NOTTINGHAM Rugby aim to confirm their place in the top eight in the Championship by the end of this month.

That is the target for Glenn Delaney and his squad as at the end of February the top eight teams in the league will then go into the play-offs.

"If we have a good December, we will be assured of our place before the New Year," said the director of rugby.

"Starting with London Welsh away tomorrow, we then play Moseley (December 13) at Meadow Lane, Birmingham & Solihull Bees (December 19) away and we are then back at Meadow Lane for the Doncaster game on December 27.

"They are just opportunities at the moment, we've got to convert them now. We know that if we have a good December, like in previous years, that top eight spot is assured.

"If we get a full house this month then we know we will definitely be in the play-offs."

The game against London Welsh is the first in the second half of the Championship campaign.

The Green and Whites beat them 26-13 at Meadow Lane back in September and will be looking to complete the double.

"They will present a big physical challenge," said Delaney. "It's all very aggressive on their part. They are the sort of team that if you take them head on, it can be a difficult day at the office.

"But if you go down there and try to play rugby, you can get round some of their physical players.

"They do try to play, They have a good ten in Gordon Ross, who has played for Scotland and knows how to control the game.

"We are expecting them to be pretty physical and fired up because they lost their last game against Plymouth.

"But we've had a pretty good week in training and our guys are ready for the game."

Nottingham are still without the experience of Matt Parr, Ian Nimmo, Sam Raven, Nic Rouse, Ben Johnston and Adam Rostron, who will probably miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

The two second row players, Callum Green and Nic Carter are both 19-year-olds while Sam Harrison, who starts at scrum half instead of Tim Usasz, is the same age.

"We are taking the opportunity to give Tim a break," said Delaney. "He has played practically two years straight and we are taking the chance over the next few weeks to give him as much rest as we can."

Nottingham: Savage, Cobden, Haytor, Tonks, Streather, Taylor, Harrison, Cook, Youngs, Du Plessis, Carter, Green, Hammond, Sherriff, Hemmingway. Replacements: Usasz, Casson, Fowkes (Blake), Sammons, Buxton, Eggleshaw, Rowan.