Pre-Season 22/23

[Geordie]

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

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Reckon that's your starting side for the beginning of the season?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Reckon that's your starting side for the beginning of the season?

I think only possible changes might be Nadolo starting on the wing and the back row potentially shuffling around could be 6. Martin, 7. Cracknell, 8. Liebenberg.
But outside that pretty much should be spot on.

 

[BPM]

I'd agree with those changes. Taufete'e might start ahead of Clare once he's had a bit more of a chance to bed-in.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think only possible changes might be Nadolo starting on the wing and the back row potentially shuffling around could be 6. Martin, 7. Cracknell, 8. Liebenberg.
But outside that pretty much should be spot on.

Yeah 8 was the one I had a question mark over - not sure I've heard of Jansen before

 

[will311293]

Wasps playing Doncaster today.. two different teams for both halves.

Interesting players to see out there.

1st Half: Cam Dodson (new signing), Burger Odendaal (new signing)

2nd Half: Elliot Millar-Mills (doubling at loose, usually tighthead), John Ryan (new signing), Fyn Brown (Academy), Kiran McDonald (new signing), James Tunney (Uni Contract/Academy), Kucera (Academy)

Most exciting thing to see though is Hartley and Odogwu combo in the centres second half. Could be a really interesting and common combo for us this season.

 

[Groundhog]

Here's how we line out against Gloucester tomorrow:

Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Ben Healy, Neil Cronin; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Keynan Knox; Cian Hurley, Eoin O'Connor; Jack O'Donoghue (C), Alex Kendellen, Jack O'Sullivan.

Replacements from: Scott Buckley, Chris Moore, Roman Salanoa, James French, Liam O'Connor, Edwin Edogbo, Paddy Kelly, Ruadhan Quinn, Daniel Okeke, Paddy Patterson, Jack Crowley, Tony Butler, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Liam Coombes, Conor Phillips.

O'Connell and Quinn are only 18. Seriously young for a forward debut. Excited for Phillips and Edogbo as well, although I could see Phillips preferring the 7s route.

Gloucester have just gone with a travelling squad.



If anyone wants to watch for any reason it's being streamed HERE by the Examiner (KO 7:30)

 

[BPM]

Yeah 8 was the one I had a question mark over - not sure I've heard of Jansen before

Jansen is a Kiwi picked up last year from NZ provincial rugby. Played a couple of games last season and looked OK.

 

[will311293]

Whilst we are at it, anyone got a top 3 exciting prospects for this season, lads we may not know to keep an eye on?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah 8 was the one I had a question mark over - not sure I've heard of Jansen before

He's a promising young 8 from NZ kinda like Wiese very squat.

But if all fit suspect he will be bench

 

[Geordie]

Whilst we are at it, anyone got a top 3 exciting prospects for this season, lads we may not know to keep an eye on?

Cant say for anyone else but from a falcons point of view..

Freddie Lockwood - Barnstorming 6/8
Phil Brantingham - Very impressive young LH (who also covers TH)
Ewan Greenlaw - Young centre, small in height but built like a tank. Finally we might be developing a 12.

The three will not be starters but hopefully can show glimpses of the talent they have.

As an older one...keep an eye on Fijian centre / winger Vereimi Qorowale. We signed him from the Army this summer, and hes a regular on the Army 15s and 7's teams. Good reviews coming out of camp... so if he can have the same impact that Rokodugunni did at Bath..ill be a happy man.

 

[will311293]

Cant say for anyone else but from a falcons point of view..

Freddie Lockwood - Barnstorming 6/8
Phil Brantingham - Very impressive young LH (who also covers TH)
Ewan Greenlaw - Young centre, small in height but built like a tank. Finally we might be developing a 12.

The three will not be starters but hopefully can show glimpses of the talent they have.

As an older one...keep an eye on Fijian centre / winger Vereimi Qorowale. We signed him from the Army this summer, and hes a regular on the Army 15s and 7's teams. Good reviews coming out of camp... so if he can have the same impact that Rokodugunni did at Bath..ill be a happy man.

Lockwood was extremely impressive last season for what i saw of him.

Always got to love a Fijian centre

 

[BPM]

Whilst we are at it, anyone got a top 3 exciting prospects for this season, lads we may not know to keep an eye on?

From a Quins POV, I'm mostly looking forward to seeing more of Sam Riley, Oscar Beard an Cassius Cleaves.

Additional shout out for Lennox Anyanwu who has a good chance to make a proper breakthrough while Esterhuizen is away. He's looked good when he's had opportunities here and there so this is a big chance.

Across the league, the one that excites me most is James Harper at Sale. Last season his injury robbed him of the opportunity to build on some impressive cameos in 20/21. I expect him to have a lot of chances this season.

 

[Geordie]

Yeah he

Lockwood was extremely impressive last season for what i saw of him.

Always got to love a Fijian centre

He did...was brought in to the 1st team squad in the latter half of the season and really produced some explosive performances from the bench. Hes a good sized unit, so Hopefully we'll see some similar performances this season. Reminds of a young Carl Fearns...

Yes, you cant go wrong with a Fijian centre / winger...hopefully he proves to be a shrewd signing.

 

[Geordie]

Im also very interested to see how Olly Hartley goes this season...big unit at 12...and potentially how he could go with Odogwu in the centres...see how they go tonight.

 

[Geordie]

I see Jack Kenningham is back for Quins BPM...happy to see him back i bet.

 

[Which Tyler]

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Qorowale 2 yellow cards in 20 minutes and red carded oof