Newcastle Falcons - Premiership 2024 - 2025 - The Diamond Era

First topic message reminder :

Director of Rugby (Non Rugby Matters): Matt Thompson
Head Coach & DOR (Rugby Matters): Steve Diamond
Performance Coach: Mark Laycock
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: Alan Dickens & Steve Diamond
Attack Coach: Alan Dickens
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Breakdown: Micky Ward & Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock
S&C: Tim Payne

Current Squad:

Hookers
Jamie Blamire (Leaving for tigers in summer)
Bryan Byrne
Ollie Fletcher (A)
Jacob Oliver (A)

Props
TH
Eduardo Bello
Murray MaCallum
Richard Palframan
Callum Hancock (A)

LH
Adam Brocklebank
Luin De Bruin
Mike Rewcastle (A)
Isaac Keller (A)
Connor Hancock (A)

Locks
Sebastian De Chaves
Kiran McDonald
Tim Cardall
Luke Coulston (A)
Adam Scott (A)
Fin Baker (A)

Back 5
Pedro Rubiolo
Philip van der Walt
John Kelly
John Hawkins

Back Row
Callum Chick
Josh Bainbridge
Tom Gordon
Freddie Lockwood
Ollie Leatherbarrow
Marcus Tiffin
Cameron Neild
[b]Reuben Parsons (A)
[b]Charlie Turnbull (A)

Scrum Halves
Sam Stuart
Hugh O'Sullivan
James Elliott
Max Pepper
Ben Douglas (A)
Joe Davis (A)

Fly Halves
Brett Connon
Kieran Wilkinson
Junior Newton (A)

Centres
Cameron Hutchison
Jack Metcalf
Sam Arnold
Connor Doherty (Season Loan from Sale)
Oli Spencer (A)
Rhys Beeckmans (A)

Wingers
Ben Stevenson
Alex Hearle
Adam Radwan
Nathan Greenwood (A)

Full Back
Tom Penny - To be confirmed staying or leaving
Louis Brown
Elliott Obatoyinbo
Ben Redshaw (A)

Former Wales Hooker Scott Baldwin is our new defence coach.

https://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/Scott-Baldwin-joins-Newcastle-Falcons-as-defence-coach

Falcons have signed Ospreys back rower Sam Cross

On the way back from a nasty leg injury from 2022 isn't he? Was a pretty handy player for the Ospreys.

Don't know much about him Sam to be fair.

Geordie wrote:Don't know much about him Sam to be fair.

I don't know much other than he plays across the backrow, played for GB Sevens at the Olympics and picked up a couple of Welsh caps. Had a nasty leg injury, break I think, in January last year Vs Sale. Don't think he's played since. Some of the Welshies on here might offer a bit more detail than that.

He's probably a victim of being injured at a time the regions don't have any funding.

Team for the Prem Cup v Amphill

1 Brocklebank
2 Byrne
3 McCallum
4 Cardall
5 De Chaves
6 Van der Walt
7 Bainbridge
8 Lockwood

9 O'Sullivan
10 Connon
11 Stevenson
12 Hutchison
13 Penny (C)
14 Stephens
15 Obatoyinbo

16 Flecther
17 Brantingham
18 Palframan
19 McDonald
20 Kelly
21 Barton
22 Pepper
23 Thomas

Lots of balance and players in their right positions...pace and power.

Hope they play well.

Rob Andrew has been announced as our honorary president....

A legend to the club, to be fair.

Newcastle Falcons team v Bedford Blues (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park Stadium)

15 Louis Brown,
14 Adam Radwan,
13 Zach Kerr,
12 Matias Orlando (captain),
11 Iwan Stephens,
10 Josh Thomas,
9 Josh Barton;

1 Phil Brantingham,
2 Ollie Fletcher,
3 Richard Palframan,
4 Tim Cardall,
5 Sebastian de Chaves,
6 Ollie Leatherbarrow,
7 Marcus Tiffen,
8 John Kelly.

Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Freddie Lockwood, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Ben Douglas, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Ben Redshaw.

