Newcastle Falcons - 2019 to 2020 Championship - Closed

First topic message reminder :

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: Dave Walder
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: Nick Easter
Attack Coach: Dave Walder
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock

Current Squad:
Forwards
Props:
LH - Sam Lockwood, Adam Brocklebank, Trevor Davison,
Conrad Cade (Senior Academy), Phil Brantingham (Senior Academy)
TH - Rodney Ah You, Logo Mulipola, Mark Tampin, Mike Daniels,
Oscar Caudle  TH(Senior Academy & Tynedale)

Hookers: Kyle Cooper, George McGuigan, Jamie Blamire, Charlie Maddison

Second Rows: Sean Robinson, Darren Barry, Toby Salmon, Greg Peterson,
Will Montgomery (Senior Academy), Freddie Lockwood (Senior Academy), Bailey Ransom (Senior Academy)

Back Row:
6&7's: Mark Wilson, Will Welch, Gary Graham, Jon Hardie,
Guy Graham (Senior Academy), Rob Farrar (Senior Academy), Josh Basham (Senior Academy), Harry Hill (Senior Academy),
8: Philip van der Walt, Nemani Negusa, Calum Chick,
Tom Marshall (Senior Academy), Charlie Richards (Senior Academy & Tynedale)

Backs
SH's: Micky Young, Sam Stuart
Callum Pascoe (Senior Academy & Tynedale), Cameron Nordi Kelemeti (Senior Academy), James Elliott (Senior Academy)

Fh's: Joel Hodgson, Toby Flood, Brett Connon, Tim Swiel, Joel Matavesi
Will Haydon Wood (Senior Academy & Tynedale)

Centres: Matias Orlandi, Gareth Owen, Ben Stevenson, George Wacokecoke,
Charlie Wilson (Senior Academy - At Durham UNi)), Chidera Obonna (Senior Academy)

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti , Adam Radwan, Cooper Vuna
Morgan Passman (Senior Academy),

FB's: Alex Tait, Tom Arscott,

Players unconfirmed:
Seb De Chaves - Only has a one year deal
Jon Welsh - Injuries mean he hasnt played for nearly 2 years.
Connor Collett - has he signed permanently for Doncaster

GeordieFalcon wrote:Harris, Welsh and Lawson in the Scotland 6n training squad.

We always said Newcastle were our third team!

Lawson only likely to be on standby, but he will be good at that and will step in if required.

Welsh will almost definitely play and probably start the first game. I hope we get to see Harris at some stage as well, I have liked what I have seen of him.

Lawson is still a cracking hooker...he will not let you down If he gets on the pitch

Harris...can he really step up the level...we shall see.

Welsh is a cracking TH.

Well still the main rumours so far about players coming or going is:

Sinoti - Bristol
Gonvea - Away
John Wells off...

Anyone heard anything to the contrary?

Newcastle Falcons team to face Enisei-STM (Saturday, 2pm local time, 10am UK time, Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia)

15 Simon Hammersley
14 Zach Kibirige
13 Tom Penny
12 Toby Flood
11 Adam Radwan
10 Craig Willis
9 Michael Young

1 Sam Lockwood
2 Ben Sowrey
3 Jack Payne
4 Calum Green
5 Glen Young
6 Mark Wilson (captain)
7 Simon Uzokwe
8 Ryan Burrows

Replacements

16 Jamie Blamire
17 Rob Vickers
18 Trevor Davison
19 Santiago Socino
20 Callum Chick
21 Sam Stuart
22 Cameron Cowell
23 Joel Hodgson

Well good so far...but complete lack of clinical point scoring.

We should have a bout 3 tires with all the possession we've had.

How on earth is that 0-0 at half time.

2 games 0-0 at half-time

Why cant we play two halves!!!

We dominate the first half then get humped the second! How are we behind in this game

AAHhhh ffs!!!!

Great try

Dean wont be a happy man tonight.

1. You don't give have that much possession and territory and go in at half time without scoring.
2. We cant play 2 halves!

Geordie,

Could you let me know how Callum Hunter-Hill got on at the weekend for Newcastle? Believe he came off the bench.

Actually I think all the locks playing for Newcastle at the weekend are/were Scottish, so any word on the lot of them would be appreciated.

Cheers

Didn't really see much of him to be honest Spoons, for me to be able comment.

Yes all the locks were Scottish. Glen Young is a good fringe lock and Davidson is coming through.

Young wont challenge the Scottish team. Davidson if he comes through might...but he's not getting much First Xv gametime.

Apparently that Hunter hill was on a 2 week loan..but plays for Edinburgh.

I had no idea who he was when he was named on the team sheet.

