Clarke keeps faith with Scorpions side

South Wales coach Dave Clark could field an unchanged side from the team that lost 42-12 at Rochdale last week as the Scorpions take on Gateshead Thunder.

Clark said: "I'm looking at the same side. I had six under-18s guys playing, and I'm very proud of how they responded to the environment.

"It's about giving them a taste of Co-operative Championship 1 rugby league ahead of next year."

However, Clark has told his players to be on red alert as winless Gateshead travel south.

Clark said: "They're looking for their first win and I don't want it to be us. We've got to really perform to stop them doing that.

"They're very hungry for that first win and our results haven't been where we'd like. They'll see us as a side they can go toe-to-toe with. We've got to be ready."

Thunder coach Kevin Neighbour will check on the availability of two players amid fears work commitments could rule them out, but has no new injuries to contend with.

Loan pair Shane Ackerley and Danny Barker are back in contention for Gateshead after missing last week's 60-12 defeat against their parent club Whitehaven.

Neighbour insisted he will not study the Scorpions in great depth, saying: "There's no point in looking at anything else other than ourselves, because that takes your concentration off the task.

"You've got to work on what you can control, and if you do that it gives you a chance."