NEWCASTLE Falcons go into their mid-table battle at Leeds today still hoping to finish in the top three of the Zurich Premiership.

Following their early exit from the Powergen Cup at Saracens last week, they need to finish high enough up the table to be sure of qualifying for the Heineken Cup again.

This season's success in the top flight of the European competition has whetted the appetite for more, but the suspicion is that they will do well to get beyond the quarter-finals this season.

Not that Director of Rugby Rob Andrew sees it that way, saying: "We have come a long way this season. For the first time for four years we can look at a squad which is capable of winning every game it plays."

Andrew has named Jonny Wilkinson on the bench for the third successive week since his recovery from a badly-bruised bicep.

With the Six Nations Championship starting on February 6, the England captain has just over a month to prove his full recovery.

But Andrew said: "We have to consider Jonny, Dave Walder and Newcastle Falcons in all of this. Dave is playing very well and was disappointed to come off at half-time last week. We could get Jonny back to full fitness then lose him to England, so we have to be aware of our responsibilities to the club as a whole."

Australian full back Matt Burke returns after missing last week's game through illness and has no worries about playing at a chilly Headingley, where the under-soil heating is reported to have broken down.

"Back home we are normally on the beach sunning ourselves and having a few beers at this time of year," he said.

"Getting the family settled in was my first priority here, but once that was taken care of the rugby just seemed to follow.

"I'm still learning the Geordie language and sometimes when we are warming up Steve Black will shout something and everyone except me understands. They all sprint off in one direction and I follow about two seconds later.

"We all take the mickey out of each other, so it's a really fun atmosphere.

"I'm hoping to move my family into our own house next month, which proves this is not a short-term venture. Once we've moved we will be able to live the Newcastle lifestyle a bit more."

Like Andrew, Burke believes the Falcons can climb back up the table after slipping from top after three games to eighth place.

"Most of the teams above us still have to come to Kingston Park," he said. "We have shown we can grind out results, which is a big part of how teams move forward.

"Good teams are able to win while playing poorly and win in the 80th minute. We have an immensely talented squad with a great mental approach, which gives us a clear idea of what we want to do."

Epi Taione returns at inside centre today with Mark Mayerhofler again sidelined by soreness in the leg he broke early in the season.

Andrew said: "Mark will have a scan, but we don't think it's a major problem. He has just damaged some of the scar tissue around the break."

* Middlesbrough and Stockton will field a mixture of first and second team players in the Alan Todd Memorial Trophy match at Acklam Park today (2.15).