Bedford Blues:
15 Matt Worley,
14 Seán French,
13 Ethan Grayson,
12 Jordan Venter,
11 Pat Tapley,
10 Louis Grimoldby,
9 James Lennon;

1 Jamie Jack,
2 Jacob Fields,
3 Bryan O'Connor,
4 Robin Williams,
5 Alex Woolford,
6 Luke Frost,
7 Kieran Curran,
8 Joe Howard

Replacements: 16 James Fish, 17 Joey Conway, 18 Oisin Heffernan, 19 Geordie Irvine, 20 George Patten, 21 Jac Arthur, 22 Matt Arden, 23 Michael Le Bourgeois.

Referee: George Selwood

Falcons team For Sale game

15 Ben Redshaw,
14 Adam Radwan,
13 Tom Penny,
12 Matias Orlando,
11 Ben Stevenson,
10 Brett Connon,
9 Hugh O’Sullivan;

1 Adam Brocklebank,
2 Michael van Vuuren,
3 Richard Palframan,
4 Tim Cardall,
5 Sebastian de Chaves,
6 Callum Chick (captain),
7 Guy Pepper,
8 Freddie Lockwood.

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 John Kelly, 20 Josh Bainbridge, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Zach Kerr.

Geordie wrote:Falcons team For Sale game

15 Ben Redshaw,
14 Adam Radwan,
13 Tom Penny,
12 Matias Orlando,
11 Ben Stevenson,
10 Brett Connon,
9 Hugh O’Sullivan;

1 Adam Brocklebank,
2 Michael van Vuuren,
3 Richard Palframan,
4 Tim Cardall,
5 Sebastian de Chaves,
6 Callum Chick (captain),
7 Guy Pepper,
8 Freddie Lockwood.

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 John Kelly, 20 Josh Bainbridge, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Zach Kerr.

Is that Bainbridge related to Steve?

I'm not sure to be honest...id have to check.

Radwan scored another cracker...

STARTING XV
15 Mike Brown [8]
14 Josh Bassett [1]
13 Guy Porter [62]
12 Dan Kelly [58]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [2]
10 Charlie Atkinson [19]
9 Joe Powell [2]
1 Francois Van Wyk [33]
2 Charlie Clare [79]
3 Joe Heyes [124]
4 Cameron Henderson [38]
5 Harry Wells [177]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [86]
7 Olly Cracknell [25]
8 Matt Rogerson [1]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Nic Dolly [26]
17 James Whitcombe [38]
18 Will Hurd [26]
19 Mike Williams [82]
20 Kyle Hatherell [3]
21 Tom Whiteley [6]
22 Jamie Shillcock [3]
23 Phil Cokanasiga [8]

Newcastle XV: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 Tim Cardall, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Callum Chick (c)

Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Cameron Hutchison

Teams for Saturday are looking pretty strong. Should be a good game, shame it's not being televised.

Thought this might be quite a tight one but 32-0 to Tigers approaching half time. Guy Pepper sim binned for a late no arms tackle. Falcons scrum in all sorts of trouble apparently.

Charlie Atkinson struggling off the tee with only one conversion.

Well that was an old fashioned kicking

It's going to be a long season I feel....

Well judging by what I've heard about our scrum etc in this game yes it is. Apparently it was utterly abysmal

The kids rolled out for this one..

Newcastle Falcons v Caldy (Sunday, 2.15pm, Kingston Park)

15 Louis Brown, 14 Zach Kerr, 13 Oliver Spencer, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Louie Johnson, 9 Ben Douglas; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Ollie Fletcher, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 John Kelly, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Marcus Tiffen, 7 Josh Bainbridge, 8 Sam Cross (captain).

Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Mark Dormer, 18 Sam Clark, 19 Finn Baker, 20 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 21 Max Pepper, 22 Josh Thomas, 23 George Wacokecoke

Newcastle Falcons team v Bath (Saturday, 2pm, The Recreation Ground)

15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Hugh O’Sullivan; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Michael van Vuuren, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Kiran McDonald, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Rory Jennings, 23 Elliott Obatoyinbo

Wow...Telegraph article today with Carl Fearns paints the club really badly....

Rumours circulating now that a certain company with sporting links up the road have made a bid for the falcons and had it turned down....

Geordie wrote:Rumours circulating now that a certain company with sporting links up the road have made a bid for the falcons and had it turned down....

I presume the Falcons owner would like to get a bit more of the money he's put into the club back before letting go.

