ENGLAND hero Jonny Wilkinson will be pressed into service for Newcastle at Bristol today following a recurrence of David Walder's hamstring injury.

It was planned to rest Wilkinson ahead of England's potential Grand Slam decider against France in Paris next week, but the Falcons have little option but to play him.

They could, if really pressed, play David Richardson at fly half, where he always turned out for Stockton.

But he has played most of his rugby for the Falcons at full back, where he will again appear today after playing in the win at Leeds two weeks ago.

Richardson's brother, Shaun, will now be groomed as the understudy to Hall Charlton for next season following the news that Gary Armstrong is going to play for the new Scottish Borders team.

While Armstrong, Doddie Weir and George Graham are all in the squad for today, more attention will be focused on three other Scots.

Hooker Steve Brotherstone, on loan from Northampton, will hope for better conditions than on his debut at Leeds, flanker Andy Mower has a point to prove to the Scotland selectors, and lock Stuart Grimes is a man Bristol will fear.

After playing against Italy last week, Mower has been left out of the Scotland squad for next week to make way for the return of Budge Pountney.

Grimes turned the game for the Falcons in their home match against Bristol in October, when he scored two second half tries and a tight tussle became a 37-20 victory.

Newcastle are to send prop James Isaacson to play in Australia in a month's time, and his loan spell with Darlington Mowden Park will end shortly.

But he is in the team for today's game at Morley, with Ian Keeligan starting at loose head and Dave Sinclair taking his turn on the bench.

Also among the replacements is Phil Harvey, the scrum half who has been out for over a year with a shoulder injury.

Although Richard Woollam declared himself fit after a rib injury, he is shortly going on holiday for two weeks so Richard Holborough is given the chance to build on his promising debut at scrum half last week.

With the other students required for Durham University's match at home to Oxford, Mark Bedworth switches to full back for Stuart Keelan and Jonny Boatman is in the back row for Tom Long.

With six games left in National Three North, Bedworth could stay at full back to find out whether that might be his best position in the long term.

Mark Wilkinson returns alongside Mick Kent at centre, while the back row reshuffle sees Darren McKinnon switch to open side with Boatman at No 6 after helping Durham Under 20s to a 41-6 win against Northumberland last Sunday.

Mowden would have liked to have former Durham Colts lock Richard Mangles on the bench as he has been training regularly.

He is ruled out by work commitments, but is hoping to play next season.

Blaydon, who entertain Mowden next week, face a tough match at New Brighton and give hooker Tasi Tuhana his first start.

Jon Dye, injured since October, comes in at blind side and James Lofthouse will start at fly half with Nick Gandy switching to the wing.

Ex-Cheshire player James Tyrrell is on the other wing as Iain Dixon is injured and Paul Alexander is unavailable.

West Hartlepool face the trek to Bedford Athletic without Mark Laycock, who is out for three or four weeks after damaging knee ligaments at Mowden Park last week.

Alan Milne returns after injury to take over at centre.