ILKLEY are set to hand out some competitive debuts on Saturday when they are at North One East champions Doncaster Phoenix in the first round of the Yorkshire Cup (4.00).

Head coach Rhys Morgan said: "We don't select until tonight but Luke Freer, who has signed from Old Otliensians, is in the frame for a wing berth, while former Northumbria University student Kieran Dannart, who was at Darlington Mowden Park, stands a chance in the second row.

"We also have Chris Gemmell and Chris Blackhall in with a shout against a team who are our league rivals this season but it is the usual scenario at this time of year in terms of player availability.

"We had half a dozen unavailable for the Blackburn match, several missing for last weekend's match against Bridgnorth and four or five missing this weekend."

Morgan, whose side start their National League Three North campaign at home to Billingham on September 3, added: "I am a great respecter of the Yorkshire Cup and its tradition but I treat it as part of our pre-season.

"Having said that, however, we are expecting a tough match against Doncaster Phoenix.

"It is a while since we have played them but they will have recruited and will be looking to build on what they achieved last season."

A trip to Castle Park – Ilkley are kicking off later as Doncaster Knights host Darlington Mowden Park beforehand – is the last piece in what has been a testing pre-season for Morgan and his men.

He said: "We had an unusual kick-off time against Blackburn, had a five-hour coach trip to Bridgnorth last Saturday and have a later kick-off this weekend against Doncaster Phoenix.

"We only arrived just before the start last weekend at Bridgnorth, had to fit 26 players into a small changing room, the pitch was five minutes' walk away from the changing rooms and I had no support staff, so was doing the kit, the water bottles, everything.

"We lost 40-19, and scored tries via Kieran Dannart in the first half and Declan Jackson in the second, but what shone though was the character of the squad, and we have certainly bonded in what have often been adverse circumstances."

The winners of the Doncaster Phoenix v Ilkley tie will be at home to Huddersfield or Sheffield in the second round in a tie to be played on or before Saturday, October 15.