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Red Bulls name first PREM team vs Saracens with Farrell in less familiar role
By Josh Raisey
Newcastle Red Bulls have named their first side of their new era in the Gallagher PREM ahead of their season opener against Saracens on Friday night at Kingston Park.
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New recruit Boeta Chamberlain will make his debut at full-back after joining from the Bulls in South Africa in August. He will join a side that had already welcomed some of its new signings against Harlequins in the PREM Rugby Cup.
Red Bulls will welcome a Saracens team that have two summer recruits in their starting XV, former players Max Malins and Owen Farrell. Former England captain Farrell will start the match in his slightly less familiar role at inside centre, with Scotland’s Fergus Burke starting at full-back.
Centre Cammy Hutchinson will start on the bench for Sarries after arriving from Newcastle over the summer.
Ahead of the match, Newcastle director of rugby Steve Diamond said: “It was important to get that win against Harlequins because a lot of people on and off the field have been working really hard over the summer, and also for our supporters to celebrate the start of our new era.
“That said, we’re not going to go over the top because we know it was a cup game with a number of players missing from both teams. But a big crowd came along to watch a good game of rugby, and ultimately we were reasonably happy.
“Saracens in the Gallagher PREM will be a big step up in quality and intensity, and it’s a great test for us. They’ve got an incredible squad, and by their own admission they probably took us a little bit for granted last season. I’m sure that won’t be the case this time round, and we’ve got full respect for what they’re going to bring.
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“If we get our basics right – challenging the breakdown, managing the game and keeping our discipline – then we’ll stand a chance, so that’s what a lot of our focus has been on during the build-up.”
Newcastle Red Bulls XV: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Oli Spencer, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Max Clark, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Murray McCallum, 2 George McGuigan (captain), 3 Luan de Bruin, 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 6 Cameron Neild, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Amanaki Mafi.
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Fergus Lee-Warner, 21 Freddie Lockwood, 22 James Elliott, 23 Elliott Obatoyinbo.
Saracens XV: 15 Max Malins, 14 Brandon Jackson, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ivan van Zyl (captain); 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Theo Dan, 3 Marco Riccioni, 4 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Nathan Michelow, 7 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 8 Tom Willis.
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Harry Wilson, 20 Olamide Sodeke, 21 Charlie Bracken, 22 Cameron Hutchison, 23 Noah Caluori.
