NEWCASTLE Falcons will again be without star full back Matt Burke for what Rob Andrew has described as the biggest game in the club's history on Saturday.

The Australian misses the Heineken Cup match at Perpignan as he is still suffering from cartilage damage in a knee and as his deputy, Dave Walder, picked up a similar injury against Sale on Sunday, Joe Shaw will be in the No 15 shirt against the French giants.

Walder travelled with the squad to France yesterday and is still in contention for a place on the bench should he recover in time.

James Grindal replaces Hall Charlton at scrum half, while American Luke Gross comes in for Andy Buist in the second row.

A victory would clinch Newcastle's place in the quarter-finals, although their more realistic chance to make sure of their place is to win their final group game at home to Newport on Sunday week.

New Zealander Cory Harris is not eligible until the knockout stages, so Mike McCarthy comes in at blind-side flanker, with Colin Charvis shifting to open side.

Centre Mark Mayerhofler returns to the bench after a leg injury, while hooker Matt Thompson also comes back as a replacement after a viral infection.

Having sampled the Stade Aime Giral atmosphere as a player, Andrew knows what sort of reception awaits his side, saying: "It will be a huge test of character and skill for us.

"I played there for the Falcons in the European Conference in 1997 and it's as hostile an environment as you can get in European rugby."

Asked how he had prepared his team, he joked: "I've just shouted loudly at them in French all week.

"In all seriousness though, we've talked about it all week and we have a lot of very experienced players who have played in big Test matches. They've seen everything that can be thrown at you in such an environment so they're the ones that will take charge of any situations on the field which may develop.

"We have to be on the edge to compete but we can't afford to go over the edge with bad discipline. We have to concentrate on playing the game, and potentially there is a very interesting contrast in styles. If we can impose our pace into the game then we are capable of doing well.

"I said at the weekend that it was the most important game in the club's history, because if we win then we're into the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time. That's the significance of it, and this will be the biggest test that most of our squad has probably ever had.

"It would be a massive achievement to make the quarter-finals, and if we do that then we won't rest on our laurels, we'll go all out to win the thing.

"We have no track record in the Heineken Cup at all and that's something we badly want to develop. That might take a number of years, but having put ourselves in this position we're determined to give it everything."

Newcastle Falcons: Joe Shaw, Tom May, Mathew Tait, Jamie Noon, Michael Stephenson, Jonny Wilkinson (joint captain), James Grindal, Ian Peel (joint captain), Andy Long, Micky Ward, Luke Gross, Stuart Grimes, Mike McCarthy, Colin Charvis, Phil Dowson.

l Martin Corry yesterday said he was determined to bounce back from an injury that will keep him out of England's RBS 6 Nations Championship opener.

The Leicester number eight has a dislocated right elbow and, with a six-week absence predicted by Leicester medical staff, Corry has no realistic chance of featuring when England tackle Wales in Cardiff on February 5.

He could also miss the Twickenham appointment with France eight days later.