Falcons would make a good potential investment. The academy is good at churning out players and with the cap space available any purchaser could head straight to market and start acquiring talent.

Yeah....Seymore has put a lot of his own money in to the club and would want some back.

It wouldnt take alot of money for the buyers...as you say the club academy is excellent...just need some really good experience in around them...and coaches.

Your head coach seems decent enough. Some improved assistant coaches and a director of rugby to run things instead of your head of recruitment would seem a sensible move. Falcons have their own stadium a hardcore following and some success up there will see the crowds grow.

Well after last night's performance more long term fans have confirmed they are cancelling their renewal for next season. There's no defending these performances.....clueless.

Personally I think Codling is Inept and out of his depth.

That would be a real shame, but you can understand people having better ways they'd rather spend their weekend.

Newcastle are definitely exposed at the minute. The teams that would historically have been keeping them company and offering up the odd win are gone and the disparity in playing budgets is probably bigger than ever and due to get worse with the salary cap rise.

Codling probably does lead the weakest coaching ticket in the league, but then the resources he has to work with are probably the worst as well. Perhaps a Diamond like figure coming in may galvanise things, but who knows.

I guess ultimately Newcastle are hanging on for either a new investor to appear out of the woodwork, or the commercial realities in the league to improve. On the bright side I'd love to be in a Newcastle fan's position and still have a pro club to support. Even if they were to end up settling in a second tier at some point.

Similar to Margin, I struggle to criticise Codling when the disparity in spending is so significant. There are a good number of ProD2 sides that will be significantly outspending Falcons these days.

On last nights game, I haven't seen it, but Treviso are a good outfit these days. They've had a lot of investment recently as well as Italy funnelling players towards them. A Tigers fan on the unoffy who's an accountant often breaks down club accounts to try to figure out budgets. That's not an exact science but gives a ballpark. He did Treviso's when Eli Snyman was signed from Tigers. He reportedly had an offer from Tigers but went to Benneton to occupy a near identical squad position but for significant more money. If rumours are to be believed. After breaking them down he reckoned their playing budget was around £7-8m. So outspending even the biggest Prem spenders at the moment.

Yes but he's not getting his selections right at all..which isn't helping his cause.

Margin_Walker wrote:

Codling probably does lead the weakest coaching ticket in the league, but then the resources he has to work with are probably the worst as well. Perhaps a Diamond like figure coming in may galvanise things, but who knows.

I guess we're about to find out. Diamond really is the Sam Allardyce of Rugby.

Hopefully a few wins and more of a feel good factor are on the horizon.

Yes just seen this...

Codling totally out of his depth im afraid.

Regardless of the weak squad...lack of funding etc...his selections were puzzling and the lineouts were awful. His supposed area of weakness.

i wonder if a big financial backer might be coming in.

Dimes getting a good shot at an opening game Vs a very depleted Saints side.

Sam
I don't think he's in charge for this one either...think it's Wardy again and Dimes takes over next game....

I could be wrong though lol

Steve Diamond has just done a press conference to BBC Look North, ITV Tyne Tees, BBC Radio Newcastle, The Times, RugbyPass, The Rugby Paper, Press Association news wire, Ruck and the Falcons website and social media.

So it will be interesting to see what his thoughts are....

Falcons team to play Sale in Salford Friendly on Friday night...

Newcastle Falcons team v Sale Sharks (Friday, 7.45pm, Salford City Stadium)

15 Elliott Obatoyinbo,
14 Adam Radwan,
13 Matias Moroni,
12 Matias Orlando,
11 Ben Stevenson,
10 Brett Connon,
9 Sam Stuart;
1 Adam Brocklebank,
2 Jamie Blamire,
3 Eduardo Bello,
4 Philip van der Walt,
5 Sebastian de Chaves,
6 Freddie Lockwood,
7 Sam Cross,
8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Murray McCallum, Richard Palframan, John Kelly, John Hawkins, Josh Bainbridge, Guy Pepper, Ollie Leatherbarrow, Josh Barton, Josh Thomas, Louie Johnson, Iwan Stephens, George Wacokecoke, Zach Kerr, Rory Jennings, Tom Penny, Louis Brown.

