Newcastle Falcons 2013/2014

First topic message reminder :

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: Peter Russell (Leaving at the end of the season)
Forwards Coach: John Wells
Defence Coach: Graham Steadman
 
Current Squad: Underlined are new signings coming in the summer 2014
 
Forwards
Props: Grant Shiels, Oliver Tomasczyk, Keiron Brookes, Scott Wilson, Jeff Hallam, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry
Hookers: Matt Thompson, Scott Lawson, George McGuigan, David Nelson, Rob Hawkins
Second Rows:Scott MacLeod, Sean Tomes, Frasier McKensie, Dom Barrow, Callum Green  
Back Row:Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Richard Mayhew, Andy Saull, Mark Wilson, Chris York, Ben Morris, Semisi Taulava

Backs
SH's: Chris Pilrgrim (Signed for Leeds), Warren Fury, Mike Blair, Andy Davies, Ruki Tipuna
Fh's: Joel Hodgson, Rory Clegg, Phil Godman, Craig Willis 
Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Jamie Helleur, James Fitzpatrick (Signed for Leeds), Alex Crocket, Adam Powell, Danny Barnes, Gonzalo Tiesi, Chris Harris  
Wing: Ryan Shortland, Noah Cato, Zac Kibirige, Sinoti Sinoti, Sean Brown, Tom Penny, Lee Smith
FB's: Tom Catterick, Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

Out of contract Summer 2014:
Grant Shiells  
Oliver Tomaszczyk  
Gary Strain
Sean Tomes  
Ian Nagle (Trial till end of season)
Harry Spencer (Trial till end of season)
Chris York
Warren Fury  
Joel Hodgson  
Alex Crockett  
Ryan Shortland

Gloucester sounding dangerous at the start of the second.

Gloucester get a penalty from the scrum.  

Gloucester camped on the Falcons and playing with an advantage...

Burns turns down the shot at goal to go for catch and drive.

Yet another penalty conceded in the 22.

Freddie Burns kicks the penalty from in front of the posts.

13-11.

Falcons forwards needs to gain some control back.

Falcons destroy the Glos scrum and get a penalty on half way.

Poor touch finder...

Gloucester hack the ball away after another knock on in their 22. There is a good chase and Gloucester get a penalty in the Falcons 22. They go for the corner  

Jonny May scores a try.

Throwing this away. Conversion missed.

13-16

Cato offside from the resulting K.O.

FFS

Scrappy play and Falcons get a penalty. Godman has kicked two very poor shots to the corner.

Pressure in front of Glos line and Falcons get a penalty. Should be kicked.

16-16

(22 mins to go)

16-19

To Gloucester with about 13 mins to go.

'mon Falcons!

We'll be lucky to escape with a losing BP at this rate.  

Going to lose this

Falcons have a penalty just inside Glos half. They are kicking into the wind though...

Catterick is lining it up...

Missed, good effort.

9 mins to go.

Oh for Frak sake Godman put the ball dead when kicking for the corner with 5 mins to go.

For christ sake, Fury puts a terrible box kick in and Kvesic storms towards to the Falcons line.

Manage to get it clear.

Gloucester back in the Falcons 22 and get another flipping penalty. Gloucester certainly picked it up in the second half but Falcons have gone to pieces a bit.

Burns gets the penalty

16-22

LB then.

Fitzpatrick burst into the 22 and the ball is KNOCKED ON AGAIN! It's painful sometimes man... painful.

Better than nothing but 3pts lost, sounds like Godman needs dropping.

We need an injection of quality if we're going to compete this season.

Luckily for us Worcester keep losing.

Last chance.

Falcons lineout in the Glos 22 with 1 min to go.

Got a pen and chip to the corner.

Hammering their line.

Great def from Glos.

Held up over the line and the ref calls time...

Gutted.

Cheers for updates Cumbrian, can we have a win next time please

That is worrying. No disrespect to the Glos lads, but that front five were soft as butter and the Falcons just surrendered the initative to them. It makes me wonder that if we can't stay on top of those lads how are we going to fair in the blood and mud of the winter months...

No worries marra.

I promise to do better next time.  

Its a worry...

Worry ye not, you Falcons. Next up is Worcester.
As I have previously said - there is nobody better to kick-start your season against, or get a moral boost than the lowly Worriers.
If we (Worcester) lose this, we could be doomed.

Theres four points difference at the moment after 4 games. A victory for us could be crucial...but i wont take a victory against you guys as taken or guarenteed.

As mentioned above...whilst we have a strong pack...we seem equally as adept at making ilogical decisions on the pitch costing us dearly...

Our weakness seems to be:
Front row
Defence
Discipline

Our backs can look good if they get the ball.

We await our Argentian signings with bated breath - November can't come fast enough. I just hope that we can assimilate them quickly (before they are off again for the Autumn Internationals).

Big game coming up...be interesting to see the team. Fly Half is going to be critical...and can we actually hit the lineout.

When is Shortland due back.?

Team is up:

Needs at least a Losing BP from this I reckon:

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Adam Powell, 12 James Fitzpatrick, 11 Tom Catterick, 10 Rory Clegg, 9 Mike Blair, 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Matt Thompson, 3 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 4 Carlo del Fava, 5 Dom Barrow, 6 Mark Wilson, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Ally Hogg

Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Franck Montanella, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Sean Tomes, 20 Chris York, 21 Warren Fury, 22 Phil Godman, 23 Ryan Shortland

Murray against Vickers could be horrible despite Murray's lack of form.

Montanella off the bench will be fun though, great to see Shortland back.

I'm going for a 3pt win

0-3 Clegg pen

(3 mins gone)

Falcons try! Mike Blair!

0-10

(8 mins)

0-13!!!

Just got back from dinner to see this cracker!

Sounds like we're putting ourselves under pressure a bit here though.

3-13 commentary team seem pretty peeved about it.

Yellow card now for Tomohawk...

Worcester are playing for a penalty try from a scrum.

Survived!

3-13 HT