Rugby

Vikings hope to halt newcomers' progress

North Walsham break new ground on Saturday with a first time visit to Dorking, as the Surrey club were promoted at the end of last season.

They have made a quick impact at the higher level with six wins from their eight games they currently lie fifth in the table, last week going down to their second defeat at the hands of Bracknell.

As they are newcomers to the league and there is no previous history between the clubs or knowledge of how they like to play the game it should be an interesting encounter

From the league stats it appears that their outside half Matt Noble is probably their key player, having scored eight tries in as many matches and his 78 points with the boot put him second in the kickers list.

Despite last week's 17-10 defeat at home to Basingstoke, the Walsham coaches were encouraged by the way the side performed, particularly in maintaining their discipline when on the back foot.

There will be at least one enforced change as scrum half Lee Sandberg has been called up for international duty with the Swedish team to play Holland and Malta on successive weekends. In the Holland game he will be coming up against ex-Walsham winger Fedde Lingsma who made half a dozen appearances for the club in the 2005-06 season. The choice of replacement would seem to lie between Alex Graf Grote, who is a natural No 9, or Bruce van Poortvliet.

The latter has already shown his versatility, playing in four different positions and still managing to score five tries - as many as any player in the whole of last season. If he is moved then his place could go to either John Turner or Andy Pybus. The outside half position could also be subject to a shuffle as last week Adie Ball swapped places with Justin Loveridge to give more of a physical presence.

The pack could remain unchanged although Josh Reeves, on the brink of a comeback from injury, could figure on the bench with Shaun Woodhouse if the latter's registration comes through.

Both the Raiders and Warriors games have been called off and a fixture for a joint side is being sought.

North Walsham: (from) S Loose, G Rossouw (Capt), M McCall, A Soutar, C Godwin, L Davies, P Sokia, S Phoenix, A Graf-Grote, B van Poortvliet, J Loveridge, T Holt, A Ball, J Burroughs, A Pybus, J Turner, S Woodhouse, D Kelly, R Davies-Horne.

On the back of last week's dramatic late win, Diss travel with renewed confidence to the south coast to face Portsmouth.

The Blues looked like being held to a draw at home by Bishop's Stortford last Saturday, until Andy Thorpe's last minute try saw them snatch victory.

Portsmouth are four places below Diss in the table, having only won one game this season, and it is matches such as this that the coaching team are targeting as must-win games.

Gavin Brock is able to pick a virtually unchanged squad, as there were no serious injuries last week.

The fourth team are playing away at Thetford (2.30pm). Diss are second in the league and are looking to maintain the pressure on the Medics above them.

Diss: Richards, Williams, Groom, Howard, Page, Hall, Fuller, Horne, Jones, Chartier, Kelsall, Smith, Wilby, Bliss, Thorpe, Beaird, Butler, Passmore.