Premiership
Team news: Tait skippers Falcons on Saturday
Friday 10 February 2023
Newcastle Falcons have named their side for Saturday’s home game against Southern Knights as both teams unite to raise funds for My Name’5 Doddie.
The foundation raises funds and awareness for research into motor neurone disease, the currently incurable condition which last year claimed the life of former Falcons, Scotland and Melrose great Doddie Weir.
Ticket sales for the 1.30pm kick-off will help generate money for the charity, with Newcastle captained by double centurion Alex Tait.
Fijian flyer Vereimi Qorowale starts on the wing in partnership with Iwan Stephens – centre Zach Kerr starting after the recent announcement of his new two-year contract.
Josh Thomas and Josh Barton form an exciting half-back pairing, with Argentina international Pedro Rubiolo starting in the back row.
Newcastle University lock Adam Scott is named among the replacements for a game which is included on the Falcons’ season ticket, and will be followed at 4.30pm when the club’s Under-18s team plays against Northampton Saints Under-18s.
Falcons head coach Dave Walder, a former team-mate of Doddie Weir during his time at Kingston Park, said: “Hopefully the North East sporting public will come out in their numbers and support a great cause in Doddie’s foundation.
“Having not had a game for a couple of weeks it’s a great chance for some of our lads to get a run-out, and it should be a great occasion with all the love and admiration that people have for Doddie.
“He would have said he hated all the attention but I think secretly he would have loved it, and it’s only right that we do our bit to try and raise funds to find a cure for motor neurone disease.”
After the game Walder will form part of a panel of Falcons legends taking part in a Q&A in the West Stand 100 Club, with team-mates Stuart Grimes, Tony Underwood, Garath Archer and Micky Ward reminiscing about Doddie and sharing stories from their playing days.
Click here to reserve your place at the talk-in, with a suggested donation of £5 to My Name’5 Doddie.
Click here to buy your tickets for the game, which is not being televised or streamed online.
Newcastle Falcons team v Southern Knights (Saturday, 1.30pm, Kingston Park Stadium)
15 Alex Tait (captain), 14 Vereimi Qorowale, 13 Zach Kerr, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Josh Thomas, 9 Josh Barton; 1 Conrad Cade, 2 Ollie Fletcher, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 Matthew Dalton, 5 Freddie Lockwood, 6 Pedro Rubiolo, 7 Marcus Tiffen, 8 Tom Marshall.
Replacements: 16 Charlie Smith, 17 Mark Dormer, 18 Conor Kenny, 19 Adam Scott, 20 Matt Deehan, 21 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 22 Jeremy Civil, 23 Chidera Obonna.
Referee: George Selwood.
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.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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