Premiership
Team news: Qorowale to make Falcons debut at Leicester
Thursday 25 August 2022
Newcastle Falcons have named their team for Friday night’s pre-season opener away to Gallagher Premiership champions Leicester Tigers, with summer signings Vereimi Qorowale and Josh Peters making starting debuts.
The 7pm kick-off at Mattioli Woods Welford Road sees the Falcons going with a 31-man squad – their other pre-season friendly being the trip to Doncaster Knights on Friday September 2 before the Premiership campaign starts at home to Harlequins on Saturday September 10.
Qorowale (pictured) starts on the right wing after joining from the British Army, with lock-forward Peters having made the move from Doncaster. Three further new arrivals are named among the replacements, which include scrum-half Josh Barton (Coventry), fly-half Josh Thomas (Ospreys) and lock Sebastian de Chaves (Austin Gilgronis).
Head coach Dave Walder, who is now in charge of first-team affairs, said: “We want to test ourselves against as good an opposition as we can, and Leicester away is about as tough as it gets.
“A lot of it is about game time, getting that first hit-out and checking where things are, and then the following Friday away to Doncaster will be another good test against a club who have Premiership ambitions. We feel like we’re in a good place with the work we’ve put in, and we have two important tests now to make sure we’re ready for Quins at home on September 10.
“Friday at Leicester is the first proper chance we’ll have to check our game understanding under real pressure.
“We obviously work hard in training but ultimately you’re running your own attack against your own defence, and people can get into habits. Friday is an opportunity to put that under some more pressure and see what further improvements we can make going into the Harlequins game two weeks on Saturday.”
Walder and his squad have spent most of the week in Yorkshire at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, building on a summer of hard work.
“Camp has been really useful for us and we’ve got a lot of good work done during that time,” he said.
“It’s great to get the squad together, and as well as the training and meetings it’s about spending time together off the pitch. You get a better understanding of their learning and where they are, although to be fair this season we’ve been spending more time together with some of the changes we’ve put in place, like having a team room at Kingston Park.
“It’s nice to see players in a different environment, getting to know each other a little more broadly away from rugby, and there’s a good harmony in the group.
“Even for the coaching and backroom team, we’re used to seeing each other all day at work where we’re eating, breathing and sleeping rugby, but you come away to camp and unwind together as well. The coaches are unbeaten on the pool table – we’ve been dominating the physios and other staff all week – and it’s just those little relationships that help tighten the group.”
Despite naming a 31-man squad the Falcons are without a host of players due to injuries, suspension and international call-ups, with Walder explaining a number of the absentees.
He said: “Connor Collett is out with a hamstring injury until around late September or early October having recovered from a shoulder operation, Sam Stuart is around the same timeframe after having surgery on his foot, Adam Brocklebank has had bicep surgery, Philip van der Walt did his ACL at the end of last season, Chidera Obonna is in a boot after rolling his ankle and Tom Penny is out with a hamstring.”
Friday’s game will be live-streamed free of charge by Leicester Tigers, although registration is required by clicking here. A link will be emailed out by Leicester on Friday at 5pm for those who have registered.
Newcastle Falcons team to face Leicester Tigers (Friday, 7pm, Mattioli Woods Welford Road):
15 Alex Tait, 14 Vereimi Qorowale, 13 Ben Stevenson, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Zach Kerr, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Michael Young; 1 Logovi’i Mulipola, 2 Charlie Maddison, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 George Merrick, 5 Josh Peters, 6 Gary Graham, 7 Will Welch (captain), 8 Tom Marshall.
Replacements: 1 Phil Brantingham, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Conor Kenny, 4 Matthew Dalton, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Matt Deehan, 7 Marcus Tiffen, 8 Carl Fearns, 9 Josh Barton, 9 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 10 Josh Thomas, 11 Nathan Earle, 12 Ewan Greenlaw, 13 George Wacokecoke, 14 Adam Radwan, 15 Iwan Stephens.
Referee: Hamish Smales.
Not available for selection: Jamie Blamire, Adam Brocklebank, Mateo Carreras, Callum Chick, Connor Collett, Trevor Davison, Louie Johnson, Matias Moroni, Chidera Obonna, Matias Orlando, Tom Penny, Guy Pepper, Sean Robinson, Tian Schoeman, Sam Stuart, Philip van der Walt.
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.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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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