NOAH CATO admits he was stunned when Alan Gaffney plunged him into action for his unexpected senior team Premiership debut at Leeds Carnegie last weekend.

The powerful 19-year-old only travelled to take part in the pre-match warm up with his team-mates, but a last minute calf injury to Argentine full-back Francisco Leonelli left Gaffney with little choice but to hand Cato a start on the left wing with Edd Thrower reverting to 15.

And Cato rewarded the director of rugby's faith in him by scoring Sarries' third try in the second half to effectively kill off the struggling Yorkshiremen.

"I travelled up as the 24th man and just expected to warm up with the team, I never expected to be involved," said the Brighton-born prospect. "I was very nervous but the guys helped me through. You have just got to take it as another game and try and keep your composure.

"The game went well for me considering I was thrown in so late. But obviously there are still things I have to work on."

And was he happy with his try? "It was nice of Adam Powell to put me away," continued Cato. "It's good to be there supporting but he did all the hard work and I just finished it off."

Cato played for Hurstpierpoint school and the Sussex county side before impressing the Men in Black during a two week trial before the start of last season.

His electric pace has resulted in a series of try-laden performances for the Sarries A team and England U19s and Gaffney has tipped the raw youngster for a bright future. Cato, however, is keeping his feet firmly on the ground in only his second season of top level rugby.

"I only been playing at this standard for nearly two years," added Cato, who last season scored a 20 minute hat-trick in an A team game over Henley. "I haven't done much more than schoolboy and county rugby so it's a big step up again for me.

"It's been going well for me in the A League but with injuries I've been given more of a chance this year. The aim this season is to develop my game and my skills as a player. It's nice to be involved with the first team but for now I just want to better myself as a player."