NEW player/coach Matthew Emmerson was due to pull on the green, black and white shirt of York RUFC for the first time today since joining the Clifton Park club.

The 29-year-old initially joined the club in the coaching capacity, but he will now double up and offer cover for the back-row - starting on the bench for today's game against Yarnbury.

Having made his name at West Hartlepool, before taking up a player/coaching role in Luxembourg, Emmerson will offer York a new professional edge on and off the pitch.

"Matthew has come to us as a coach, but he will play as and when it's appropriate," said York's head coach Andy Gair.

"He has experience and pace. He is built very much like Lee (Denham) but with more pace.

"He will add a lot of experience. Even in training he brings the intensity of a player who has played at a professional level.

"There seems a natural intensity and desire there to put in a top performance every week, so it will be interesting to see how this rubs off on the rest of the players."

Gair admits he knows that Emmerson will use York as a stepping stone to bigger things, but he is happy to have him on board for now.

"I very much see him at York as a temporary measure for Matthew," added Gair, who believes he and Emmerson work very well as a team. "He has the ability to become a very good coach.

"He has a clear picture in his head of how he wants to play the game and what he wants the players to do. He just needs to learn how to communicate them across to the players.

"York will be the place where he develops that language and ability to communicate, as well as testing out his ideas of how the game should be played.

"Whether he stays long term at York, that is down to Matthew."

ANOTHER new face at Clifton Park is winger Billy Cakadnitabola.

Despite having an unusual surname which would give many a commentator nightmares, Billy is actually a relation of Rob Karma, who joined York earlier in the season.

Billy, who had a try disallowed on his debut against Hull, is currently posted in Germany with the Army, but is set to move to York in time for next season.

In the meantime, the Fijian has agreed to turn out for the club when he is on leave.

York's head coach Andy Gair said: "Billy is a very good, competent winger.

"He has good pace, although he is not as quick as Rob Karma, and a good rugby brain."

THERE was a familiar face in the Pocklington line-up which took on a Driffield XV on Saturday, with Dan Clappison turning out for his former club.

Clappison, who is better known for his spells at fly-half for Otley and Harrogate, now plays for National One outfit London Welsh after moving to the capital with work.

However, Clappison, who was in the area for Christmas, pulled on the number 15 shirt for the club which launched his career to play 40 minutes of the friendly.

Despite not managing to help his old club to victory, Clappison did get onto the score-sheet, slotting over the conversion for Sam Allen's try.

THE York annual veterans' tournament may still be in its infancy but the event is already gaining national interest.

The 15-a-side competition for players over 35 years began only two years ago with just local teams taking part, but the third season, which is scheduled for April 14, could see teams from Bristol and Cambridge taking part.

Driffield have won the competition in the previous two years, which sees games played for ten-minutes each way.

Organiser Tin Godson said: "It is pretty competitive. There are usually some good players taking part."

The competition tends to be very much a family affair, with a barbecue and refreshments throughout the day.

Teams interested in taking part should contact Godson on (01904) 706763.

FORMER West Hartlepool back-row Andy Richardson was set to make his long awaited comeback for Pocklington today - barring any interruption by the weather.

Richardson, 32, was in the starting line-up for the beleaguered Yorkshire One club's scheduled clash with Sheffield Tigers today for the first time in just over two years.

Richardson has not started for the first XV since he dislocated his shoulder and tore the ligaments in a friendly against York RI back in November 1999.

Richardson has eased his way back into action since the injury, making a couple of bench appearances for the Percy Road side.

Updated: 11:05 Saturday, January 05, 2002