Sale Sharks programme - 2021

GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP | NEWCASTLE FALCONS V SALE SHARKS | SUNDAY DECEMBER 26, 2021

2

the teams 

MIKE BROWN 

TOM PENNY 

GEORGE WACOKECOKE 

PETE LUCOCK 

ADAM RADWAN 

BRETT CONNON 

SAM STUART 

15 

14 

13 

12 

11 

10 

9 

15 

14 

13 

12 

11 

10 

9 

SIMON HAMMERSLEY 

JOE ROEBUCK 

ROB DU PREEZ 

ROHAN JANSE VAN RENSBURG 

MARLAND YARDE 

AJ MACGINTY 

RAFFI QUIRKE 

ADAM BROCKLEBANK 

GEORGE MCGUIGAN 

TREVOR DAVISON 

GREG PETERSON 

SEAN ROBINSON 

PHILIP VAN DER WALT 

CONNOR COLLETT 

CALLUM CHICK (CAPTAIN) 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

BEVAN RODD 

EWAN ASHMAN 

NICK SCHONERT 

JEAN-LUC DU PREEZ 

LOOD DE JAGER 

JONO ROSS (CAPTAIN) 

SAM DUGDALE 

DAN DU PREEZ 

ROBBIE SMITH 

KYLE COOPER 

MARK TAMPIN 

GARY GRAHAM 

MARK WILSON 

CAMERON NORDLI-KELEMETI 

JOEL HODGSON 

WILL HAYDON-WOOD 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

CURTIS LANGDON 

ROSS HARRISON 

JOE JONES 

MATT POSTLETHWAITE 

CAMERON NEILD 

GUS WARR 

SAM JAMES 

LUKE JAMES 

MATCH OFFICIALS 

REFEREE: 

ASSISTANT REFEREES: 

TELEVISION MATCH OFFICIAL: 

CITING OFFICER: 

KARL DICKSON 

WAYNE FALLA, HAMISH SMALES 

ANDREW JACKSON 

ANDY BLYTH 

www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk 

3

4

DEAN RICHARDS 

P 

laying or watching 

live sport on 

Boxing Day is one 

of the great British 

traditions with 

games around this time of year 

drawing big crowds as friends and 

family come together. 

There’s generally an extra-special 

atmosphere around these 

matches, and on behalf of 

everyone at the club I’d like to 

thank you all for coming along. 

I hope you have had a great 

Christmas despite everything 

going on regarding the pandemic 

and its associated effects, and 

after such a difficult time I think we 

all deserve to make the most of 

this festive season. 

So many of you have had to deal 

with all manner of setbacks and 

circumstances, and if we can help 

deliver a great sporting and social 

occasion for you today then 

hopefully we will have played 

some small part. 

We welcome our visitors from Sale 

Sharks, and hopefully this 

afternoon’s game can provide a 

suitable showcase as the 

Gallagher Premiership’s two 

northern clubs come together. 

It is so important for our sport that 

the North East and North West 

continue to be represented 

strongly on the national stage, and 

with two quality squads on show 

today I’m sure that will be the case. 

As well as thanking you for coming 

along and supporting the fixture I 

would also like to extend my 

appreciation to everyone at the 

club for the continued efforts they 

are making to keep things going. 

When you choose to work in 

professional sport there is a certain 

acceptance that personal sacrifice 

is required around the major 

holiday seasons, with major work 

commitments to fulfil at a time 

when most people are at home 

with their families. 

Our players, support staff and 

backroom team have all played 

their part in ensuring we are fully 

prepared for today, and I thank 

them for those efforts. The 

character and selflessness shown 

by all concerned has been nothing 

short of exceptional, and it’s a 

pleasure to be involved with such a 

great group of people. 

Outside of what is sure to be an 

entertaining and enjoyable 

Mike Brown scoring in our last home game 

afternoon of rugby, I would just 

urge you all to keep looking out 

for and supporting each other as 

we all navigate these difficult 

times. Keep listening to the 

relevant advice, take the 

appropriate steps to protect 

yourselves and your family, and if 

we can make things a little bit 

better by giving you some live 

sport to enjoy, then happy days! 

Thanks once again for your 

support. 

Dean Richards 

Director of rugby 

5

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UNDER-18s SEASON PREVIEW 

Having started their Under-18s league season on Thursday at Wasps, Newcastle Falcons’ 

academy head coach James Ponton is hopeful that another wave of local youngsters can 

continue their progression towards the first team 

With last season’s Under-18s league being cancelled and replaced with a number of 

friendlies, the return to a structured league is welcome news for Ponton, whose squad have 

been working hard in training throughout the pandemic. 

