Newcastle v Worcester - Must win for Falcons

Falcons
15 Goosen, 14Tait, 13 Uys, 12 Helleur, 11 Sheriffe; 10 Gopperth, 9 Pasqualin;
1 Shiells, 2 Graham, 3 Murray; 4 Hudson (capt),5 Van der Heijden; 6 R Mayhew, 7 Welch, 8 Hogg.

Replacements: M Mayhew, Wells, Hall, Swinson, Pennycook, Pilgrim, Manning, Eves.

Worcester:
15 Claassens; 14 Garvey, 13 Grove, 12 Rasmussen (capt), 11 Benjamin; 10 Carlisle, 9 Perry;
1 Mullan, 2 Lutui, 3 Taumoepeau; 4 Percival, 5 Gillies; 6 Best, 7 Abbott, 8Jones.

Replacements: Porter, Shervington, Tomaszczyk, Balding, Betty, Frost, Goode, Pennell.

Who do you fancy to win.

There are a number of backs in the Falcon's line-up I do not recognise.

I have always liked the look of Luke Eves, so a tad disappointed he is not playing. Also is Luke Fielden injured?

Two big packs - but I fancy Falcons to edge this one.

I think Newcastle could well shade this, I doubt its going to be that pretty though, with Gopperforth's boot the deciding factor.

I always liked the look of Eves when he was at Brizz too,a bit of a shame he doesnt seem to have really kicked on.

LT,

Im liking the look of our centres Hellleur and Corne Uys....and our back row....

With Hudson back we should improve our lineout.

Still think Gopperth is both master and destroyer of the team....kicks far too much.

Think we could win this.....and boy that would be a vital win.

Really want to see the Falcons put one over on Wuss

I wonder the odds on a bp win to Falcons?

To be honest, I think we need to beat them by 8 points or more. Our season could come down to an us v.s them and a scrap for any points is on. I hope theres a good crowd in, the lads need the support. C'mon Falcons!

Yeah ...well ill be there...come on boys...

Yeah, just getting myself psyched up for it.

Hip flask charged, considering having the camelback filled with cheap red and making sure I have plenty of time for a few swift ones in the Town before hitting the Twin Farms (nearest pub) and then the bar in the west stand.

Hey – it’s not easy being a Falcons supporter you know!

Falcons need to stop kicking the flipping ball away man!

I think we better get used to the championship next year.....

It's going to be another long year for us guys in the North East.

Unlucky Newcastle,


Maybe a spell down in the championship and some time to bond and rack up big wins would help you boys? You really neek to stop kicking the ball away, your game plan seems about 3 years out of date, you actually have some decent runners and a good pack, there's no reason why you couldn't be competing like Exeter except for the game plan and the brains on field.

Uys can't be flavour of the month as well after that.

That's it, game over man, game over!

There might be a rally, but I have a hard time seeing us stay up now, looks like the Championship is waiting.

The commentators keep braying on about Gopperth, but I see him as part of the problem! He either kicks the ball away or tries to be action man and gets turned over. People look at how many points he scores, but he doesn't allow anybody else to do anything!

Saying that, Tait's recruitment has been shocking. For every good player he's brought in (James Hudson, Euan Murray) there is a player that just isn't up to it Ashley Wells? (most penalised prop in the league) Rikki Sheriffe, Corne Uys (How many times did he drop the ball!) and Joe Graham amongst others.

With the new investment in the club I'm not as worried about the drop as I was. Maybe they'll shed the journey men and rely on academy lads like Tim Swinson, Will Welch, Mark Wilson, Joel Hodgson, Tom Catterick, Alex Tait and a few of the other young lads like Josh Beaumont, Joe Robinson and Jordi Pasqualin. Tait's got to go and future recruitment has got to be more intelligent.

" Tait's got to go and future recruitment has got to be more intelligent. ."

Completely agree....

And get rid of Gopperth aswelll....like i said above...he is part of the problem....

Some good teams in the Chamionship...i would be confident of coming straight back up.
And does our ground cover the requirments...

GeordieFalcon wrote:" Tait's got to go and future recruitment has got to be more intelligent. ."

Completely agree....

And get rid of Gopperth aswelll....like i said above...he is part of the problem....

Some good teams in the Chamionship...i would be confident of coming straight back up.
And does our ground cover the requirments...

I've wondered about that myself, so I've had a sniff around and we should be alright. From an article about the Cornish Pirates:

'The Rugby Football Union's minimum standards criteria for Premiership rugby state that participating clubs must have stadia with a capacity of 10,000, a figure that dwarfs the Pirates' Mennaye Field in Penzance, where a sell-out crowd is 3,000.'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/13079067.stm

Sometimes going down is not as bad as you think it will be, an opportunity to metaphorically (if not in actuallity) clear the boards and start again.

A point was made earlier about dropping the journey men and developing the academy boys.

I seem to remember this working out very well for Northamption Saints. But my memory is not what it was these days

Well we've just signed another South African now...a second row....

If going down would have the same affect it did for Saints and to a degree Quins...then ok i can take that....but knowing the Falcons management it wouldnt be the same.

I think Tait has to go now....and he can take Gopperth with him...

That game was dire - and Gopperth was a big reason as to why Falcons had no fluency. Of course lazy journalism gave us headlines such as "Gopperth Saves Falcons" etc.

When you look at the people who have left Falcons who could be playing at 10 over recent years (JW, Flood, Clegg, Miller and even Tom May) it is scary.

No its not scary Tiger...its depressing....

I next chance of realistic points and a momentum starter is Gloucester on the 3rd they don't travel well and would struggle in pretty dire conditions. Joel Hodgson needs to be given the 10 shirt in Europe.

I think Joel is another on the converyor belt....but id to see him with an extra stone of muscle on him.....

Need to give him his chance or were going to be stuck in a rot and won't be able to get out of it any time soon.