DEAN Richards is confident his Newcastle Falcons fringe players will rise to the occasion after changing his entire starting line-up for this evening's British & Irish Cup final with Leinster A.

While tonight's Kingston Park showpiece offers the opportunity for a piece of silverware since 2004's Powergen Cup final, the British & Irish Cup is of limited importance compared to the impending Championship play-off final.

Falcons travel to Bedford next Thursday, with the return fixture on Tyneside on May 29 set to determine whether Newcastle replace London Welsh in next season's Aviva Premiership.

Those two games clearly take precedent over tonight's encounter, but while Richards will rest all of his key players against Leinster's second string, he remains confident of a strong showing.

"There are a lot of changes for this game purely to back-up what happened on Sunday (when Falcons beat Leeds in the second leg of their Championship semi-final)," he said. "There are a lot of bruised bodies, and we have to make sure that we get them right for next week.

"In saying that, the quality of the squad that we have named is exceptionally good, and I am looking forward to it, and I think it is going to be a really good game."To be honest, I'm not too bothered about silverware, I just like winning and if the silverware goes along with that, then happy days.

"I never really look at that though. Provided we keep the momentum going and win, I'll be happy."

Leinster have also named an experimental side for tonight's game, but Richards is expecting the Irish visitors to provide a tough test despite Falcons' unbeaten record throughout the competition so far.

"They are a good side," he said. "You only have to look at the continuity they have through the squad in terms of the style and the way they play to know what they are going to bring.

"A team of Leinster's magnitude will have a huge amount of strength in depth and quality as well. Whatever side comes over here is going to be a very difficult side to beat."

NEWCASTLE FALCONS: Sole, Higgins, Crockett, Fitzpatrick, Kibirige, Hodgson, Lawson; Hall, Vickers, S Wilson, Tomes, Hudson, Stedman, R Mayhew, York.

Replacements: M Mayhew, Hallam, MacLeod, Tu'ifua, Pilgrim, Luveniyali, M Tait.