But they are driven by aggressive ambition and unless you develop a similar attitude it’snot easy to compete

But they are driven by aggressive ambition and, unless you develop a similar attitude, it’snot easy to compete.”Middlesbrough’s coach, Bernie Coyne, himself a product of the Old era, remains optimistic despite the sort of difficulties which have an echo in club-houses throughout the land “When we were a good side, West were building,” he said “We remained complacent and didn’t recruit. Rob Andrew and Alan Old started their careers at Acklam Park, and while Phil Horrocks-Taylor began as a Wasp he won the last two of his 10 caps when with Middlesbrough.Well before Andrew first appeared in the maroon colours – alongside, lest it be forgotten, Rory Underwood – the Teesside club, languishing uncomfortably close to the relegation zone in North Division One, were showing signs of debility.The advent of leagues in 1987 has merely accentuated their decline as a force in the North-east, where they are now overshadowed by Saturday’s opponents and West Hartlepool.In his first season as Newcastle Gosforth’s director of rugby, Old is conscious of the problems facing his former club “When I was at Boro we never lost to West. But the lads responded to him very well and they were quite happy Mark Tainton in particular found his approach refreshing.”. Middlesbrough 11

Newcastle Gosforth 39
Middlesbrough and Wasps share the distinction of providing England with more outside-halves than any other club in the country since the Second World War Boro’s impressive contribution to this endowment is three. Alan Morley, like so many Bristolians, has been helping out at Third Division Clifton, but the England wing who made over 500 appearances for Bristol and scored nearly 500 tries in his playing career has turned up recently in a coaching role at his former club.A club spokesman said: “He’s not quite sure how well he would fit in on a regular basis. The warmest thing on their plate today could well be the reception awaiting them after their journey from the The Gnoll.Once the Gwent side to be feared, Pontypool may have the No 8 Gareth Taylor in outstanding form and pressing for a call from the Welsh selectors but nowadays it is fear itself that is on their side. Fear of relegation, that is, as they and Newport look at life from the bottom of the pack.As for Newport, who suffered their ninth defeat in 12 matches in the league at Newbridge on Wednesday, they will at least tempt some Englishmen from the fireside when they make the short hop across the Severn to the Memorial Ground, where rugby life is considerably rosier.Bristol may have given up all hope of catching their West Country rivals Bath in the Courage league, but they have just thumped Nottingham in the Pilkington Cup and are looking forward with a certain amount of confidence to their home fifth-round tie aga inst Leicester at the end of next month.Their appetite for success stems not least from the appearance of an old stalwart at training.

Having spread the Heineken League fixtures across four days over the festive season – “to avoid losing players to Christmas shopping”, so we are told – Pontypool and Neath have drawn what most would consider to be the shortest of straws and must play today.
Indeed, cold turkey is appropriate fare for this pair, even though Cardiff’s runaway season was checked to some extent on Thursday night at the Arms Park by second-placed Pontypridd.This defeat of the leaders still leaves Neath eight points off the pace in mid-table. Cold turkey in rugby terms is surely having to play a league match on Boxing Day. All of which might leave top Englishmen warm and snug, not to mention smug, with their feet up in front of the fire and not in the least bit envious of what some Wel shmen have on their plate this afternoon. The return of Davies provided much needed ballast and now the Llanelli ship looks set fare once again.Llanelli: Tries Proctor 4, G Evans 3, R Evans, Davies; Conversions Stephens 2, Strange; Penalty Stephens.