Academy head coach 

James Ponton 

NEWCASTLE FALCONS 

UNDER-18S FIXTURES 

Sat Jan 8: Leicester Tigers 

(home, 5.15pm, Kingston Park) 

Sun Jan 16: Sale Sharks 

(away, 2pm, Heywood Road 

Sat Jan 22: Worcester Warriors 

(home, 2.30pm, Kingston Park) 

Sat Feb 5: Yorkshire 

(home, 2pm, Kingston Park Stadium) 

Sat Feb 12: Northampton Saints 

(away, Franklin's Gardens, 2pm) 

Sat Feb 26: National finals day 

(Sixways, Worcester) 

The former back-row forward said: “I’ve got my fingers crossed for this season, because if 

that ends up getting cancelled then you’ll have a group of boys in academies who’ve played 

hardly any rugby for two years, and had none of the experience that goes with it. 

“From a training perspective during the whole pandemic I think we’ve trained more than any 

other club, and the feedback from the parents and junior coaches has been overwhelmingly 

positive. Everyone has bought into it, and with so many things being cancelled I think they 

were just grateful that they were able to get out and train due to the elite sporting 

exemptions. 

“We’ve just had to come into the club once everybody else has left, which has meant 

training at some unusual times like Friday nights, but it’s been an incredible effort from 

everyone.” 

Focused firmly on the future, he said: “On paper, we’ve got a really strong squad this 

season. 

“We’ll have had 11 of our players involved with England Under-17s and 18s training at some 

point, but you just never know until you get on the field in a proper match scenario. With 

having such a long gap between games it’s hard to get that consistency in terms of your 

performance and knowing what the other academies are bringing, so I guess we’ll see once 

we get into the games. 

“We always pride ourselves on being a skilful side, and our brand is more about moving the 

ball. Obviously you have to combine that with physicality and go-forward, especially against 

the likes of a Leicester Tigers, who play the same way their first team do. We’ve got some 

good play-makers and a lot of pace, though, and it should make for a good brand of rugby.” 

With so many academy graduates in Newcastle Falcons’ first team squad and a number of 

those progressing on to full international honours, Ponton spoke of his pride at the ongoing 

conveyor belt of talent from the North East and Cumbria. 

“The pathway is complete all the way through from our academy into the first team, and this 

is the first year where we’ve had people representing every England age-group level right 

up to the senior international side,” he said. 

“Seeing the likes of Jamie Blamire, Adam Radwan and Callum Chick make the journey 

through our academy into the England side - and then Trevor Davison as someone who 

came to us later through the associate route – the talent is definitely there. 

“We’ve got a load of great kids working their way up that pathway, and the responsibility 

falls to us as coaches to nurture them through.” 


7

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GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP PREVIEWS 

TODAY 

BRISTOL BEARS V LEICESTER TIGERS (3PM) 

Bristol Bears have lost their last two Gallagher Premiership 

Rugby encounters to Northampton and Gloucester, and 

have not lost three in succession in the same season since 

this time last year. The Bears have won just two of their last 

five matches played at Ashton Gate. 

Leicester Tigers have won their last 14 first team matches 

since today’s opponents Bristol beat them at Mattioli 

Woods Welford Road on June 5. Tigers have won their first 

nine Gallagher Premiership matches this season; no club 

has started a campaign with ten straight victories since 

Harlequins in 2011/12. 

NEWCASTLE FALCONS V SALE SHARKS (3PM) 

Newcastle Falcons have been defeated just once at 

Kingston Park in any competition since April: 20-26 to 

Harlequins in Premiership Rugby on September 19. The 

last five fixtures between Newcastle and Sale in 

Premiership Rugby have all gone the way of the home 

side, whilst Sale’s only victory at Kingston Park since 

November 2014 was 21-15 in May 2016. 

Sale Sharks have won just twice since the opening 

weekend of Gallagher Premiership Rugby, both at home, to 

Harlequins in Round 5 and Northampton in Round 8. The 

Sharks are without a win in their last seven away games in 

Premiership Rugby since their visit to Bath on May 14. 

SARACENS V WORCESTER WARRIORS (3PM) 

Saracens’ last three matches in Gallagher Premiership 

Rugby have been evenly split with a win, a draw and a 

loss. Sarries have lost just once at StoneX Stadium in 

Premiership Rugby since October 2019: 18-28 to Wasps in 

September 2020, although since this defeat they have also 

tallied two draws at the venue (against Bath and London 

Irish). 

Worcester Warriors’ only defeat in their last four Gallagher 

Premiership Rugby encounters was 5-27 at Bristol in 

Round 8. Worcester have won two of their last three 

fixtures against Saracens in Premiership Rugby. However, 

the defeat was 5-62 on their most recent visit to StoneX 

Stadium in January 2020. 

