Matt Williams links up with Saxons

Matt Williams is set to link up with Stourbridge Saxons for their trip to Wharfedale on Saturday.

His call-up comes after proving his fitness to Saxons' director of rugby Neil Mitchell by turning out for Stourbridge's fifths.

Williams returned for a second spell with the Stourton Park club back in January but spent the summer in Canada.

Now Mitchell hopes the free-running back will show the maverick touches that made him such hot property in his previous spell in the Black Country.

He said: "Matt is a bit of a maverick.

"But he is also an excellent rugby player and scored the best try I've ever seen by anyone in a Stourbridge shirt when running through the entire Manchester side four years ago."

Saxons came from behind to win 20-18 at home to Blaydon on Saturday, Cameron Brown slotting over a late penalty to wrap up a nail-biting victory.

Scrum-half Tom Richardson impressed when he came off the bench early in the second half while Tom Jarvis and James Freeman bagged the tries, Luke Cozens and Brown adding the extra points.

But Mitchell is keen not to make wholesale changes for the trip to the Dales, keeping Ollie Frost at number nine with Richardson again among the replacements.

He said: "We will need to apply sustained pressure and we can do that with Tom Richardson coming off the bench.It is a very tough place to go.

"There is a slope but Wharfedale seem to use it to their advantage whichever way they are playing!"

One change that has been forced on Mitchell is in the front row following prop Shaun Ruwers move to Wasps, which will see Tim Pickard start his first game for the club at tight-head.