Premiership
Team news: Falcons side to host Benetton
Team news: Falcons side to host Benetton
Cameron Hutchison is among the players returning for Newcastle Falcons on Friday when they host Italian side Benetton in EPCR Challenge Cup action.
The Kingston Park clash is an 8pm kick-off and sees the centre starting in a game which is pivotal to the Falcons’ hopes of progressing through to the last 16 of the competition.
Full-back Elliott Obatoyinbo also comes in for the penultimate group clash, with Josh Barton replacing the injured James Elliott at scrum-half.
Adam Brocklebank starts at loose-head prop in a pack which sees the return of John Hawkins in the second row and Jamie Blamire at hooker, with the Falcons facing Benetton for the first time in 22 years.
Forwards coach Micky Ward was a player when the two clubs last met during the 2000-01 Challenge Cup pool phase – Newcastle beating the Italians 30-19 at home after losing 28-15 in Treviso.
The Falcons reached the semi-finals in that year’s competition, and Ward believes a win on Friday could re-energise his squad for the remainder of the current season.
“To move forward we need a win,” said the club’s appearance record holder, who celebrated his 45th birthday this week.
“I don’t just mean in the Challenge Cup, but to move forward with our season. It would just kick start the whole squad for the back end of the campaign, and maybe moving into a new competition can give us that impetus.
“We’ve got a few bumps and bruises in the squad but we’ve not massively rotated, and it’s a game we’re taking really seriously.”
Asked about last weekend’s home loss to Harlequins, the Wallsend native said: “The little things are having a big effect on us during games at the moment. We were still very much in the contest at half-time but we let them off the hook on a number of occasions by making errors, and then in the second half it was more of the same.
“It was a game which was there for the taking for us, but whether it was execution, guys not doing their roles and things like that – we just ended up putting ourselves under pressure. When you do that against a good side like Harlequins you’re going to lose, and that’s what happened on the night.”
Acknowledging the backing of a season-high home crowd and reiterating the Falcons’ desire to do it for their supporters, Ward said: “It was a great atmosphere and the crowd turned up in numbers to get behind the lads, so it’s disappointing for us as a club to have lost the game.
“We obviously understand we’ve had a poor start to the season from a results points of view, but the morale and togetherness among the squad is really good.
We’ve got a top group of lads and they’re working incredibly hard. Yeah, it’s tough when you’ve lost as many games as we have and you’re coming in on a Monday morning to review another defeat, but the characters we have here and some of the things we’re trying to do to freshen things up – it keeps people energised.
“On the whole I’d say the morale is pretty decent considering where we are in the league and all the rest of it, but obviously we need a win. That’s where the focus is, on putting in place the things we need to achieve that result, and I believe that when one win comes it will be followed by more.
“It’s getting really important now, but that one win on Friday night will be the springboard we need.”
Supporters are reminded that Friday’s game IS included on the season ticket and season parking pass.
Newcastle Falcons team v Benetton Rugby (Friday, 8pm, Kingston Park, live on Viaplay)
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 George Wacokecoke, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Josh Barton; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Eduardo Bello, 4 John Hawkins, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Pedro Rubiolo, 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Callum Chick (captain).
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Freddie Lockwood, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Louie Johnson, 23 Tom Penny.
Not available for selection: Tim Cardall, Mateo Carreras, Sam Clark, Ben Douglas, James Elliott, Jordan Holgate, Isaac Keller, Ollie Leatherbarrow, Kiran McDonald, Matias Moroni, Jacob Oliver, Richard Palframan, Vereimi Qorowale, Ben Redshaw, Oliver Spencer, Marcus Tiffen, Philip van der Walt.
Benetton Rugby: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Ignacio Brex, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Andy Uren; 1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 3 Giosué Zilocchi, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 5 Eli Snyman (captain), 6 Sebastian Negri, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 8 Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Federico Zani, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Federico Ruzza, 21 Alessandro Izekor, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Jacob Umaga.
Referee: Tuan Trainini.
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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