Premiership
Team news: Falcons side for Cardiff on Sunday
Friday 13 January 2023
Newcastle Falcons have named their side for Sunday’s EPCR Challenge Cup trip to Cardiff.
Gary Graham (pictured) captains the team for the 1pm kick-off, which is being televised live on Viaplay.
Tom Marshall joins the back row after coming on from the bench during last weekend’s 45-26 home win over Leicester Tigers, while Spanish international Josh Peters is added to the second row.
Charlie Maddison and Richard Palframan start in the front row after coming on against Leicester, with fly-half Tian Schoeman starting in what is the Falcons’ penultimate pool game.
Pete Lucock returns from injury at inside centre, with Ben Stevenson and Elliott Obatoyinbo brought into the back three as Newcastle attempt to avenge last month’s home defeat to Cardiff.
Hooker Alun Walker could make his Falcons debut from the bench after being brought in on loan from Ealing, while there could also be a first appearance for Argentina international Pedro Rubiolo, who landed in the UK last week.
Head coach Dave Walder said: “We’ve spoken as a group about the fact we want to qualify for the next round of the competition even though we’ve lost our opening two games, and this is therefore a really important match for us.
“The majority of Cardiff’s players will be internationally capped, and it’s a big challenge.
“We were disappointed in the home leg, more so by the manner of the performance rather than the result because we just didn’t fire any bullets.
“It’s important that we go down to Cardiff and challenge them, and if we do that then we’ll see where it takes us.”
Having included Rubiolo in the match-day 23 despite landing in the country less than a fortnight ago, Walder explained: “We’re keen to get Pedro on the pitch as soon as possible, so he’ll be involved on Sunday.
“His English is limited, if we’re being polite, but his confidence with the language and everything else has grown visibly in the ten days or so that he has been here.
“That progression will obviously continue, and our other Argentinean boys are obviously helping his transition, which is great, because it’s a lot for him to take on with learning a whole new system and all the plays in a foreign language.
“He’s an international player and we’re excited by his potential, but it’s about getting that balance right and not expecting too much from him until he understands the nuances of our game.”
Rubiolo joins countrymen Matias Moroni, Mateo Carreas and Matias Orlando in Newcastle, with Walder full of praise for his Argentina internationals.
“It’s always dangerous to generalise, but we’ve certainly found that all our Argentinean boys have been great people and have fitted in really well to the culture we have at the club,” he said.
“Their outlook seems very similar to the lads from North East England in that they’re passionate, and they play the game the right way.
“They have obviously all got their own individual quirks and characteristics, but we’ve just found them to be great people who have really embraced being here and are buying into what our club is about.”
Newcastle Falcons team to face Cardiff (Sunday, 1pm, The Arms Park, live on Viaplay)
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Charlie Maddison, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Josh Peters, 6 Gary Graham (captain), 7 Tom Marshall, 8 Carl Fearns.
Replacements: 16 Alun Walker, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Matthew Dalton, 20 Pedro Rubiolo, 21 Michael Young, 22 Josh Thomas, 23 Iwan Stephens.
Not available for selection: Sam Clark, Connor Collett, Brett Connon, Matt Deehan, Freddie Lockwood, Matias Moroni, Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, Guy Pepper, Sean Robinson, Oliver Spencer, George Wacokecoke, Will Welch.
Cardiff Rugby: 15 Josh Adams, 14 Owen Lane, 13 Mason Grady, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Jason Harries, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Corey Domachowski, 2 Kirby Myhill, 3 Kieron Assiratti, 4 Seb Davies, 5 Teddy Williams, 6 Josh Turnbull (captain), 7 Ellis Jenkins, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Will Davies-King, 19 James Ratti, 20 James Botham, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Harri Millard.
Referee: Vivien Praderie (France)
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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