Darlington'S 19-year-old scrum half Robbie Stewart has earned a shock call-up for the England team to compete in the World Sevens Series.

Stewart was selected to play in the North Two East match at home to Old Crossleyans today, but will be preparing to fly out to Durban in South Africa, then Dubai.

The chance has arisen for the former Barnard Castle School star because the Premiership clubs have refused to make their players available in view of their dispute with the RFU over promotion and relegation.

"This has come out of the blue," said Stewart, who played for England Schools last season. "I'm really thrilled and still trying to take it in.

"I was invited to train with a squad of 18 and they reduced it to 12 for the two-week trip, when we will be playing the likes of New Zealand, Fiji and France.

"I'm the youngest in the squad. I don't know any of the others - I think they're all from National Division One and Two clubs.

"My only experience of sevens has been at school. It's very fast and tiring, but I think I'm fit enough to cope. I'm more worried about the heat."

England have decided to embrace sevens with greater seriousness and appointed Adrian Thompson as manager. He contacted his former Harlequins team-mate Martin Pepper, the Barnard Castle School coach, who recommended Stewart.

Acting as understudy to Darlington skipper David Andrew has limited Stewart's first-team chances and they know that he is likely to be picked up by a senior club. He also plans to go to New Zealand in January in search of further rugby experience before taking up a sports studies course in Newcastle next September.

Andrew will come back in to face Crossleyans, who lost their derby match at home to Halifax 35-0 two weeks ago, while second-placed Darlington lost by only four points to the leaders.

Darlington Mowden Park are expecting almost as tough a test as in last week's cup match at Birmingham when they visit Blaydon in the clash of North One's two unbeaten sides.

Ian James replaces Jason Malcolm at lock and there is a slight doubt about centre Mark Bedworth, who has been unable to travel up from York University for training this week. John Stewart stands by.

There will be a clash of Durham City products at scrum half with Phil Harvey facing Ben Stevenson, who makes his first senior appearance of the season for Blaydon.

There is still no place for Inga Tuigamala in the Newcastle team to entertain Bristol in the fifth round of the Tetley's Bitter Cup tomorrow. Ruled out by a grumbling appendix three weeks ago, the Samoan is now fully fit but has to settle for a place on the bench with Epi Taione staying on the left wing.

England fly half Jonny Wilkinson returns in place of David Walder, and Mike Howe will be at hooker as Ross Nesdale has a calf injury.

Newcastle are again without George Graham, Stuart Grimes and John Leslie, who are in an unchanged Scotland team to face Australia, which means 19-year-old former Middlesbrough winger Jon Steel is again selected.

Bristol will be lacking three Argentinian internationals, including Felipe Contepomi, who has been keeping out former West Hartlepool fly half Steve Vile and scored all the points in last week's cup win against Wasps.

His half-back partner Augustin Pichot is also required for international duty in Buenos Aires, along with centre Eduardo Simone.

Whatever side he fields, former Newcastle player-coach Dean Ryan will have his side fired up for the match.

He is likely to include another former Falcon in lock Garath Archer, who made his comeback after injury last week but has not been named in the England squad.

l Bishop Auckland are to stage a match tomorrow in honour of Paul Fitt, whose recent sudden death at the age of 38 came as a huge shock.

He had also played for Shildon and Newton Aycliffe, and the teams will comprise players from all three clubs. The match will kick off at 11am and there will be a short service at 10.45