YORKSHIRE will make their first senior Rugby Union County Championship appearance at The Avenue tomorrow when they entertain Durham in the first match of this season's competition, (writes Tony Simpson).

The White Rose men will be defending the title they won at Twickenham two years ago by defeating Devon, last season's championship being a victim of the foot and mouth crisis.

The 16 sides 'going to post' tomorrow will be pushing for a berth in the quarter-finals on May 11, with the semi-finals on May 18 and the final at Twickenham on June 1.

Wharfedale captain John Lawn will lead the Yorkshire side once again, with club-mates David Lister, Hedley Verity and Jonathan Davies also in the line-up.

Andy Hodgson had to withdraw from the side after picking up a rib injury at Plymouth, but with Rotherham's Peter Massey also having to pull out with injury, Davies has been called into the squad.

Other changes see Wakefield Ross Winney comes in at centre for Hodgson, while up front, lock Martyn Smith from Halifax comes into the second-row for Rotherham's Dan Cooke.

Yorkshire should have enough power to open with a comfortable win and Wharfedale will make a proper job of hosting the match.

Durham, despite their comparatively limited resources, have a great pride in their county side and whoever pulls on the maroon shirt invariably raises their game. Whether that pride can generate a decent contest tomorrow remains to be seen.

Yorkshire: J Davies (Wharfedale); S Dixon (Rotherham), P Greaves (Otley), R Winney (Wakefield), M Kirkby (Otley); C Stephens (Sedgley Park), A Brown (Otley); S Bunting (Rotherham), J Lawn (Wharfedale) capt, M Smith (Halifax), D Lister (Wharfedale), J Dudley (Harrogate), H Verity (Wharfedale), J Burke (Otley).

Replacements: M Duncombe (Harrogate), S Binns (Otley), R Morgan (Harrogate), G Wilson (Wakefield), R Kelly (Otley), I Salkeld (Harrogate).