WASPS V LONDON IRISH (3PM) 

Wasps have lost their last three Gallagher Premiership 

Rugby matches since beating Bath 27-17 at The 

Recreation Ground in Round 7. Wasps have lost their last 

five matches at Coventry Building Society Arena in all 

competitions since their 26-20 victory there over 

Northampton Saints in Premiership Rugby on October 10. 

London Irish have won their last five first team fixtures 

since drawing 34-all at Saracens on November 6. The 

Exiles have lost only one of their last six Gallagher 

Premiership Rugby matches, 33-45 at home to Bristol in 

Round 7. The last four fixtures between the two clubs have 

all been won by the away side on the day. 

BATH V GLOUCESTER (4.30PM) 

Bath Rugby have lost all nine matches they have played in 

Gallagher Premiership Rugby this season, with their most 

recent win in the competition being against Northampton at 

the Recreation Ground on June 12. This is Bath’s only 

victory at their home in any tournament since April. 

Gloucester Rugby’s only defeat in their last seven 

Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches was 13-16 at home 

to Exeter on October 29. Gloucester have lost just once 

away from home this season: 20-34 at Northampton on the 

opening weekend. 

TOMORROW 

HARLEQUINS V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (5pm) 

Harlequins have slipped to back-to-back defeats in 

Gallagher Premiership Rugby, at home to London Irish and 

away at Leicester, and have not lost three in succession in 

the competition since April 2019. 

Harlequins have lost only one of the last eight matches 

they have played at Twickenham Stadium: 29-39 to 

London Irish in the London Double Header in September 

2017. 

Northampton Saints have won only once away from home 

in any competition since September: 36-20 at Bristol in 

Round 9 of Premiership Rugby. Northampton have lost on 

their last three visits to Twickenham Stadium, against 

Saracens, Harlequins and Leicester, since beating 

Harlequins there in the ‘Big Game’ in 2014. 

10 

@FalconsRugby

CONOR KENNY 

Prop, 25 

Irish prop Conor joined Newcastle 

Falcons from Connacht, having 

made 11 appearances for the 

province. The former Ireland 

Under-18s, 19s and 20s 

international is a native of the 

Buccaneers club in Athlone, and 

plays on the tight-head side. 

GEORGE MERRICK 

Lock, 28 

George joins the Falcons 

from Worcester Warriors. The 

Carshalton-born player is a 

former England Under-20s 

player who won the age-group 

Six Nations title in 2012, going 

on to make his senior debut for 

Harlequins the following year. 

Merrick made 100 appearances 

for Quins before being signed by 

French giants Clermont in 2020 

– playing 11 times in his season 

with Les Jaunards before moving 

to Worcester for the 2020-21 

campaign. 

OLLIE LINDSAY-HAGUE 

Wing/full-back, 30 

Ollie is a two-time Olympian who 

joined on an initial four-month 

deal in August. Having played 61 

games for Harlequins, scoring ten 

tries for the London club, in 2016 

he concentrated full-time on his 

international sevens career. 

Helping Team GB to an Olympic 

silver medal in Rio 2016, Lindsay- 

Hague featured again in the Tokyo 

games during 2021, his Team GB 

side missing out in the bronze medal 

match against Argentina. A Sevens 

Rugby World Cup finalist who has 

also represented England in the 

Commonwealth Games, Lindsay- 

Hague can play across the back 

three in 15s, where he is renowned 

for his pace and footwork. 


RICHARD PALFRAMAN 

Prop, 27 

Richard Palframan joined 

Newcastle Falcons in the summer 

of 2021. The South-African-born 

tight-head was educated in Cape 

Town and played for Natal Sharks 

Under-19s before moving to 

England in 2012 to join London 

Irish, for whom he made 28 

senior appearances. Spending a 

single season at London Scottish 

before joining Worcester in 2018, 

his two seasons at Sixways saw 

him making 43 appearances for 

the Warriors before making the 

decision to join Newcastle. 

11

12

16

PROJECT RUGBY 

We are really pleased with the positive work our 

community development officers have achieved this 

half-term with Project Rugby. 

Project Rugby is a joint initiative between Premiership 

Rugby and England Rugby, designed to increase 

participation in the game from people from traditionally 

under-represented groups. 

Rugby is a sport for everyone no matter what their 

background or ability, and has a unique propensity to 

change lives, bringing increased self-confidence, 

resilience and improving individual wellbeing. 

This half-term we have placed a focus on encouraging 

girls to participate in rugby, working with Jesmond Park 

Academy and Longbenton High School, delivering 

sessions to Year 7 and 8. We have successfully ran 

training sessions from tackle techniques to contact, using 

tackling shields. All girls were invited to a Newcastle 

Rugby session at Novos RFC. 

