Penrith are virtually at full strength for their opening fixture of the new season...
Penrith are virtually at full strength for their opening fixture of the new season, they travel to Darlington Mowden Park with only winger Tom Armstrong unavailable. Seasoned half backs Paul Newton and Steve Wood will start and will look to continue their partnership of the last two easons. New boy Dave Barton will partner Mike Hawley in the centre for the first time, Joe Nattrass will take his place on the wing and Gavin Cartmel at full back, that leaves the wing berth left vacant by Armstrong and Sandy Kerridge will be a leading contender to fill it
along with the two Fell brothers.
Up front the only change to last season's settled pack is the inclusion of new recruit Gary Hodgson who will come in at open side wing forward to join Ryan Johnson and new captain and No 8 Mike Raine in the back row. Formidable locks David Preston and last years capt. Rob Dawson team up again in the second row and there is some concern in the front
row where veteran prop Steve Dixon has just been able to start pre-season training and the up and coming Craig Rumney is recovering from an ankle injury. One of them will join last season's player of the year James Thornton at hooker and most improved player Glen Carr at
loose head prop.
In this fixture in the last years campaign Penrith were lucky to come away from Darlington with a win, they took the lead early on and were hanging on grimly at the end, they are expecting at difficult trip on Saturday. (courtesy of Penrith RFC)