LEEDS and Great Britain legend Barrie McDermott is set to grace York Acorn ARLC’s Thanet Road ground on Sunday in a Masters Rugby League game against the host outfit.

McDermott heads up a team from Oldham featuring old boys from his former amateur club, Waterhead, plus a few from surrounding areas.

There is also a possibility that McDermott’s fellow former international and Sky Sports pundit Terry O’Connor, the ex-Wigan forward who is now sporting director at Widnes Vikings, will be in their ranks too.

York-based former Hull, Leeds and GB star Gary Divorty, the father of current Featherstone forward Ross, is expected to be in the Acorn line-up, along with a few club legends including half-backs Ian ‘Winky’ Hann and Mick Calam and forward Gary Clapham.

Acorn have played full-contact over-35s veteran matches in the past but this will be the first time they have played a Masters game. Under these rules, designed to limit injuries, the type and strength of tackling allowed depends on the ball-carrier’s age. The approximate age of a player is depicted by the colour of the shorts they wear. The oldest players, those over 60, wear gold.

Acorn spokesman Billy Blackburn, who is set to line up in the Blue and Golds team, said: “Barrie McDermott approached us about the game. They play quite a bit I think so we’re expecting them to be a bit better than us at Masters and a bit fitter. But we’ve been training for a few weeks and it will be fun.”

The Acorn team’s last training session is tonight, starting at 6pm, at Thanet Road. Anyone who fancies a run is encouraged to go down.

Sunday’s match kicks off at noon and is 25 minutes each way. Admission is free.