Premiership
Team news: Unchanged side to face Saracens
Captain Will Welch
Friday 7 October 2022
Newcastle Falcons have named an unchanged side for Sunday’s visit of Gallagher Premiership leaders Saracens.
Head coach Dave Walder goes with the same starting XV which defeated previously-unbeaten Bristol Bears 30-15 last Friday, with Will Welch captaining the team.
Adam Radwan and George McGuigan both start after spending three days in England’s training camp during the first half of the week, with the Argentina trio of Mateo Carreras, Matias Orlando and Matias Moroni all included having impressed last time out.
Fit-again scrum-half Michael Young takes up a place on the bench after breaking his hand in pre-season action at Leicester Tigers in August, while Jamie Blamire reverts to replacement hooker after his back-row exploits during the early part of the season.
Freddie Lockwood serves as back-row cover having returned from a loan spell at Jersey Reds, with Ben Stevenson also added to the bench.
Newcastle Falcons head coach Dave Walder said: “The lads showed great attitude and intensity last Friday in beating Bristol, and the challenge now is to do it on a more consistent basis.
“Those kinds of performances have to become the norm rather than the exception but we’ve shown we have it in us, and our supporters and players really fed off one another.
“Hopefully we’ll get a good home crowd in on Sunday to get behind the lads, and it’s a massive opportunity against a quality side.”
Like Bristol last week, Saracens arrive in the North East on the top of the Gallagher Premiership table with three wins from three, having put more than 50 points past champions Leicester Tigers last time out.
Walder said: “It’s no secret that Saracens are a class side, and you can’t fail to have been impressed by what they delivered last weekend in beating Leicester.
“They look to be playing more rugby at times rather than going to their kick-chase game, but they’ve got both in their armoury and will test us in different ways.
“They have a couple of my former Newcastle team-mates in their coaching group with Joe Shaw and Ian Peel, so it will be great to catch up with those guys, but first and foremost it’s an exciting opportunity for us to test ourselves against another quality outfit.”
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Newcastle Falcons team to face Saracens (Sunday, 3pm, Kingston Park Stadium).
15 Tom Penny, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Trevor Davison, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Will Welch (captain), 7 Connor Collett, 8 Callum Chick.
Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 Michael Young, 22 Pete Lucock, 23 Ben Stevenson.
Not available for selection: Phil Brantingham, Brett Connon, Luke Coulston, Nathan Earle, Carl Fearns, Gary Graham, Conor Kenny, Tom Marshall, George Merrick, Chidera Obonna, Charlie Smith, Josh Thomas, Philip van der Walt.
Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Max Malins, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Owen Farrell (captain), 9 Ivan Van Zyl; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 3 Marco Riccioni, 4 Callum Hunter-Hill, 5 Theo McFarland, 6 Jackson Wray, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Hugh Tizard, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Alex Goode, 23 Josh Hallett.
Referee: Wayne Barnes.
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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