No worries, cheers for that.

According to folk on the Edinburgh forums, he came on with 20 mins to go and played well enough. Apparently had a line break but was brought down just shy of the try line, no idea if any of that is true, it’s just what they are saying.

I probably should have mentioned the 2 week loan was the reason for my question. Can’t decide if the loan is basically a trial with a view to him signing a contract with Newcastle, or if it’s just because Falcons are having a lock crisis and contacted nearby teams.

We're not sure either Spoons.

They asked that very question on the Unoffy as our lock stables are VERY strong, going all the way to the Senior academy lads.

So cant work out what we've signed him on loan for...unless Dean is after him.

Well that's even more confusing then. To be fair, CHH hasn't played much since he joined us (brief outing in a preseason game) but looked decent in the time he's had.

Wouldn't want to lose him he's captained the u20s and I think could be a good player. His pathway is blocked at Edinburgh currently, but from the sound of things it would be no better (if not worse) at Falcons.

Cant see us signing him...we have:

Green
Witty
Robinson
Olmstead
Civetta
Cavubati
Young
Davidson

Senior Academy Players
Davies
Williams

Good news.....for both of us then

Goneva has signed a new extension!

Fantastic news, he's been immense.

Yeah he is Sgt.

Top class player, and re-signing, and one that would suggest Dean will be renewing his contract.

Just JP Socino and Sinotti now.

What do you make of the tax office issues?

Seen something on it, looks a load of rubbish imo.

I would agree, but there have been 3 occasions altogether...which makes it curious.

3 Players in the Scotland team v Wales.

We're slowly getting internationals back...good to see.

Harris and Welsh starting and Lawson off the bench

Fair play to Chris, didn't see that one coming. Will be hoping my fellow Cumbrian goes well in Cardiff!

Give's Scotland a jinky centre which they have missed for a few years.

Cumbrian wrote:Fair play to Chris, didn't see that one coming.  Will be hoping my fellow Cumbrian goes well in Cardiff!

Not many did tbh

Sadly Harris has played two Scotland games now and really struggled in both....

GeordieFalcon wrote:Sadly Harris has played two Scotland games now and really struggled in both....

I guess it shows what a step up international rugby is.

To be fair to him, he had no chance to show his wares on Saturday, he did not get a decent pass all afternoon and he and Jones looked like they had just meet in the carpark before the game defensively.

As the least experienced player on the park, he should not be blamed for Scotland's general ineptitude but he probably does need to be stepped down while we try and re-group a bit.

Maybe he will come back in for the summer tour and will find his feet in somewhat less demanding circumstances. Toonie certainly does seem to rate him.

That's true Big Gee

And at the falcons he's used to a very well structured defence. Did Scotland even HAVE a defensive structure.

Harris wasn't great but he never really got a chance. Every time he received the ball the defence was already on him, the halfbacks can take the blame for this imo they were dreadful.

I don't think Harris is one of Scotland's best centres but he's a good option given time and decent ball.

I think Harris is in the unfortunate situation that on his debut he was pretty bad against Samoa, with no passes, 1 tackle (which he missed) and conceded a turnover.

He needed an improved performance against Wales to show he was able to step up to international level and he really didn't show up.

Yes the ball he was getting times was poor, but he made a total of 2 metres with ball, his opposite number made 22, his team mate at 12 (who also had a bad day) made 21 metres. Perhaps most tellingly is he didn't make a single pass.

I'm not having a go at the guy, I just think he needed to show something in the Wales game to prove he deserves to be an international player and he didn't. That's not to say he never will, but I can't see him getting back into the team for now. Maybe in the summer as BigGee says when the pressure is off.

GeordieFalcon wrote:That's true Big Gee

And at the falcons he's used to a very well structured defence. Did Scotland even HAVE a defensive structure.

There would be some debate about that!

Harris hardly touched the ball and when he did there always a defender about 30cm away from him due to the incompetence of the halfbacks. Your 12 seen a lot more ball and he got some on the front foot...there's a difference.

You can't rate Harris on that performance after the dire performance of your halfbacks.

Bit of touting in the press about the SRU potentially taking a 20& stake in the Falcons.

Could be a decent move for both parties, what do you guys think?

HHmmm mixed thoughts on that "rumour"

1.
Would the English RFU let that happen.

2.
What stipulations would the SRU require...ie so many Scotland players in the side?

3.
What ££ value is 20%
Is that worthwhile to the falcons to lose some freedom?

Where did you see this report?

The article:-
SCOTLAND EYE A STAKE IN NEWCASTLE FALCONS.

