Otley are not going to let the loss of Ireland star Guy Easterby rail-road their National Two promotion push.

They head to rivals Black-heath on Saturday for their first league game without the veteran player-coach, who has signed a short-term contract at former club Leinster.

But assistant coach Mark Luffman says they will manage without the influential ever-present scrum half and have an able replacement in ex-Bradford & Bingley No 9 Dave McCormack.

"Guy has got the opportunity to go back to Leinster and play in the Heineken Cup," he said.

"They have some injuries and want him until the end of the pool stages in mid-January.

"He was keen to play and we're happy enough as we've got really good replacements in Dave McCormack and Andy Brown, who's currently on loan at Harrogate.

"Scrum half is probably the strongest position at the club so, as much as it's a loss losing Guy, we've got some real experience in his place.

"Dave's starting on Saturday and he'll see this as an opportunity to impress.

"He's captained Lancashire, played for years at Sedgley Park too and is a great scrum half so we'll be fine."

Otley have lost just twice this season and are only three points behind leaders Manchester.

However, Blackheath are chasing hard too and could overhaul them if they pull off a bonus point win on Saturday.

"It will be a big challenge," Luffman said.

"Every game now is bigger than the last one but this is second versus third.

"Blackheath will see it as a massive fixture but we've picked up some big away wins before."

He added: "We made some changes for the National Trophy match last week but Saturday we'll be reverting pretty much to the side that won down in Redruth."