It's all change on the rugby union front this season.

The RFU has restructured the Northern Divisions to reduce the amount of travelling clubs have faced in the last few campaigns.

Here's how sides in the York area are shaping up for the new season.

YORK Rugby Union Club's new coach Andy Gair is facing the opening match of a new-look league season in optimistic mood.

York, like the rest of the clubs in the region, will have to come to terms with restructured league.

It means some different opposition, starting with tomorrow's trip to Morpeth, but Gair is confident York have the ability to compete.

"From what I am told the team spirit improved towards the end of last season and I think we can build on that.

"From what I have seen so far there is a lot of potential talent. When I look at Morpeth and Alnwick we are as good as them. There is potential in the backs and if we win enough ball we can do well," said Gair, who will be assisted by experienced hooker Neil Lineham.

There will be two new faces in the York line-up tomorrow - Australian Nathan Harding, a prop from Warringah Rugby Club in New South Wales, and second row Gareth Thomas who has played for Salisbury in South West Division One and represented Scottish Universities.

In the backs there is a new centre partnership of club stalwart Sean Bass and former North of England Colt Stuart Davies with Rob Liddle and Tom Heppleston on the wings.

Tom Copeland is at full-back, returning to the club after a season at Sandal. The half back pair are Craig Ventress at fly-half and James Arkle.

All the backs are former colts including the backs substitute Nick Ventress - younger brother of Craig - while the pack also contains three colts.

Gair's first move following his appointment is introducing some new methods at Clifton Park.

"I want to introduce a coaching culture and encourage players to coach each other," said the 33-year-old former Newcastle and Harrogate player.

As well as making training sessions fun he wants the squad to pass on their knowledge and skills to each other.

Another of his priorities is to establish better links with York University and local colleges which may unearth some talented players.

Chesterfield-born Gair took his first steps in the game at mini-rugby sessions at Sheffield, just a drop goal from his family home.

When the Gair family moved to North Yorkshire in 1985 the teenage Gair linked up with Harrogate, and also spent a season at Roundhay while training to be a teacher at Carnegie College, Leeds.

He passed both his RFU preliminary and intermediate badges at 18 Gair but was advised by an assessor not to take his full badge until he was 35 - he passed at 21.

Gair took up a teaching post in Cheshire and joined the Winnington Park club where he plied his trade as a centre until helping out with coaching sessions at Newcastle in the summer holidays.

The post of Youth Development Officer for Northumberland came up for grabs in 1992 and for the next six years he worked for the RFU and played National League rugby for Newcastle alongside the likes of Gareth Archer and against the stature of Gloucester and Harlequins before leaving in December 1994.

The following month he tore a medial ligament in his left knee while coaching Northumberland under 17s and that effectively ended his top level career - just months before the game embraced professional players.

Successful coaching spells followed with Novocastrians women's team where they gained three promotions and a string of international honours, and junior club Wallsend.

He also brought rugby success to Haydon Bridge School, near Newcastle, where he was teaching physical education before returning to live in Harrogate to work as Active Sports manager in conjunction with North Yorkshire County Council.

York

North East TWO fixtures

September: 2 Morpeth (a), 9 Pocklington (a) NPI Cup, 16 Halifax (a), 23 Darlington (a), 30 Goole (h)

October: 7 NPI 2nd rd, 14 Old Crossleyans (a), 21 Alnwick (h), 28 Bridlington (a)

November: 11 West Park Bramhope (h), 18 Redcar (a), 25 Beverley (h)

December: 9 Huddersfield (a), 16 Redcar (h),

January: 6 West Park Bramhope (a), 13 Bridlington (h), 20 Alnwick (a), 27 Old Crossleyans (h)

February: 10 Goole (a), 24 Darlington (h)

March: 10 Halifax (h), 17 Morpeth (h), 31 Huddersfield (h)

April: 14 Beverley (a)