Wood skippers Wanderers at Newcastle as Spittle gets a chance to shine

Tom Wood will captain the Wanderers at Newcastle (picture: Dave Ikin)

Wood made his return after almost seven months out in the 29-26 friendly defeat to London Irish at Franklin's Gardens last Monday.And after that successful 60-minute stint, he starts again against the Newcastle second string.Reece Marshall also gets more game time after scoring and being sin-binned against Irish.And Jamal Ford-Robinson is at tighthead, having not featured from the bench against Irish last week.Jack Spittle is given the No.11 shirt with the Nottingham player being given a chance as a guest.The 23-year-old is a former Old Northamptonians player and Northampton School for Boys pupil.He skippered NSB to their first Daily Mail Schools Trophy final in 2013 and was named Rugby World school player of the month at one point.There are five further guest players on the Wanderers bench at Newcastle, with Jack Culverhouse, Karl Garside, Olly Povoas, Ciaran Whyte and Sam Evans hoping to get some game time.Tonight's Premiership Rugby Shield match will be shown live on Freesports, available on Freeview HD channel 95, Sky channel 422, or Virgin TV 130/553.

Newcastle Falcons: Arscott; Radwan, Stevenson, Bettencourt, Kibiridge; Connon, Stuart; Davison, Blamire, Mitchell; Montgomery, G Young; Marshall, Collett, Burrows (c).Replacements: Cooper, Payne, Wilson, Nagusa, Graham, M Young, Wilson, Hodge.Wanderers: Emery; Worley, Sleightholme, Strachan, Spittle; Furbank, Tupai; Davis, Marshall, Ford-Robinson; Moon, Onojaife; Wallace, Ryan, Wood (c).Replacements: Ma'asi, Culverhouse, Garside, Coles, Povoas, Dayes, Whyte, Evans.