FORMER player-coach Anthony Elwine will be back in the Darlington Mowden Park team today for the visit of Driffield.

The powerful centre has missed a season and a half after going to work in Singapore and on his return he recently played twice for West Hartlepool TDSOB.

But he has returned to Mowden, who have five backs injured, and will be alongside Jonny Golightly at centre today.

"We're delighted to have him back," said chairman John Parkinson. "We're not sure how long he will be available, but we have no qualms about his fitness because he's been playing and training hard in Singapore.

"We are working hard to get into the national leagues and with Chester and Blaydon to follow the Driffield match we don't intend to foul up now."

Mark Bedworth switches to full back in place of Kevin McCallum, who tweaked a hamstring last week, joining Phil Harvey, Chris Mattison, Matt Howland and Scott Thompson on the casualty list.

There is also a doubt about hooker Tasi Tuhana with an ankle problem, so Danny Brown stands by to join a pack bolstered by the return of Aaron Radaelli.

Back after two months at home in New Zealand, the former Durham City and Wakefield player comes in at No 8 for Del Russell.

A further change sees Ian James recalled at lock at the expense of Jason Malcolm.

Driffield are third in North One, but they are six points adrift of Mowden and have played a game more.

If the match is frozen off Mowden will face a big problem in rescheduling it and the prospect of their players turning out for the county at the end of the season will virtually disappear.

Mowden expect to hold an EGM in about a month to allow the members to vote on the proposed move to Faverdale, near the A1 on the north-western outskirts of Darlington.

Injury-hit West Hartlepool have opted out of their National Division Two game at Esher today, and while league officials are said to be annoyed, Esher are quite happy to rearrange the match for Sunday, April 8.

The Surrey club are rebuilding their clubhouse and have been playing at the Metropolitan Police ground.

It is the third time this season West have had to pull out of an away game because of a shortage of front-row players, with skipper Brett Cullinane currently among the casualties.

Hooker Stuart Whitehead, who had retired because of a knee problem, was called on to the bench last week and had to take the field against Harrogate.

Another hooker, Martyn Challenor, was suspended until November and is now on Fire Service training but should be available next month.

To add to West's woes acting captain Stuart Bennett, the No 8 they recruited from Horden, broke an arm against Harrogate.

Another No 8 in the wars is Newcastle's Ross Beattie, who has broken a small bone in his neck and has been put in a brace for three weeks.

Jim Jenner is likely to continue in tomorrow's final European Shield group game at Cross Keys, the Welsh club who lost 99-8 at Kingston Park in November.

Hugh Vyvyan returns to the squad for a match in which victory should earn the Falcons a home quarter-final next weekend.

Centre Jamie Noon is still ruled out by his ankle problem and utility back Ross Cook has been released to join the Scotland Under-21 squad for a match against Glasgow Hawks on Monday night.

Michael Stephenson was named in the preliminary England squad for the World Cup Sevens in Argentina next week, but there was an agreement that players would not be called up if their clubs were involved in European quarter-finals.

The Falcons' home match against Harlequins, postponed on New Year's Eve because of snow and frost, has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 6.

Darlington have suffered a blow with the loss of winger Paul Beattie for the rest of the season following an operation on a hand injury suffered in training.

He was to be replaced by James Diamond for today's visit to Huddersfield, but the match was called off last night because of frost.

Huddersfield have always looked the most likely club to challenge Darlington for second place in North Two East.

The postponement saves Darlington from the prospect of two tough matches in West Yorkshire in successive weeks as they visit leaders Halifax next week.

They will hope to have flanker Martin Howe back. He was unavailable today, so Mark Turnbull would have switched to the back row with Neil Burnside coming in at lock.

l Boldon-born James Lofthouse, now with Otley after playing for West Hartlepool last season, is in the England Students squad for the opening Five Nations Championship match against Wales at Bridgend on February 2.

He is the only Northumbria University player selected, while Dan Taberner is Durham's sole representative.

Durham University skipper Andy Monighan returns after a shoulder operation for tomorrow's match against Yorkshire Under-21s at Otley.

The second team play Northumberland Under-20s at Durham City (2pm)