After two wins on home turf against Guisborough and Gosforth, the trip to Heaton will be a test of Rovers’ promotion credentials against difficult opposition and one that likes to play quick and running rugby.

The Whites have won twice in their last three visits to Cartington Terrace: 25-10 in one of their best away performances of last season and 24-20 in season 2011/12. Sandwiched in-between, however, was a heavy 39-10 defeat on a day, just as against Gosforth last week, when nothing seemed to go right.

The quality of the side Rovers will face on Tyneside at this early stage of the season for the students will not become clear until the game starts but the Medics have fielded very competitive teams over recent seasons and a convincing win for them at the New Friarage last season of 36-15 bears this out.

Given the weather this week, the Friaragemen might find tricky conditions underfoot and for handling the ball and will want to show more crisp and accurate passing than they managed in the narrow 7-3 win over Gosforth.

If the pack can get on the front foot and drive forward, and it takes a good pack to stop them, then the backs should see enough of the ball to take the game to Medicals.

The White Shirts are without the unavailable Liam Austwicke for the game and so Chris Sainty wears the number 15 shirt. Andrew Pinchen has failed to shrug off the ankle injury that forced him off last week but Anthony Hanley is available and makes his first start of the season. Michael Foster comes into the back row at number 8.
Andrew Flounders is also unavailable and his place on the bench is filled by his brother Ian who is joined by Michael Barnfield and Stewart Grazier.

Rovers: Sainty, Grand, Gunn, Coulson (c), Smith, Fawcett, S Barnfield, Tucker, J Cushlow, Wise, Baxter, Hanley, Wilson, Maddison, Foster. Subs: I Flounders, M Barnfield, Grazier