Newcastle Falcons Thread - Use Championship thread

[Geordie]

First topic message reminder :

A thread to keep an eye on the summer activities...still to find out if its premiership or championship.

Current Squad:

Forwards
Props:
Grant Shiels
Euan Murray
Ashley Wells
John Golding
Scott Wilson
James Hall - Has he left?
Oliver Tomasczyk

Hookers:
Matt Thompson
Rob Vickers
George McGuigan
Joe Graham
Michel Mayhew

Second Rows
Carlo Del Fava
Adriaan Fondse
james Hudson
Josh Beaumont
Scott MacLeod
Richard Boyle
Glen Townson

Back Row
Taisina Tui'Fua
Ally Hogg
Will Welch
Richard Mayhew
Mark Wilson
Adam Balding
Joe Robinson
Chris York

Backs
SH's
Rory Lawson
Jordi Pasqualin
Chris Pilgrim

Fh's
Joel Hodgson (Or will he move to SH)
Jimmy Gopperth
Tom Catterick
Waisea Luveniyali

Centres
Corne Ullys
Jamie Helleur
James Fitzpatrick
Luke Fielden
Tane Tu'ipulotu
Andrew Higgins
Alex Crocket
Michael Tait

Back 3
Greg Goosen
Kirbridge
Alex Tait
Ryan Shortland
Tom Bedford
Suka Hufanga
Ricki Sheriffe

Please who have left:
Will Chudley: Scrum Half Exeter
Tim Swinson: 6 / Second Row Glasgow Warriors
Andrew van der Heijden has confirmed he is returning back to New Zealand (Aukland)
James Goode is likely to head back to the Ospreys after the end of his loan deal
Peter Stringer will return back to Munster for next season.

[Rava]

Looked very good in patches, especially with the replacement scrum half on. Sorry didn't get his name. Lawson was a bit pedestrian at times.
Don't see any reason why you can't top the Championship. I'll be keeping a keen eye on them.

[Geordie]

Lawson is pedestrian Rava.

Pilgrim should be the starting SH this season.

The review looks like we give it a good go....and my boy Fitzy made an impact again. Cant understand why he's not starting...and is just an impact player...

[Cumbrian]

Okay, so it's nearly that time. What do you think the squad will be for the Bristol game? I'd guess:

01. Jon Golding
02. Matt Thompson
03. Oliver Tomaszczyk
04. Carlo Del Fava
05. James Hudson
06. Taiasina Tuifua
07. Will Welch
08. Ally Hogg

09. Rory Lawson
10. Jimmy Gopperth

11. Alex Tait
12. James Fitzpatrick
13. Tane Tu'ipulotu
14. Ryan Shortland
15. Luke Fielden

16. Michael Mayhew
17. Grant Shiels
18. James Hall
19. Scott MaCleod
20. Chris York
21. Chris Pilgrim
22. Waisea Luveniyali
23. Andrew Higgins

Hmm, no place for Mark Wilson! There is going to be some competition in the backrow this year!

[Geordie]

Marra...for the first season in a while...we have competition in a most positions.

Id have Vickers over Thompson...even though his throwing has been woeful. I just cant get away with Thompson.

Fitzy has barely played in the preseason which has puzzled me..its been Tane and Crocket...

I was amazed that Ally Hogg has looked so good...thought he would have been bench material at best.

01. Jon Golding
02. Matt Thompson
03. Oliver Tomaszczyk
04. Carlo Del Fava
05. James Hudson
06. Taiasina Tuifua
07. Will Welch
08. Ally Hogg

09. Rory Lawson (Chris Pilgrim)
10. Jimmy Gopperth

11. Alex Tait (Tom Catterick)
12. James Fitzpatrick
13. Tane Tu'ipulotu
14. Ryan Shortland
15. Luke Fielden

16. Michael Mayhew
17. Grant Shiels
18. James Hall
19. Scott MaCleod
20. Chris York
21. Chris Pilgrim (Rory Lawson)
22. Waisea Luveniyali (Joel Hodgson)
23. Andrew Higgins (Crocket)

I would make those changes...but we're pretty much on the same track mate.

[Geordie]

By the way...i know its only preseason games...but we have looked particularly aggressive and physical....i hope we can continue this on...and increase it.

[Driver]

From what i'v seen and read i'd go along the lines of

1.Shiells
2.Thompson
3.Tomas
4.Fava
5.Mcloed
6.York
7.Welch
8.Hogg

9.Pilgrim
10.Luveniyali
11.Fielden
12.Tuipolotu
13.Crockett
14.Shortland
15.Goppereth

16.Vickers 17.Golding 18.Hall 19.Hudson 20.Tui'fua 21.Lawson 22.Catterick 23.M Wilson

[ChequeredJersey]

DRiver, my opinion is York is a better 8 than a 6

[Driver]

If you'd have seen Hogg in pre-season you'd think we'd bagged Read at 8 , bloke was a house on fire against Edinburgh.

[ChequeredJersey]

I liked Ali Hogg, is he back on form?

[ChequeredJersey]

The forgotten man of Scottish backrow play

[Driver]

Stuck behind Johnnie Beattie , Simon Taylor and now Dave Denton , Jocks do knock out some quality at 6 ,7 and 8.

[Sgt_Pooly]

York played in the 7 shirt but took on the 8 role behind the scrum

[Driver]

Ah shiote! I knew something wasn't right , Welchy pulled out didn't he or was he at 6?

I forget these things

[bluestonevedder]

Hogg was a great player, but has somewhat been left behind. Good to hear he's found some form again that will hopefully continue, and not prove flash in the pan.

[Geordie]

He's defo found form again...i had written him off...

Driver...the fact that me you and Cumbrian all have different teams .....i think this shows that for the first time in years...we actually have some serious options?

[Driver]

It's a really good sign GF , plenty of depth. Interesting to see Sean Tomas starts at 4 tomorrow with no Del Fava in the squad.

Good to see the likes of Eves , Townson and Pennycook playing regular egg ball again and think Tagicakibau could be the star of the Championship this year.

Newcastle: 15 Luke Fielden, 14 Andrew Higgins, 13 Alex Crockett, 12 Tane Tu’ipulotu, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Chris Pilgrim, 1 Jonny Golding, 2 Rob Vickers, 3 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 4 Sean Tomes, 5 James Hudson, 6 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Taiasina Tu’ifua

Reps: 16 Matt Thompson, 17 James Hall, 18 Scott MacLeod, 19 Richard Mayhew, 20 Rory Lawson, 21 James Fitzpatrick, 22 Waisea Luveniyali

Bristol: 15 Jon Goodridge, 14 Mike Tagicakibau, 13 Jack Gadd, 12 Luke Eves, 11 Ryan Edwards, 10 Tristan Roberts, 9 James Grindal, 1 Kyle Traynor, 2 Ross Johnston, 3 Wayne Thompson, 4 Mariano Sambucetti, 5 Glen Townson, 6 Ian Grieve (c) 7 Redford Pennycook, 8 Marco Mama

Reps: 16 Rhys Lawrence, 17 Bruce Douglas, 18 Ben Glyn, 19 James Merriman, 20 Ruki Tipuna, 21 Matthew Jones, 22 David McIlwaine

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