TEAM NEWS: 50 UP FOR PROLIFIC PADDY

PADDY Harris will hit a half-century of first-team caps as the former Cambridge University graduate starts at loose-head prop in tomorrow’s National One home fixture with Birmingham Moseley.

The former Thatcham junior has proved a huge hit since joining the club in the middle of the 2022/23 campaign and is set to feature in the matchday squad for the 39^th fixture in a row, stretching back to Darlington Mowden Park away in February 2024.

Harris will be joined in the front row by captain Max Hayman and the evergreen James Baker, fit-again Connor Stapley returning to the engine room alongside Harry Stone as one of two changes to the starting pack.

Having gone from the off in the second row at Leeds last time out, September Player of the Month runner-up Willo Bicknell returns to No. 8 as Ben Atkins switches to the blind-side flank.

Bath loanee Tom Cowan remains on the other side of the back row for the visit of Adam Balding’s charges.

Robson and Graham back out wide

There are also two changes in the three-quarters as Charlie Robson and Luke Graham come back into the side on the wings.

The latter’s return from sickness sees Zach Clow – a try-scorer at The Sycamores – revert to full-back, while the remainder of the inner backs remains the same.

This means Louis Pereira continues at scrum-half with current top points-scorer Mike Cooke outside him at stand-off, Player of the Month Morgan MacRae looking to continue his hot try-scoring streak in the No. 12 jersey.

The former Wales 7s player has six in five games to date and will again be joined in midfield by Axel Kalling-Smith, the Sweden captain who has four to his name so far this term.

Hodgson returns to matchday squad

Centurion Ant Marris and Ryan Lomas are the prop replacements as Aaron Tull, excellent in Yorkshire last time out, provides further forwards cover.

Andrew Lamb can step in across almost all the back line, most notably at fly-half or full-back, with Ollie Hodgson back in as the No. 9 replacement.

The travelling reserves in case of any last-gasp drama are prop George Breese, hooker Pete Austin, second/back row Liam Elston and fly-half/centre Rowan Grundy.