Head coach Neil Back has used 34 players in the opening contests of the season and has once again rung the changes for the trip to 12th-placed Sedgley Park today.

It is not due to form that Back is yet to settle on a starting line-up – his side have scored 95 points without response in the last two fixtures – but the pursuit of physical perfection.

For he and director of rugby Andy Key are building a stronger squad to return to the Premiership with in nine months' time, providing nothing catastrophic harms their march to the National One championship.

"This year we've got to incrementally improve the whole squad from a strength and conditioning point of view," said Back, who arrived with Key at Headingley in the summer with a two-year strategy. in mind.

"To compete in the Premiership we need to improve physically and to achieve that a player cannot play every week.

"Players are aware that no player is going to play every game.

"When they're not in the 22 they know it's probably going to be a harder week because they're going to be pushed really hard.

"Everyone is pushing each other in all the positions. We have got guys on the field that are very motivated and keen to improve.

"They know if they work harder they are putting pressure on the other guys to work harder."

Regularly rotating the squad is not only building strength, but also character.

Making the big decisions on senior squad selection is new to Back, who was reserve and academy coach at Leicester, but he admits he is enjoying seeing how players handle the big decisions.

"I'm enjoying that part of it, because I'm learning a lot about the players, their character, and I've been impressed with the way they have received the news," he said.

"They are aware of where we'd all like to be next year and to do that we have to improve physically. Every week, naming the best XV is becoming more and more difficult and that can only continue.

"In the senior squad we've got 43 to 44 players and I've been really pleased with the attitude of the guys. There will be some disappointed faces but hopefully that will breed hard work from them to get back into the team."

Back has made six changes from the side that convincingly defeated London Welsh 38-0 last week, with last season's young player of the year Calum Clark getting his first start.

Scott Armstrong replaces Tom Biggs, James Brooks starts at fly-half in place of Alberto Di Bernardo, who misses his first game of the season, and Erik Lund and Danny Paul have also been named in the starting
line-up.

"Sedgley Park are dangerous, we expect them to be physical," added Back.

Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington has confirmed the club may be looking to replace Headingley Carnegie's famous South Stand.

"It has always been our vision to replace the South Stand which is now 70 years old," said Hetherington.

"It is currently, we understand, the largest covered terrace in the world and we need to retain that. But we also need to try and find some way of improving it."