IT'S hard to tell which of the teams will greet the launch of a new National Divison Two season with greater joy tomorrow when Wharfedale entertain Nuneaton at The Avenue (3pm), (writes Tony Simpson).

After last season's toils the Dalesmen will be glad of a clean slate and are up-beat about the return of key players, the full fitness of other experienced men and a sprinkling of new faces to add spice to the mix.

The mood up the Dale has been entirely positive and 'rarin to go' seems the most appropriate description of the mood in the camp.

"It's one of those games - there's great anticipation because you don't know what to expect," says Director of Rugby Michael Harrison. "We've got to concentrate on our own game and not worry about them."

Nuneaton's delight at running out at The Avenue is rather more deep seated. They were recently at the High Court in front of Mr Justice Pumfrey when their place in National Two was on the line after a complaint from New Brighton.

That centred on the eligibility of Tongan international Elisi Vunipola to play for Nuneaton last season, but despite the Cheshire club's protestations regarding work permit regulations, the judge ruled in favour of Nuneaton and the RFU.

That decision alone left the entire club sharing a massive sigh of relief which will have lifted their morale dramatically as they face a new set of fixtures.

Another boost has been the signing of former England prop Darren Garforth as a player and forward coach. He has 25 England caps and over 300 appearances for Leicester Tigers to his credit since joining them from Nuneaton.

At 37, he is in the twilight of his senior career, but will doubtless know enough to hold his corner tomorrow.

The Wharfedale coaching staff will be keen to ensure that he does not achieve more than that and fracture the team's set-piece platform.

The only notable absentee from the Dalesmen's ranks tomorrow is centre Chris Malherbe, who damaged a ham-string against Halifax, leaving Jonathon Davies to team up in mid-field with Andy Baggett and David Pears.

Pears goes into the game untested after missing the two warm-up games because of honeymoon commitments and the Greens call up the versatile Adam Oldfield for his first outing on the bench as cover after doing well in the trial matches.

Andy Lovatt and Gareth Johnston take the wing berths, Sam Cottrell partners Pears and Andy Hodgson leads the side from full-back.

The make-up of the pack is fairly predictable, with Phil Peel, James Ogden and Neil Dickinson starting in the front-row and Gavin Hindle and Craig Ingram on the bench and likely to get a run.

David Lister and Anthony Capstick are re-united in the second-row after the latter's injury at the end of last season, while Tony Jackson resumes at flanker alongside Hedley Verity and No 8 Ben Wade.

One other new face on the bench is that of Ben Pattinson, who has decided to join the club from Middlesbrough.

The form-book points to a win for the Dalesmen, provided the excitement and relief of winning that court case does not inject too much adrenalin into the opposition.

Wharfedale: A Hodgson; G Johnston, J Davies, A Baggett, A Lovatt; D Pears, S Cottrell; P Peel, J Ogden, N Dickinson, D Lister, A Capstick, T Jackson, H Verity, B Wade. Replacements: A Oldfield, C Ingram, G Hindle, B Pattinson.