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Full English - Newcastle Falcons name XV entirely made up of EQPs

By Online Editors
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Newcastle Falcons have named an all-English-qualified starting XV for Friday’s European Rugby Challenge Cup visit of Cardiff Blues to Kingston Park Stadium. Homegrown fly-half Joel Hodgson captains the Falcons in the 8pm kick-off.

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Centre Pete Lucock makes his first start since joining from Doncaster Knights in the summer – flankers Josh Basham and Rob Farrar also starting for the first time.

Adam Brocklebank, Jamie Blamire and Mark Tampin all earn front-row starting spots after impressing from the bench during the Falcons’ unbeaten start to the Gallagher Premiership season, with Alex Tait, Tom Arscott and George Wacokecoke coming into the back three.

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Newcastle’s bench sees a first outing of the season for club captain Mark Wilson following his recovery from injury, while Kyle Cooper could be set for his first competitive outing at prop after making the switch from hooker.

Bailey Ransom is in line for his first team debut should the England Students cap be called upon from the bench, fit-again Tongan international Cooper Vuna making a welcome return after scoring on his debut just over a year ago – sustaining a serious shoulder injury later in the same game.

Defence coach Nick Easter said ahead of the Challenge Cup opener: “The players all know what’s expected of them from a work-rate, skill and game-understanding perspective, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we go.”

Sitting second in the Gallagher Premiershp table having won all three of their games, Easter said: “In professional sport winning is ultimately what matters, but you have to put processes in place to reach that point.

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“As a newly-promoted team that doesn’t always happen straightaway, and a lot of the focus has really been on creating an identity again for Newcastle Falcons as a Premiership team after 18 months away from the competition. You need to have that DNA in terms of what you stand for, and we understand it’s not always going to go swimmingly for us.

“With three wins from three it couldn’t have gone much better, but with that comes a heightened level of analysis and a more forensic eye when teams are preparing to play against us. The great thing is we have a bunch of guys with a load of grit and no little talent, which isn’t a bad place to be.”

Explaining the physicality demonstrated by his troops in all three of their league assignments, the former England No 8 added: “Rugby is a collision sport, and intensity is one of those basic pre-requisites that every side needs to bring.

“The Premiership is a highly attritional league, and it’s about having that consistency of effort rather than dipping in and out during games when it comes to showing that physicality.

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“What we ask of the players is pretty simple, because if it’s simple they’re more likely to be able to understand it and do it repeatedly – especially when they’re under fatigue or under pressure during games.”

Enjoying his time on Tyneside after three successful years in Durban with Natal Sharks’ Currie Cup team and the Sharks in Super Rugby, Easter said: “Working in South Africa was great in terms of understanding the different mind-set and emphasis that is out on the game in another country, but I’ve learnt from everywhere I’ve been during my playing and coaching career.

“I always had a good opinion of Newcastle having been here many times as a visiting player and on the occasional night out, but having more time here now really does make you appreciate what the club and the whole region has to offer.”

Bringing in a host of new faces this week after going with the same starting XV for the previous three games, he explained: “We’ve had a lot of injuries during pre-season but then had an unchanged team during the first three weeks of the Premiership, which is really unusual at this level.

“It’s a credit to the physios and the strength and conditioning team, as well as the resilience of the players, that they have been able to do that, but we all know the guys can’t keep rolling out indefinitely week after week.

“The brilliant thing is we have a really talented and eager group of players waiting in the wings to come in on Friday, and it’s a big opportunity for them.”

Newcastle Falcons team to face Cardiff Blues
15 Alex Tait
14 George Wacokecoke
13 Pete Lucock
12 Joel Matavesi
11 Tom Arscott
10 Joel Hodgson (captain)
9 Sam Stuart
1 Adam Brocklebank
2 Jamie Blamire
3 Mark Tampin
4 Darren Barry
5 Will Montgomery
6 Rob Farrar
7 Josh Basham
8 Tom Marshall

Replacements:
16 Charlie Maddison
17 Kyle Cooper
18 Rodney Ah You
19 Bailey Ransom
20 Mark Wilson
21 Louis Schreuder
22 Cooper Vuna
23 Brett Connon

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Adrian 11 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
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Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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