Premiership
Team news: Thomas to start against Cardiff
Friday 16 December 2022
Welsh fly-half Josh Thomas starts for Newcastle Falcons on Saturday when they host Cardiff Rugby in EPCR Challenge Cup action.
The 5.30pm Kingston Park kick-off sees the Falcons making nine changes from the side which opened the campaign away to Connacht last weekend – Thomas taking the No.10 shirt in his first season after joining from Ospreys.
Argentina wing Mateo Carreras returns to the side determined to maintain his try-per-game ratio, having dotted down seven times in seven outings this term.
Elliott Obatoyinbo comes in at full-back, with Zach Kerr starting at inside centre in place of the injured Tom Penny, partnering Ben Stevenson.
Fit-again prop Trevor Davison takes up a place on the loose-head side, with England Under-20s hooker Ollie Fletcher handed a start. Jamie Blamire misses out with a head knock picked up last weekend, while Charlie Maddison is serving the first of his three-game suspension.
Sean Robinson returns to captain the side from blind-side flanker in a move which sees Matthew Dalton pushed into the second row, with open-side Guy Pepper the other returning player. Brett Connon and Iwan Stephens are added to the bench, with the Falcons playing the second of their four scheduled pool games.
Head coach Dave Walder insisted his squad have been able to prepare as usual for the game despite sub-zero temperatures throughout the week in North East England.
He said: “It’s been freezing cold all week but luckily our 3G pitch has meant we’ve been able to train as normal, and we’ve also got a first game under our new floodlights.
“Our home advantage of having a dark south-west corner of the pitch where anything goes might be lost now, but at least our supporters will be able to see the other end of the field!
“Cardiff obviously have a 3G of their own so they’ll be used to that side of things, and they play a brilliant brand of rugby from what I’ve seen of them.”
The Welsh region began their European campaign with a home win over French club Brive last Saturday, with Walder aware of the size of the challenge facing the Falcons.
“It should be a great contest, and it’s nice to be playing teams from other leagues,” he said.
“We love the Gallagher Premiership, I think it’s an outstanding competition with quality games every single week but it’s also a nice freshener to test yourself against new opposition and potentially be exposed to some different styles and challenges.
“Last week over at Connacht was very much like that, and we always enjoy the European competitions.”
Cardiff are led by experienced former Wales and Lions prop Dai Young, with Walder saying of the former Wasps boss: “Dai came to Wasps after my own time there had ended so I don’t know him very well personally, but he’s someone I have a lot of respect for and it will be great to catch up.
“I hope they get up here safely given all the transport disruption this week, and everyone’s just looking forward to 5.30pm on Saturday now.”
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The match is being shown live on Viaplay.
Newcastle Falcons team v Cardiff Rugby (Saturday, 5.30pm, Kingston Park Stadium)
15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Nathan Earle, 13 Ben Stevenson, 12 Zach Kerr, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Josh Thomas, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Trevor Davison, 2 Ollie Fletcher, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 5 Matthew Dalton, 6 Sean Robinson (captain), 7 Guy Pepper, 8 Tom Marshall.
Replacements: 16 Conrad Cade, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Josh Peters, 20 Marcus Tiffen, 21 Josh Barton, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Iwan Stephens.
Cardiff Rugby: 15 Ben Thomas, 14 Owen Lane, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Max Llewellyn, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Kirby Myhill, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 4 Seb Davies, 5 Rory Thornton, 6 Josh Turnbull (captain), 7 Ellis Jenkins, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Brad Thyer, 18 Will Davies-King, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 James Ratti, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Mason Grady, 23 Theo Cabango.
Not available for selection: Jamie Blamire, Phil Brantingham, Sam Clark, Connor Collett, Carl Fearns, Gary Graham, Louie Johnson, Conor Kenny, Freddie Lockwood, Pete Lucock, Charlie Maddison, Logovi’i Mulipola, Matias Orlando, Tom Penny, Oliver Spencer, Philip van der Walt, George Wacokecoke, Will Welch.
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.
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.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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