JOE CRAGGS will make his 200th league appearance for Darlington Mowden Park as they host Rosslyn Park in National One this afternoon.

Garry Law’s side sit sixth in the table, and are taking on a side just six points ahead of them in the table.

The game is a landmark one for Craggs, who made his first XV debut back in 2015. The second row is a graduate of the club’s junior section, and forwards coach Joe Cain was full of praise for the 27 year-old on the eve of his 200th outing.

Cain said: “It will be a big occasion for Joe this weekend. Having represented the club so many times at such a young age is a great achievement and all the team are right behind him in his 200th game for DMP.”

Craggs and his Mowden team-mates have enjoyed a positive season so far, with a relatively young squad adapting well to life in National One.

Scrum-half Callum Pascoe said: “As a squad we are pretty happy with how things have gone this season, comparing it to last season when we were battling to stay up right till the last couple games. We knew we didn’t want to be in that position again and the lads have really worked hard for every win to get us higher on the table.”

Pascoe has become an integral part of the Mowden squad since joining the club in 2022, appearing in every league game so far. The former Falcons academy scrum-half has taken on the role of captaincy recently in the absence of the injured Will Jones, and is relishing the extra responsibility.

Pascoe said: “I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a massive miss with our captain Will Jones being out injured, he’s been a key part of our success this season and we can’t wait for him to get back playing again.”

Today’s opponents sit just ahead of Mowden in fourth, and have generally enjoyed the better of the recent games between the two sides.

Pascoe added: “Rosslyn are a very good side, they got a big set of forwards and quick backs out wide, they like to move the ball around similar to us so it should be a great game to watch with both teams really going for it.”

Mowden have made three changes from the side that started against Sedgley Park, with Charlie Smith and Henry Hadfield handed starts having impressed off the bench last weekend. The only other change sees Ewan Greenlaw return to the starting line-up, joining Ben Frankland in the centres.