Newcastle Red Bulls hand first PREM start to former Exeter Chiefs star

Former Exeter Chiefs centre Will Rigg will make his first Gallagher PREM start for Newcastle Red Bulls on Friday night when Sale Sharks visit Kingston Park for Derby Weekend.

Rigg returns to the starting XV after recovering from the injury he sustained during last month’s PREM Rugby Cup victory over Leicester Tigers, slotting into midfield for a Newcastle side still searching for their first league win of the campaign.

There is added intrigue out wide, with Christian Wade selected on the right wing as he closes in on Gallagher PREM history. The former England international sits just one try behind Chris Ashton’s all-time league record of 101.

Josh Hodge is set for his first Gallagher PREM appearance of the season after overcoming a broken hand suffered in pre-season, while Argentina prop Francisco Moreno could make his league debut from the bench.

Despite Newcastle’s difficult start to the season, head coach Dan McFarland believes Friday’s clash represents a major opportunity against their northern rivals.

“It’s a big fixture, it’s Gallagher PREM Derby Weekend and this is a battle for the north,” said McFarland.

“Sale over the last number of years have deservedly had primacy, albeit we did come back to record a great win here towards the end of last season.

“Alex Sanderson and the guys over there have done a great job of building a team with a very distinct identity, they’ve challenged up near the top of the league on a number of occasions and they’ve recruited well for this season.

“But we’re also very proud of what we’re about. We’re at a different stage of our journey but our eyes are firmly fixed on picking off the teams ahead of us.

“In a northern context we don’t currently have that dominance but we absolutely want it, and this is a really important night for us to set down a marker in that battle.”

McFarland said Newcastle’s focus remained on their own game despite having a number of former Sale players in the squad.

“First and foremost we’ve got to focus on our own strengths and what we’re bringing to the game, whilst obviously being very respectful of the challenge posed by Sale.

“They’re a big, physical team, they’ve prided themselves on that forward-oriented identity over the last number of years and have also developed their game to include real threats out wide.”

The Newcastle boss also backed Wade to reach a landmark achievement in the weeks ahead.

“We all hope he gets it, firstly because he’s a great person and we want him to have that accolade, and secondly because if he is scoring tries on a regular basis then we must be doing something right as a team.

“Wadey brings a wider experience to our group than somebody who has just had a career in rugby, and I think that’s really valuable.

“I’ve got nothing but respect for the way he goes about things.”

Newcastle Red Bulls v Sale Sharks (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park)

Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Josh Hodge, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Werner Kok, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz; 1 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Cam Jordan, 6 Max Hicks, 7 Tom Christie (c), 8 Hoskins Sotutu.

Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Tom West, 18 Francisco Moreno, 19 Rusi Tuima, 20 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 21 Sam Graham, 22 James Elliott, 23 Zack Henry.