Newcastle v Irish Fri 7.45

[fivepointer]

Newcastle Falcons team to face London Irish (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park Stadium, live on BT Sport)

15 Alex Tait
14 DTH van der Merwe
13 Chris Harris
12 Juan Pablo Socino
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Craig Willis
9 Sonatane Takulua
1 Rob Vickers
2 Santiago Socino
3 Jon Welsh
4 Calum Green
5 Will Witty
6 Mark Wilson
7 Will Welch (captain)
8 Nili Latu

Replacements

16 Scott Lawson
17 Sami Mavinga
18 Trevor Davison
19 Sean Robinson
20 Ally Hogg
21 Sam Stuart
22 Joel Hodgson
23 Josh Matavesi

London Irish

15 Tommy Bell
14 Alex Lewington
13 Aseli Tikoirotuma
12 Johnny Williams
11 Napolioni Nalaga
10 James Marshall
9 Scott Steele
1 Ben Franks
2 David Paice (captain)
3 Petrus Du Plessis
4 Franco van der Merwe
5 Sebastian De Chaves
6 Josh McNally
7 Blair Cowan
8 Ofisa Treviranus

Replacements

16 Saia Fainga’a
17 Harry Elrington
18 Ollie Hoskins
19 Teofilo Paulo
20 Conor Gilsenan
21 Ben Meehan
22 Greig Tonks
23 Tom Fowlie

[Banquo]

Very lazy, but anyone know the EQP count here?

[Stom]

Very lazy, but anyone know the EQP count here?

I may be completely wrong, but is it 12 each? 24 of 46...Not the best...

[fivepointer]

I make it 12 - 8, which frankly is piss poor.

[padprop]

Wasn't that Sam Stuart getting hyped up alot when he was at Harlequins?

[Banquo]

I make it 12 - 8, which frankly is piss poor.

and incredibly short sighted and expensive

[Puja]

I make it 12 - 8, which frankly is piss poor.

and incredibly short sighted and expensive

To be fair to Irish, their last academy crop is gracing Bath's first XV. Surprised that there's been less opportunities for the new lot though - I thought Brophy-Clews would get a lot of game time this year.

Puja

[Banquo]

I make it 12 - 8, which frankly is piss poor.

and incredibly short sighted and expensive

To be fair to Irish, their last academy crop is gracing Bath's first XV. Surprised that there's been less opportunities for the new lot though - I thought Brophy-Clews would get a lot of game time this year.

Puja

is he fit?

and I'm not going to be fair, its something that needs addressing in the mid term

[Scrumhead]

Brophy-Clews, Cokanasiga and Hobbs-Awoyemi are all injured AFAIK. Not sure about Smallbone and other, similar squad players?

[bitts]

Newcastle Falcons team to face London Irish (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park Stadium, live on BT Sport)

15 Alex Tait
14 DTH van der Merwe
13 Chris Harris
12 Juan Pablo Socino
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Craig Willis
9 Sonatane Takulua
1 Rob Vickers
2 Santiago Socino
3 Jon Welsh
4 Calum Green
5 Will Witty
6 Mark Wilson
7 Will Welch (captain)
8 Nili Latu

Replacements

16 Scott Lawson
17 Sami Mavinga
18 Trevor Davison
19 Sean Robinson
20 Ally Hogg
21 Sam Stuart
22 Joel Hodgson
23 Josh Matavesi

London Irish

15 Tommy Bell
14 Alex Lewington
13 Aseli Tikoirotuma
12 Johnny Williams
11 Napolioni Nalaga
10 James Marshall
9 Scott Steele
1 Ben Franks
2 David Paice (captain)
3 Petrus Du Plessis
4 Franco van der Merwe
5 Sebastian De Chaves
6 Josh McNally
7 Blair Cowan
8 Ofisa Treviranus

Replacements

16 Saia Fainga’a
17 Harry Elrington
18 Ollie Hoskins
19 Teofilo Paulo
20 Conor Gilsenan
21 Ben Meehan
22 Greig Tonks
23 Tom Fowlie

While I wish our academy was producing more players. It's easy to see why we prefer imports given that clubs like falcons tend to have it harder when it comes to finding young players, not being a rugby hotbed, and then keeping them when they start to play well.

[francoisfou]

I don't believe that Maxime Mermoz and Toby Flood have played yet.
Assuming they are injured, does anyone have more details?

[16th man]

Newcastle looking very handy. Granted Irish are still trying to get up to speed, but there's some lovely drawing and giving.

[twitchy]

Quality try.

[16th man]

Ref giving tackled players an age to hang on to the ball.

[fivepointer]

Newcastle had a great 2nd quarter then fell a bit flat. They are a hard working, well organised side with plenty of grafting forwards and some line breaking backs. Flood will add some composure and class at 10, which could help them move up a level.
Irish did well to hang in and come back at the end. They were probably worth a a losing BP. Lewington is a really good player I reckon.

[Scrumhead]

Yep. I only saw the highlights, but Lewington's break and offload for Gilsenan's try was top class.