BRADFORD & BINGLEY are starting the new year by sending out one of their strongest sides of the season.

The tenth-placed North-One East club, who are too close to the drop zone for comfort, are only missing Sam White as they host sixth-placed Alnwick.

The Bees hand a debut to former Stellenbosch University player Tanner Lightfoot, with the fly half being known to fellow South African, lock Troy Frisch.

Martin Whitcombe’s men also include Harry Jeffrey in the second row and Dennis Tuffour in the centre, and secretary Nick Patterson said: “We reckon we can get 35 points in the second half of the season, which would take us to 60, which is usually safe.”

CLECKHEATON, in contrast, have some forwards missing for the trip to Bridlington, hence player-coach Thiu Barnard making an appearance in the second row.

“Hopefully we will still have enough about us to win,” said Barnard.

OLD GROVIANS, who are at Goole in Yorkshire Division Two, are more badly affected and have lost fly half Ed Brown back to Ilkley, while centre Elliot Cosgrove is set to miss the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Also absent are Matt Dakin, Will Blackhall, Danny Secker and Charles Cockshott, but Anthony Griffin makes a rare appearance in the back line to help compensate.

WIBSEY have nine players unavailable, three of whom are working, for their Yorkshire Division Four North West visit to Leeds Corinthians, with both teams in a five-horse race for four places in the Super Eights.

However, the High Street club have signed rugby league player Nathan Broadbent.

Bradford & Bingley (home to Alnwick) probable: A Sutcliffe; A Walker, B Greaves, D Tuffour, I Finau; T Lightfoot, D Jeffrey; M Crotch, M Cochrane, R Wederell, H Jeffrey, T Frisch, T Booth, T Cummins, L Fraser. Replacements: C Spencer, M Mountain, R Wilson.

Cleckheaton (at Bridlington): J Wilson; M Hayward, L Darville, Matt Piper, P Foulstone; M Swetman, J Bickerdike; P Turner, N Jackson, A Piper, T Barnard, N Cherryholme, J Crowther, J Seddon, B Marsden. Replacements: R Piercy, R Evans, B Smith.

Wibsey (at Leeds Corinthians) from: A Rose, J Brown, S Birkbeck, R Simpson, S Foulds, N Broadbent, L Wilson, D Wilkinson, K Carter, L Helliwell, A Armitage, B Wright, R Goldsborough, J Cull, J Rogers, J Sawyer, S Taylor, D Hartley, R Hall, R Greenwood.