Abertillery: Try M Williams; Conversion M Williams; Penalties M Williams 2.Llanelli: J Strange; W Proctor, N Boobyer, M Wintle, G Evans; C Stephens, H Harries; R Evans, R McBryde (P Young, 74), H Williams-Jones, P Davies (capt), L Williams, C Quinnell, I Hembrow, A McPherson (A Lamerton, 55).Abertillery: A Price; M Williams, R Richards, S Connors, A Richards; K Price, M Rossitor (capt); J Mainwaring, C Milkins, B Cripps, J Cicero, M Griffiths, G Gladwyn, J Williams, M Picton.Referee: P Rees (Aberystwyth).. With full fitness restored, Davies remains a certainty for the Welsh World Cup squad.The other heartening news for the national selectors was the form of the right wing, Wayne Proctor. In his first league outing since 12 November, and his 296th appearance for Llanelli, he tore around the pitch as if he was playing at Stradey Park for the first time.The acting captain also got in on the try act, crossing for one of his side’s nine scores, and the on-looking selectors will have been much heartened by what they saw. Llanelli 54

Abertillery 13
Rumours that Phil Davies had passed his international sell-by date would appear to be somewhat premature following the big man’s committed and athletic display in leading the Scarlets to Saturday’s much-needed victory.A big man for the big occasion, Davies lost his place in the Welsh pack for the Test against the Springboks last month when the selectors finally gave the Cardiff giant, Derwyn Jones, his fling in the second row.Jones proved an instant hit alongside the new skipper, Gareth Llewellyn, and many people felt the 6ft 10in youngster’s exciting debut could prove the death knell for Davies’s illustrious international career.If that was supposed to be the case then someone obviously forgot to tell Davies. The race for the Stones Bitter First Division championship could be either compressed into an intriguingly tight contest or stretched into a virtual formality by today’s results. St Helens can do themselves and everyone else a huge favour by beating Wigan this morning, in a match that should attract a capacity 17,000 crowd despite an unseasonally early kick-off to suit Sky television.
Wigan will still be without Phil Clarke, sidelined since the third Test with ankle ligament damage, but that is outweighed by the glad tidings over Denis Betts, who has escaped suspension, and Jason Robinson and Martin Hall, who should both be fit.Saints will have Scott Gibbs back in the centres, but the prospects of Alan Hunte and Paul Loughlin returning are less certain.There have been times this season when Saints have once more looked capable of the sort of irresistible rugby that produced a scarcely believable 41-6 triumph over Wigan the last time the Christmas derby was staged at Knowsley Road, two years ago.A repeat of that scoreline might command odds that would make the National Lottery look a sure thing, but Saints could just spring the surprise that, combined with Leeds’ win over Wigan two weeks ago, would take the championship into the new year as a live proposition rather than a stuffed turkey.The question then will be whether the sides massed in Wigan’s slipstream can get through the festive season without slipping up.Leeds should survive at Hull, although playing this most acrimonious of fixtures in the special atmosphere of a bank holiday could give an injury-hit Humberside team an important lift.Castleford should, in theory, maintain their momentum at the expense of their neighbours, Featherstone, but Halifax and Bradford Northern, third and fourth respectively, meet in one of the day’s best-balanced fixtures.The mooted transfer of Paul Round from Halifax to Northern and his possible debut today would give the game an extra edge, but Castleford have complicated the picture by also showing interest.Andy Currier, Featherstone’s former Great Britain centre, is the subject of interest from Warrington, who could use their Welsh internationals, Kevin Ellis and Rowland Phillips, as bargaining counters.Both are on loan to Workington Town and in line to play today against the club making the longest journey, Wakefield Trinity.Warrington themselves will welcome back Jonathan Davies and Allan Bateman against Widnes and also have their captain, Greg Mackey, fit to continue his long ever-present run.On a day of influential returnees, Widnes should have David Hulme back in action for the first time since the early days of the season, and Andy Gregory will resume for Salford against Oldham after a shorter absence.. Bridgend: Penalties Ball 2.Dunvant: D Evans (capt); P Hopkins, G Davies (M Thomas 72), W Lloyd, S Morgan; W Booth (C Hutchings, 23-30), N Lloyd; M Waygood (A Piper, 35), M Davies, K Allan, D Niblo, A Gregory, I Callaghan, P Morris (C Davies, 66), R Greenwood.Bridgend: M Back; G Thomas, G Jones, J Ball, G Willins; M Lewis, R Howley (capt); D Rees, I Greenslade, S Gale, S Thomas, E Williams, J Purnell, A Williams (N Jones, 59), J Forster.Referee: D Bevan (Clydach)..