HOOKER Duncan Green returns after a concussion lay-off to the Kendal squad that travels to face Rugby Lions on Saturday following a third idle weekend, writes Richard Daniels.

Home fans were denied an early chance in 2005 to see the team in action with the postponement of last weekend's home fixture with Blaydon.

The referee's early-morning decision to call off the game, which has been rearranged for April 16, came after storms caused widespread damage and disruption throughout the North.

Kendal match secretary Roger Wilson said the referee had deemed the pitch to be "unfit for scrummaging", a main safety factor now considered in decisions.

Meanwhile, Green makes a welcome return in his usual role as first-choice No. 2 in the only change to the starting line-up from last Saturday's selected XV.

Stand-in Allen Martindale drops to the bench as a forwards replacement instead of Dan Bowles, who has a run-out in the Second XV.

Team: S. Mulholland, J. Ladell, M. Armstrong, P. Dodds, L. Ladell, D. Stephens, M. Airey, B. Coxon, D. Green, R. Harryman, D. Preston, M. Capstick, M. Bowman, D. Bowman, A. Bateson.

Replacements: A. Martindale, J. Nicholson, L. Hayton, D. Bibby.

The Kendal coach leaves from Kendal Cricket Club at 9.30am and, because the Rugby ground is equipped with floodlights. there will be a 3pm kick-off.

Apart from Fylde, who they have yet to play home or away, Kendal have had a sight of all the opposition at this level and now comes the interesting time when the sides try to put what they've learned about their rivals to good use.

Kendal will be bidding to turn around a 17-7 defeat when the sides met at the end of November.

Kendal's only points came three minutes in when Martin Armstrong completed an exquisite 40-metre run-in.

Athough Kendal kept out Rugby for the next 35 minutes before a penalty put the visitors on the scoreboard, they played poorly in the second half and lost Dan Stephens and Dan Bowman with injuries before they conceded two close-range converted tries to settle the issue.

Since then Rugby Lions have swiftly bounced back from the blunder that cost them the deduction of five points for fielding an ineligible player against Bedford Athletic.

The Lions moved up to seventh in the table and had the benefit of shaking off the festive cobwebs already last Saturday with a 22-15 win over New Brighton, who were lying above them in the table but have gone "all amateur" and stopped paying players which may affect their form in coming weeks.

Tries in the first half from Gareth Collins and Allan Mitchell led to a 15-5 lead at half-time but New Brighton levelled the scores before Rugby sealed the verdict five minutes into injury time when second row Simon Hepher went over and Mitchell converted to seal the win.

Going into Saturday's match Kendal coach Neil Rollings will know that Rugby's strong set of forwards have a formidable try-scoring record - 20 of the team's 42 tries (a total only surpassed by league leaders Halifax) have come via the pack.

Of those, the back row have produced 11 tries, suggesting these are the men to watch closely along with Allan Mitchell, ther goal-kicking utility back who is at present the second most prolific points- scorer in the division.

Conversely, if Rugby have a weak spot it seems to be their midfield defence, where they have conceded 11 tries more than any other club in the league.The only other two matches played last Saturday were also of specific interest to Kendal as both involved teams scrapping to get out of the three-slot relegation zone.

The upshot was that Bedford Athletic already look cast in the role as fall guys as they are cut adrift at the foot of the table with only 10 points.

There was an important victory for Cleckheaton's survival hopes, a 21-6 victory over the bottom side, while Dudley Kingswinford, although still second from bottom, closed the gap to the sides above them with a 5-0 victory over Darlington, another of the bottom five.

n Kendal have opted for an overnight stop on their trip to Bedford Athletic in a fortnight's time. They plan to stay at Northampton on Friday night before driving on to Athletic's ground on Saturday morning.