Falcons win first game of the season 31-28 in a friendly..meh.

Geordie wrote:Falcons win first game of the season 31-28 in a friendly..meh.

Important for Diamond to get some positivity back into the group after a pretty rough season to date. Possibly a good sign the players are buying into the changes he's making.

He's been very honest Sam...which is so refreshing

Hes said the lads mentality and attitude is great but they're lacking the required skills in many positions. He's reigned it right back to the basics and he said the lads are buying into that...but there's a large number out of contract In the summer and they're all playing for a new contract.

Obvious...but nice to actually hear the manager say it.

Hopefully they getting their heads down and graft. But in all honesty I would release half the squad anyway...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/03/21/newcastle-falcons-saudi-investment-steve-diamond-squad-cut/?fbclid=IwAR1IlmrKHQAWRUnx1HCKqpYCnSSoOHpC9He6BQQUnbWJPify3kEc1IjOyNg

Newcastle Falcons’ consultant director of rugby Steve Diamond has confirmed that the club are considering Saudi Arabian investment as they prepare to make swingeing cuts to their squad.

The Gallagher Premiership’s bottom club are preparing to trim up to 20 players in a streamlining exercise over the next fortnight as they seek to stabilise their financial position.

However, Saudi investment in Newcastle could be on the horizon. Telegraph Sport revealed in January that Leicester Tigers, Gloucester, Northampton Saints and Newcastle had held discussions with the Saudi sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF) over seven-figure investments into the clubs.

The Saudis’ sporting influence on Newcastle - which is already considerable with the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund owning Newcastle United - could now expand.

“Our owner Semore Kurdi has been to meet various dignitaries from Saudi Arabia with a view to Newcastle assisting them to build a rugby academy over there to attract sevens competitions. They are coming to either the Leicester, Bath or Sale game to get a feel for it,” Diamond told Telegraph Sport.

“It’s early days but that will hopefully result in some sort of partnership moving forwards. Fingers crossed. Watch this space.

“If the owners of Newcastle United wanted to invest in Newcastle rugby I’m sure we’d all listen. One of their players’ salaries would potentially enable us to win the competition.”

The Saudis are starting to divert resources into rugby at grassroots level with the Ministry of Education adding the sport to the PE curriculum earlier this month.

Sevens is a particular focus with it being an Olympic discipline but exploratory discussions have been held over potential investment in the Premiership.

Without it Newcastle, who already operate on the smallest budget in the Premiership, have been kept afloat by Kurdi, a Jordanian businessman with a passion for rugby, since 2011 are resigned to cutting back even further.

“It’s nothing like a Worcester or a London Irish situation. There’s no fear of it going like the others have gone but equally the investor wants to run it as economically as he can while still being competitive. What we are working through at the moment is how to run it as sustainably as possible,” said Diamond, who takes charge of his first Premiership game with the club at Exeter on Saturday.

“Currently the squad, with the academy, is 50+, and that is going to be whittled down to 34 so you don’t have to have a first in maths to work out there will be 15 to 20 players leaving.

“That’s for two reasons. One, I don’t think they are good enough to get to the standard we want and two, the financial position dictates that we’re going to spend 50 per cent of what the rest will be spending.

“I’ve told the lads that we will get these next two games out of the way and then will sit down and be honest and direct with them. It’s unfair because people have families and this is their livelihood. It’s the dirty end of the stick. There will be some people who will be upset, some people who expect it but we need to give them as much opportunity as possible to get another contract if it’s not with Newcastle.”

Nor is the coaching staff safe. They are on trial too.

“If you have an inexperienced team scrapping at the bottom of the league then your coaching has to be bang on,” he said. “They have some really good quality staff here. The jury is out on one or two. This period will be an opportunity to show their wares and deliver their message.”

Diamond believes that even without desert investment a make-do-and-mend model can be competitive. It is the same one he employed during his early years at Sale when the Sharks consistently confounded financial reality.

“There are a lot of parallels,” he said. “What we have to do is outperform the other teams on recruitment and have a sharp academy. We can do that.”

In the short term he is hands-on at training, intent on hardening up Newcastle with an emphasis on what the former hooker refers to as “legal violence”.

A friendly victory at Sale during the Premiership’s hiatus suggests his methods are making an impact.

