Premiership
Falcons 31 Harlequins 40
Nathan Earle scoring the Falcons’ third try
Saturday 10 September 2022
Newcastle Falcons had to make do with a bonus point as they opened the Gallagher Premiership with a narrow but pulsating home defeat to Harlequins.
Leading 17-14 at half-time, late tries from Alex Dombrandt and Joe Marchant proved the difference on a day when both clubs paid pre-match respects to Her Majesty The Queen.
Harlequins had the first scoring opportunities of the game with a pair of penalties ten metres out in front of the posts, but their decision to call for the scrum on both occasions saw them leaving empty-handed.
The Falcons made the most of their opening chance when George McGuigan was driven over for a try from a maul in the right corner, the home side having kicked a penalty to touch.
TMO Claire Hodnett denied the Londoners a try after ruling a knock-on in front of the posts, but there was no such reprieve two minutes later when quick footwork from Tyrone Green saw the South African full-back scoring near the posts.
Tommy Allan’s conversion put his side two points in front, and they added another seven to the buffer before the half-hour when prop Wilco Louw ploughed over from close range for a second converted try.
The Falcons levelled the try-count, if not the score-line, on 32 minutes when Adam Radwan scorched a path down the right-hand tramlines from turnover ball, the winger showing incredible pace to score from inside his own half.
Connon’s touchline conversion bounced back off the post to leave his side down by four, but Newcastle’s scrum was as good as a try just before half-time when Harlequins opted for a set-piece from a penalty ten metres out, only to be shoved off their own put-in.
That momentum continued right up until the break, with a Nathan Earle try giving the Falcons a 17-14 half-time lead.
The former Harlequins winger sped 80 metres on the intercept for a try down the left-hand side, having shown great skill to pick the ball off his bootlaces, Connon adding the extras with the final kick of the half.
It was the visitors who drew first blood after the interval, kicking a penalty to the right corner from which hooker George Head was driven over for a converted try.
Centre Lennox Anwanyu extended their lead to 11 points when he was quickest to a loose ball down the right to register their bonus point try, with Allan once again converting.
The Falcons chalked up a four-try bonus point of their own on the hour mark when McGuigan scored from a maul in the right corner.
Connon slotted the touchline conversion to cut the deficit to four, and he did so again on 66 minuts to hand his team the lead when Logovi’i Mulipola barrelled over the try-line from a close-range carry down the left.
Quins struck the killer blow, however, with four minutes to go when No 8 Alex Dombrandt wriggled out of a tackle to score down the left, Joe Marchant denying them a second bonus point with the very last play.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Ben Stevenson, 12 Pete Lucock (George Wacokecoke, 75), 11 Nathan Earle, 10 Brett Connon (Tian Schoeman, 75), 9 Josh Barton (Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 55); 1 Phil Brantingham (Logovi’i Mulipola, 55), 2 George McGuigan (Charlie Maddison, 75), 3 Trevor Davison (Mark Tampin, 65), 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sebastian de Chaves (George Merrick, 65), 6 Sean Robinson (Tom Marshall, 75), 7 Jamie Blamire, 8 Will Welch (captain).
Scorers – Tries: George McGuigan 2, Adam Radwan, Nathan Earle, Logovi’i Mulipola. Conversions: Brett Connon 3.
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Nick David, 13 Luke Northmore (Joe Marchant, 40), 12 Lennox Anyanwu, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Tommy Allan, 9 Lewis Gjaltema; 1 Joe Marler (Joe Marler, 52), 2 George Head (Jack Musk, 52), 3 Wilco Louw (Will Collier, 52), 4 George Hammond, 5 Irne Herbst (Dino Lamb, 68), 6 Jack Kenningham (Will Evans, 30), 7 Tom Lawday, 8 Alex Dombrandt (captain).
Scorers – Tries: Tyrone Green, Wilco Louw, George Head, Lennox Anyanwu, Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marchant. Conversions: Tommy Allan 5.
Referee: Luke Pearce. Attendance: 5,025.
Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby
Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
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Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
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Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
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