SPEEDY winger Michael Stephenson, who made his England debut in Canada during the summer, is back in the Newcastle team to entertain Harlequins tomorrow.

The Durham School product takes over from Liam Botham, who broke his nose in last week's defeat at Sale.

Barring further injuries, Botham is now back in the same position as in the second half of last season, when he couldn't get into the full-strength side.

Nor are his chances helped by the return to fitness of Epi Taione, the Tongan powerhouse who looks set for a big future with the club and is on the bench tomorrow.

Fly half Jonny Wilkinson has recovered from the ankle injury which kept him off at half-time at Sale, when he was replaced by former Stockton player Dave Richardson.

With David Walder able to switch to fly half, should Wilkinson suffer any reaction, and Stephenson to full back, Richardson is not required this time, with Taione and Gareth Maclure providing the cover for the backs.

George Graham, who was named in the Scotland squad this week, makes his first start of the season at loose head, with Ian Peel at tight head as James Isaacson steps down to the bench.

Director of Rugby Rob Andrew is determined that the Falcons will bounce back from their defeat at Sale, saying: "The players feel they have let down themselves, the club and the fans.

"They have worked very hard and I have no doubt they will put things right against the Quins."

Newcastle beat Harlequins in last season's Tetley's Bitter Cup final but lost to them in the European Shield final.

The league encounters produced one win each and there was never more than five points between the sides in any of the matches.

Falcons lock Stuart Grimes joins Graham in the Scotland squad for the rearranged Six Nations match against Ireland at Murrayfield next Saturday.

The game clashes with Newcastle's match at London Irish, but the hosts are likely to be worse affected than the Falcons.

Newcastle's opening European Cup game against Newport has been switched to the following Saturday, September 29, with a 6.15 kick-off to meet the demands of television.

Newport are hoping to sign New Zealander Junior Tonu'u following the collapse of their attempt to bring in South Africa scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen.

* Darlington Mowden Park hope to launch their third successful national cup run when they visit Bromsgrove today in the first round proper of the Senior Knockout Cup.

Two years ago they reached the last 16 before losing at Harlequins, and last season they were denied a late penalty try which cost them victory in the fourth round at Birmingham/Solihull.

If they beat Bromsgrove they will be away in two weeks to Waterloo, who are now only one division above them after finishing bottom of Division One last season.

* Darlington have signed two Hartlepool Rovers players in county lock Mark Power and winger Ian Coulson.

Both will make their debuts in a friendly at Horden today, which will also feature another newcomer in fly half Ian Dobson, from Sunderland, if he passes a fitness test on a thigh injury.

Former Durham Under-20s hooker Craig Cruickshank, from Gateshead, is also named in a front row with an average age of 20.

* Jon Benson, one of four former West Hartlepool players playing for Leeds in the Premiership, is expected to switch from full back to fly half against Northampton at Headingley tomorrow as Steve Bachop and Richard Le Bas are injured. The other ex-West men in the Leeds team are prop Mike Shelley, lock Chris Murphy and flanker James Ponton.