DARLINGTON hooker Dan Oselton will make his first start for Durham against Staffordshire at Gateshead today, but his brother Joe is unavailable and is replaced at tight head by Durham University's Tim Walford.

The winners will earn home advantage in the County Championship Plate semi-final, but injuries haven't helped Durham following their 44 -5 win over Essex.

Billingham's player-coach Chris Hyndman, who scored two tries last week as a replacement centre, has suffered knee ligament damage and student winger Oliver Brennand has a hamstring injury.

Hopes of recalling Dale Taylor in midfield were dashed with the news that he broke his thumb playing at Twickenham for England Universities last Saturday. No 8 Michael Taylor has recovered from his ankle knock, so 19-year-old Westoe player Graham Smith comes in.

Coach Ali McConway remains upbeat, saying: "Our biggest strength has been our willingness to run the ball and employ the moves we have worked on in training. The forwards have been providing an excellent platform and we've been taking advantage of that."

Durham: Simon Moore (Middlesbrough); Gareth Foreman (Hartlepool Rovers), Rob McDermott (Durham Univ), Chris Dunlop (Durham University), Jimmy Atkinson (Durham City); Lee Richardson (Darlington), Tom Basey (Durham Univ, capt); Gareth Nesbitt (Westoe), Dan Oselton (Darlington), Tim Walford (Durham University), Paul Bird (Westoe), Matthew Muchall (Westoe), Stuart Palmer (Hartlepool Rov), Dan Cooper (Durham University), Graham Smith (Westoe).

Yorkshire have been forced to make eight changes for their match against Cheshire at Harrogate, and among those coming in is Wharfedale's fromer Mowden Park centre Mark Bedworth.

*Newcastle Falcons have announced the return of Steve Bates, joining the club as coaching and technical director.

Following the demise of Border Reivers, where he was head coach, Bates will work under director of rugby John Fletcher, at Kingston Park, where he spent eight seasons as first team coach between 1995 and 2003.

The former Wasps and England scrum half has also coached Scotland A, but has continued to live in Northumberland.