The Scottish Rugby Union is so keen to gain a foothold in the top flight of English club rugby that it is pursuing the possibility of buying a share of up to 20 per cent of Newcastle Falcons.

The SRU had looked at buying Worcester Warriors this season, but it has now set its sights on Newcastle, a club where there is already a long history of Scottish players. There were three Newcastle players in the Scotland squad in their latest NatWest Six Nations game against France eight days ago.

There are only two professional teams in Scotland, which is why the SRU wants to expand its playing base. It also hopes that the move will help it to secure more of those players who are qualified to play for both nations.

The SRU has already begun the process of sounding out Falcons. The owning company, Newcastle Rugby Ltd, recorded losses of £2.6 million in its last set of accounts. It regularly loses more than £2 million a year.

Semore Kurdi, the Falcons owner, told The Times that no formal discussion had yet taken place. He said: “What we are talking about is a marriage and we haven’t even gone on our first date.”

Any significant change in ownership would require the consent of the RFU and this would be hard to come by. The RFU is not in the business of helping its neighbours. Their rivalry is the oldest in the history of the game and will recommence in the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield on Saturday.

However, a bid for a share of Newcastle has a greater chance of succeeding than the Worcester project did. The Worcester move was for a complete takeover while the Newcastle bid is for a share, not a controlling interest.

The Times understands that the SRU would be interested in up to a 20 per cent share. If it was to scale back its interest to 10 per cent or less then, according to RFU regulations, it would not require RFU consent. The other option, rather than paying for a share, is for the SRU to provide players for Newcastle and therefore lighten the wage bill. The SRU has already bought a shareholding in Stade Niçois, the third division club in France, where it places developing players. However, it wants a foothold in the Aviva Premiership where senior players can be battle-hardened. Geographically, Newcastle is the obvious solution.

Kurdi said: “We are an English club and my alliances and links are all England based. There is no way I would step back from that and say, ‘I am probably better off with Scotland’. I am not. I may have a small advantage by doing more in Scotland, but this is an English club in England and everything in the club is set up for England.”

The SRU yesterday refused to comment on the Newcastle situation. However, a spokesman did say that Scottish Rugby is always looking for opportunities for its players.

You got there before me!

Certainly worth them having a chat. It makes a lot more sense and will be a lot more palatable to both sets of fans than the Worcester option.

We always have considered Newcastle to be our third club in any case!

We have a long heritage of Scottish players playing for us.

Gary Armstrong, Doddie Weir, George Graham etc etc....

The other option, rather than paying for a share, is for the SRU to provide players for Newcastle and therefore lighten the wage bill.

Considering PRL are firmly against the idea of even the RFU centrally contracting players and dishing them out to clubs* I'd be beyond amazed if they go for this. SRU could try to be cute and get around this by paying the Scottish players a match fee for representing Scotland to top-up their wages (like the EPS agreement), but if they made that exclusive to players based at Newcastle Falcons that would itself create problems.



*They went as far as shutting down the RFU's proposal to help fund Sam Burgess' release from League, and that's something that wouldn't have had salary cap implications like this proposition.

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:

The other option, rather than paying for a share, is for the SRU to provide players for Newcastle and therefore lighten the wage bill.

Considering PRL are firmly against the idea of even the RFU centrally contracting players and dishing them out to clubs* I'd be beyond amazed if they go for this. SRU could try to be cute and get around this by paying the Scottish players a match fee for representing Scotland to top-up their wages (like the EPS agreement), but if they made that exclusive to players based at Newcastle Falcons that would itself create problems.



*They went as far as shutting down the RFU's proposal to help fund Sam Burgess' release from League, and that's something that wouldn't have had salary cap implications like this proposition.

Surely the way around that would be for the SRU to provide salary information to be calculated into the cap? I always found the PRL involving itself in player release an over-reach that a few clubs could fight if the spirit is there.

Be interesting to see who Newcastle would get in that situation. Guessing that several backs and a couple of props would be on the wishlist.

Sinotti has signed an extension!

Awesome news! The guys is quality

Great win.

England could have done with a few of our players today.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Great win.

England could have done with a few of our players today.

Wilson certainly.

On holiday and totally forgot we were playing....what a win! I can't believe we're top 4.

I know...fantastic from the lads.

Never mind 4th place (we know in our heart of hearts that won't last) however that btp win away from home in a place we have never won for decades now makes us mathematically safe from relegation.

Now that's worth celebrating.

That's the main thing TA

TrailApe wrote:Never mind 4th place (we know in our heart of hearts that won't last) however that btp win away from home in a place we have never won for decades now makes us mathematically safe from relegation.

Now that's worth celebrating.

Haha....phew!!!

If we carry on playing like this, top 4 is a possibility.