals Bradford Salem to Percy Road tomorrow.

Pocklington and Bradford have been playing leapfrog in second and third place since December, with Pocklington going second again a fortnight ago, and Bradford overtaking them once more last weekend.

It was just as close when the two sides met earlier in the season when Bradford sneaked a one point win.

Teamwise, Pocklington are generally in good order but are keeping their fingers crossed that player-coach Guy Hope will have overcome a thigh injury.

Next Tuesday, local schools from throughout the district will descend on Percy Road for a mini rugby tag festival for year five and six pupils, from 4.00 pm to 5.30 pm.

Malton and Norton, whose North 2 East match against Driffield fell victim to the weather, will get a second chance to play the match this weekend.

Andy Morse's season with York RI is over with news that he is to have a plate put in a broken arm.

James Li keeps his place in the front three when RI take on Yorkshire Three basement side Hemsworth at New Lane.

RI, who have now lost five games in a row and have yet to win a league game in 2005, meet a Hemsworth team who have won just once all season.

Meanwhile,York take on Keighley in a club match at Clifton Park. The game should prove an ideal warm-up before the side travels to Durham for a crunch promotion match-up in Durham and Northumberland One in a week's time.

Updated: 10:07 Friday, March 04, 2005