NEWCASTLE Falcons are hoping the success which has taken them to second place in the Premiership will attract another big crowd for tomorrow's match at home to Gloucester.

With an average attendance of 5,391, crowds at Kingston Park are up 41.7 per cent on last season, and although several top names are missing tomorrow the inclusion of Henry Paul in the visiting team should be an attraction.

The Falcons believe one of the main reasons for their increasing support is the work done by the club's community team, who have had direct contact with 13,977 people this season, ranging from schoolchildren to rugby-playing adults.

Through assemblies, coaching sessions, all-day visits and many other activities the Falcons players and community team are spreading the word.

Improving standards of play is another factor as the average attendance for all Zurich Premiership matches has gone up from 4,237 last season to 5,485.

The Falcons' first venture into the top flight of European rugby has also had a big impact as Heineken Cup crowds at Kingston Park are averaging at 5,204, an increase of 104.6 per cent on last year's European Shield attendances.

Director of Rugby Rob Andrew said: "The atmosphere at Kingston Park has been superb this season. The players respond to the large crowds and rise to the occasion. This was evident at the first game of the season when we broke the ground record with 7,490 fans and defeated the triple champions Leicester.

"Bringing Heineken Cup rugby to the North-East is not only fantastic for the Falcons but also for the rugby community and the fans who can watch Europe's top competition.

"The Zurich Premiership standard increases every season. There are no easy games and every team contains international stars who people want to watch."

Gloucester are not awash with household names, but they moved into fourth place last week when they won 51-17 at home to Bristol, who had former Newcastle lock Garath Archer sent off.

Henry Paul played at centre in that match and was partnered for the last ten minutes by Teessider James Simpson-Daniel, who went off the bench and scored a try.

There has been some confusion over how soon New Zealander Paul will qualify for England, but he has been fast-tracked into the squad by Clive Woodward.

The Rugby League convert can also play at fly half and could appear there tomorrow if Ludovic Mercier fails to shake off a knee injury.

Former Wasps and England player Andy Gomarsall will be at scrum half.

With their internationals again missing, Newcastle will field a similar line-up to the one which won at Wasps last Sunday, although Epi Taione and Inga Tuigamala are on the bench.

Taione is playing for Tonga against Wales in Cardiff today, but if he has a quiet game out on the wing the Falcons could use him at some stage tomorrow.

Gareth Maclure comes in on the wing as Michael Stephenson is with the England Sevens squad in South Africa. Hall Charlton, who spent time this week with the England squad preparing for the Romania game, takes over at scrum half, with Gary Armstrong on the bench.

Player-coach Kevan Oliphant has left himself out of the Darlington Mowden Park team to play at Whitchurch, who are unbeaten at home in National Three North.

After two home defeats, Oliphant wants to take a look from the sidelines and will be on the bench, with Jonny Golightly switching to fly half.

Mark Bedworth returns after injury and forms a new centre pairing with Mark Wilkinson, while Chris Mattison replaces Steve Jones on the wing.

Dave Sinclair returns at prop, with Danny Brown switching to loose head as Ian Keeligan has pulled a hamstring. With Tom Long injured, Tim Wilks comes into the back row and Del Russell is on the bench.

Jones and centre Chris Strong, who has also been left out, will be in a strong second team at home to Wharfedale.

Darlington take an unchanged squad to Chester for a North Division One match which will test the strength of their revival after last week's 63-8 win against Bradford and Bingley.

Rob Stewart will be raring to go at scrum half after suffering the frustration of sitting on the bench for 80 minutes for North and Midlands Under-21s in midweek.

They lost narrowly to East of France at Broad Street, near Coventry, and Stewart said: "I was disappointed not to get on.

"There is an England A v Wales A match just before Christmas, but I don't expect to be in the frame now.

"I'm enjoying my rugby with Darlington.

"I've only just turned 20 so North One is a good standard for me at the moment and I'm still learning a lot.