It is a case of good news, bad news for Wharfedale this week.

James Tincknell has rejoined the Greens on loan from Leeds Carnegie but full back Adam Whaites could be out for the season with a knee injury.

It is particularly bad luck on Whaites as he spent last summer recovering from thyroid cancer.

Tincknell, seriously injured in a car crash last February, has an open-ended loan spell but his return has been welcomed by chairman of rugby Michael Harrison, who said: “It’s great to have James back after his accident, but he has to be re-introduced carefully.

"His injuries were life-threatening, and this is part of his rehabilitation.

“Our job is to get him ready to resume his profess-ional career – and if he helps us out on the way, so much the better.”

With another two players limping off the Blackheath pitch last week, the Dalesmen have only been able to make a tentative selection for Saturday's match at home to high-flying SSE National League One newcomers Ealing Trailfinders.

Luke Gray moves to full back in an otherwise unchanged back division, with James Druce – a prolific scorer for the Foresters – coming on to the bench.

Prop Neil Dickinson makes his first start of the season, and Joe Quinn is on the bench, subject to fitness.

Wharfedale (home to Ealing Trailfinders): L Gray; D Hart, A Hodgson, J Gill, S Horsfall; T Barrett, P Woodhead; C Steel, B Sowrey, N Dickinson, R Rhodes, R Brown, A Myers, R Baldwin, D Solomi. Replacements: M Tampin, S Graham, J Quinn, J Gough, J Druce.