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Steve Diamond: 'We’ve had some words earlier in the week'
By Ian Cameron
Steve Diamond expects Bernard Laporte’s Montpellier to deliver a typically physical challenge when Newcastle Falcons conclude their EPCR Challenge Cup group stage at Kingston Park on Friday night.
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The Falcons DoR highlighted the French club’s well-drilled and physical approach ahead of the evening kick-off, stressing the importance of building momentum ahead of next weekend’s Gallagher Premiership clash with Bristol. “Whatever team Montpellier send, they’ll be physical and well-drilled,” Diamond said. “It’s one of the big French clubs coming to Kingston Park, and with the Bristol game the weekend after, it’s really important we find our stride going into what is a really important Premiership game.”
Ben Redshaw – a Junior World Championship winner – is among the Newcastle players returning to action as Diamond makes six changes to the side that lost at Ospreys last weekend.
Nineteen-year-old flanker Reuben Parsons earns his first start after two strong performances from the bench. Richard Palframan and Bryan Byrne join the front row, with Philip van der Walt captaining the team from the second row and Freddie Lockwood slotting back in at No.8. Alex Hearle returns at outside centre.
The bench includes club captain Callum Chick, hooker Jamie Blamire, fly-half Brett Connon, and potential debutant Max Clark. Newcastle, yet to register a win in this season’s competition, aim to end their European campaign on a high note.
“There were a lot of positives last weekend, but at the same time, there were a number of age-old negatives in areas where we’re not improving,” said Diamond.
“We’ve had some words earlier in the week because the same areas keep going wrong, and it’s like Einstein’s definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The players have got to take some responsibility by believing in and implementing the plan we put in place during the week, and we’ll be a lot better when we do that.
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“Ospreys were worth their victory, but the margin could have been a lot closer than 20, and we’ve only got ourselves to blame for that. We created opportunities but didn’t take them, and we flew out of the line a couple of times in defence.
“Some lads are turning up and delivering the basics, and some aren’t. So it’s about understanding and believing in our system; otherwise, we’re all wasting our time here.”
Kick-off is at 8pm.
NEWCASTLE: 15 Louis Brown, 14 Ben Redshaw, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Oli Spencer, 11 Max Pepper, 10 Kieran Wilkinson, 9 James Elliott; 1 Micky Rewcastle, 2 Bryan Byrne, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 John Hawkins, 5 Philip van der Walt (captain), 6 Reuben Parsons, 7 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 8 Freddie Lockwood
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Connor Hancock, 18 Callum Hancock, 19 Kiran McDonald, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Max Clark
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