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Hoppers and Kendal tipped to deliver knockout
As the spotlight switches back to the EDF Energy National Trophy tomorrow, Preston Grasshoppers and Kendal will be expected to progress to round three against clubs lower down the league pecking order.
But Fylde face a tricky trip to fellow National Three North club Hull Ionians – their sixth successive away cup tie.
Hoppers are at home to Newark, who are in a national knockout for the first time.
They currently play their league rugby in Midlands Two East, which is two divisions below Hoppers, and are fifth.
Hoppers slipped back to ninth in Three North after last Saturday's disappointing defeat at Huddersfield – their sixth loss in 10 league games this season.
Only half the Hoppers' side which started last week kick off tomorrow's game – and not all the changes are by choice.
Back-five forwards Marc Balshaw, Dan Waller and Luke Cunningham are all injured, while Phil Deakin is unavailable.
So Lee Imiolek and ertswhile hooker Dougie Monaghan come into the back row and Mark Rigbye is called up at lock.
Richie Sands, Russell Flynn, Ollie Moore and Will Hughes are given a break on the bench, which means a start for hooker Chris Stone, with Nick Smith at full-back, Sean Hall and Adam Crisp on the wings and Tom Hughes switching to centre.
Fylde are still going well in Three North in fifth place, two points behind second-placed Harrogate. Ionians are in 10th spot, but they have lost only once, narrowly, at home.
Fylde, who have to repeat the trip for the league game next weekend, won both encounters last season, 17-10 at home and 24-8 at Hull.
Tomorrow, Mark Nelson takes the chance to rest a number of regulars, retaining just four of last week's starting line-up, and one of those, Jordan Davies, switches to full-back.
Among those getting a rare chance are wingers Matt Hughes and Matt Gargett, lock Matt Thompson, and scrum-half James Smith, 17, a former Tarleton Colt.
Smith has impressed in the second XV and has been selected for the British Colleges squad after playing age-group rugby for Lancashire.
Kendal visit Morpeth, who are fifth in North Two East, a couple of rungs outside the national leagues.
Kendal are in seventh place in Three North, and still have a couple of games in hand on most of the league.
The Cumbrians give a breather to long-serving props Billy Coxon and Richard Harryman, who are on the bench.
Starting in the front row are Allen Martindale and Liam Hayton, who is more usually seen at lock.
The second-row pairing is Rob Quarry and Reece Tomlinson, Mark Wilson returns to the back row and Luke Ladell is on the wing in place of Lewis Boyd.
Vale of Lune's exit from the EDF Senior Vase at Leigh in the second round means they have a day off tomorrow, but Ormskirk face a third-round tie at Winnington Park.
In the Junior Vase fourth round, high-flying North Lancs Two side Hutton host Liverpool Collegiate.
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