“You can’t just employ thuggery - we need some skill and guile - but you can make up for a lack of quality with endeavour,” he said.

“Albeit it was a friendly but we delivered a really gutsy performance at Sale. Over the last couple of years Newcastle have lost the fight and we didn’t this time.

“We weren’t whooping and hollering afterwards but it sets us up well for Exeter.”

With six matches left, Newcastle are fighting to save face. They could become the first team since London Welsh in 2014/15 to end a season without winning a league game.

“That is not going to happen,” insisted Diamond.

We have 42 listed on the Official site...including academy...so to reduce to 34 players is only losing 8...which is very achievable.

But if Diamond is saying 15-20...then half the squad mustn't be good enough for him....which i would agree with.

So the first two signings by Diamond are a more physical winger in Alex Hearle and a 20 stone South African loosehead.

Hopefully trips to Newcastle wont be nice little jaunt to the North East that they have been for teams for too long now.

So full list of Leavers...those out of contract not on this list are expected to stay also...

Josh Barton,
Phil Brantingham,
Sam Clark,
Sam Cross,
Mark Dormer,
Rory Jennings,
Louie Johnson,
Charlie Maddison,
Matias Moroni,
Guy Pepper,
Vereimi Qorowale,
Iwan Stephens,
Josh Thomas,
Michael van Vuuren
George Wacokecoke.

Well if nothing else, Newcastle been ultra consistent this season.

Yup....sh1te!

We're lucky no champ sides wanted to come up this season. We deserve to be down.

But things will change next season...we'll be much tougher...and that at least is a start.

Another 3 signings to be announced...

Why so bad do you think, is it just don't have the players or is it coaching or something else?

Confidence must be rock bottom so aside from on pitch, getting players and staff to believe things can be turned around is a must.

mountain man wrote:Why so bad do you think, is it just don't have the players or is it coaching or something else?

Confidence must be rock bottom so aside from on pitch, getting players and staff to believe things can be turned around is a must.

Isn't there salary bill considerably below the other teams?

Saints could use another feeder club I suspect that a lot of Saints younger players would get more from Falcons than with Bedford or Ampthill (my local club). I am sure players like Joel Matavesi, Beltus Nonleh, Rueben Logan, Jake Garside, maybe even Henry Pollock and probably others would benefit from a few premiership games with Falcons and would be an improvement to what Falcons have at present.

Salary, strategy, too many championship players. Lots of things have contributed to this over the duration of many years.

We dont want Joel Matavesi back thanks, and we have Marcus Tiffen coming through at 7 so dont need pollock either.

We need to build a core of tough experienced prem or top level players, and then bring some of the kids through in a settled team thats not getting pummeled week in week out.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cn477pmwny0o

Well i have to say im liking the cut of his gib. Hes been refreshingly honest since he came.

The Falcons fans just want a few wins and more importantly be a physical, aggressive side ....and try to be competitive in every game. Hes signed 10 players many of whom will fit that criteria.

Im looking forward to this season.

Teams for Saturdays friendly.

Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks (Saturday, 7pm, Heywood Road)

15 Louis Brown, 14 Jack Metcalf, 13 Oli Spencer, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Brett Connon (captain), 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Luan de Bruin, 2 Ollie Fletcher, 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Adam Scott, 5 John Hawkins, 6 Marcus Tiffen, 7 Josh Bainbridge, 8 Freddie Lockwood.

Replacements: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Kieran Wilkinson, 9 James Elliott; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 John Kelly, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Cameron Neild, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Callum Chick (captain), 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Mike Rewcastle, 18 Philip van der Walt, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Max Pepper, 23 Ollie Leatherbarrow, [blank shirt] Joe Davis.

Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Waisea Nayacelevu, 12 Rob du Preez 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr; 1 Bevan Rodd 2 Luke Coawn-Dickie, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Hyron Andrews, 6 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Curry (captain), 8 Jean-Luc du Preez.

Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre 18 James Harper, 19 Ben Bamber, 20 Tom Burrow, 21 Sam Dugdale, 22 Rouban Birch, 23 Raffi Quirke, 24 Tom Curtis, 25 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 26 Will Addison, 27 Arron Reed, 28 Luke James.

Referee: Michael Hudson.