Premiership
Falcons sign Nathan Earle
Multiple Premiership title winner Nathan Earle has joined Newcastle Falcons on a two-year deal, speaking of the ‘exciting times’ ahead at Kingston Park Stadium.
The 26-year-old winger scored four tries in five league games this season for recently-crowned Gallagher Premiership champions Harlequins, having also won the league with Saracens.
A proven finisher who has toured with England, Earle has scored 23 tries in his 53 Premiership appearances, plus another four in 13 European outings.
A try-scorer for Saracens in their 2017 Premiership final victory over Exeter Chiefs, the 6 foot 2 star also scored on his England debut in the non-cap match against the Barbarians the same year.
The former England Under-20s and 18s wing even won New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship with Canterbury back in 2016, scoring in the final, and the Hong-Kong-born flyer is already eager to get started on Tyneside.
“I’m really excited to be joining Newcastle, and can’t wait to get stuck into pre-season on July 19,” said Earle.
“My little brother and my best mate were both at university in Newcastle so I’ve been up there plenty of times, and have a bit of an insight into what the place is about.”
Revealing the part played by director of rugby Dean Richards in luring him to the North East, he added: “I had a couple of positive chats with Dean, and it was really his whole outlook on things which led me to believe that this was the best option for me.
“I feel like Newcastle is somewhere which is going to be exciting next season, and I’ll obviously have familiar faces like Mike Brown who is making the same move, and Tom Penny, who I played with the season before when he came down to Quins.
“I’d like to think I’m a bit of an experienced practitioner now, and hopefully I can help what is already an incredibly dangerous back three.
“The Falcons have got loads of quality there, and we can really push on next season. I don’t think we’re a bottom end of the table team by any means, and it’s just an exciting prospect to be up there.”
Reflecting on a season which saw him bursting into form for Harlequins before missing the culmination of their title-winning season through injury, Earle said: “It’s the second time I’ve left a team after they’ve just won the Premiership title, and even though I was injured for the semi-final and the final it was still a great period to be part of.
“Those two games were probably two of the best knock-out matches the league has ever seen, and it was great that we did it playing the Quins way.
“It was awesome for the boys who were able to play, but after a couple of days’ celebrating I’m just looking forward now and getting excited about the prospect of being a Newcastle Falcons player.”
Falcons boss Richards echoed that enthusiasm, saying: “Nathan is someone who has scored tries and won trophies wherever he has been, and I’m delighted to have been able to bring him up to Newcastle.
“He’s another good English player adding to what is already a competitive squad, and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact he can make for us.”
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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