Keni Mais, a teacher at Jesmond Park Academy, spoke 

highly of our community development officer Chris Ure, 

who delivered these Project Rugby sessions, saying: 

“Chris has been a fantastic coach at delivering project 

rugby sessions at Jesmond Academy. The way he builds, 

builds, and builds the sessions and questions the kid’s 

knowledge all the time.” 

A Year-8 girl at Jesmond Park Academy added: “The 

sessions have been really enjoyable and fun. I think it’s 

good that we are finally getting a chance to do rugby, 

because when I was younger I always wanted to do it, but 

never really got a chance as it was considered a boys’ 

sport. Chris has been a good at showing us what to do, 

while making it enjoyable. We’ve done contact and 

tackling, and been invited to Novos RFC to try club rugby.” 

MEET THE TEAM 

Andy Reynolds 

Community development officer 

“I have been linked with the Falcons at 

various stages throughout my life; from 

playing in the academy as a teen, 

completing a two-year internship as an 

analyst to the first team during my 

university studies and returning as a 

rugby development officer within the 

community foundation. I have 

coached several clubs across 

Durham and Northumberland, 

and have experienced all age 

ranges. I am passionate 

about rugby, and I love 

seeing the positive impact 

the sport has on people 

from all walks of life. 

14 

@FalconsRugby

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Experience some good old Northern hospitality! 

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19

F 

rom 

Tucuman 

to 

Tyneside, 

Matias 

Orlando’s 

rugby journey has taken 

some unexpected 

twists and turns in 

recent times. 

The 30-year-old centre 

has been capped 47 times 

by Argentina, and was a 

mainstay of the Jaguares 

side which reached the 

Super Rugby final in 2019 

before Covid brought an 

abrupt halt to everything. 

Not just a pause – a 

complete stop. Restore 

factory settings. 

“Jaguares joined Super 

Rugby in 2015, which 

meant playing against the 

best sides from New 

Zealand, Australia and 

South Africa, and it was 

absolutely amazing for 

rugby in Argentina,” says 

Orlando, the silky midfield 

man who is on the 

comeback trail from a 

longstanding groin injury. 

“Everything changed for the 

sport in Argentina once we 

were in Super Rugby - our 

fan-base got massive and 

the stadium for our home 

games was absolutely 

rocking. The first two years 

was tough because we 

played but didn’t do very 

well, then we improved to 

make the quarter-finals, and 

in 2019 we played in 

20 

the final against the 

Crusaders. 

“Then came Covid, and it 

was gone. It was paused to 

begin with due to the 

pandemic, but it never came 

back. Jaguares just 

disappeared. It was really 

tough, because nobody saw 

it coming. When you make a 

plan for your life you think 

that’s how it’s going to be, 

and I was going to be with 

Jaguares for the next few 

years. All of a sudden that’s 

taken away, and all of us 

were left without a team.” 

The stars of Argentinean 

rugby suddenly became hot 

property, flying out to all 

corners of the world to 

address their impromptu 

free-agent status. 

“Things happen in life and 

you have to move on, and 

I’ve now got this new and 

unexpected chapter with 

Newcastle,” says Orlando, 

who had been a firm fixture 

in the Jaguares team, 

scoring twice in their 2019 

semi-final victory over the 

Brumbies. 

“I’m here now, I’m enjoying it 

and you just have to adapt 

to situations. Out of 

something bad can come 

something good, and I have 

no regrets about becoming 

a Falcon.” 

It is all so distant from his 

upbringing in North West 

Argentina, Orlando hailing 

from Tucuman, where the 

fertile agricultural land has 

made it known as the 

‘Garden of the Republic’. 

A lot of 

people 

over here 

think of 

Argentina as 

being mainly a 

football nation, 

which for a lot of 

the country is 

probably true, but 

where i'm from in 

Tucuman, rugby is 

absolutely huge,” 

explains the man 

nicknamed ‘Tosti'. 

“They go crazy for 

the game, and it’s 

really important for 

them. I played rugby 

fromthe age of three, 

because my family 

were involved with our 

local amateur club, 

Huirapuca. My father 

played there, my sister plays 

in the front-row for them and I 

grew up wearing their green 

and red colours. 

“I grew up with rugby players 

as my heroes, and had their 

posters on my wall. One of 

the guys from my club who 

played for Los Pumas, our 

national side, was Jose Maria 

Nunez Piossek, who played 

over here for Bristol and 

Glasgow, as well as a couple 

of clubs in France. Tristan 

Molinuevo was another who 

played fly-half for my club and 

for Tucuman province, and I 

looked up to those guys. 

Tristan only played amateur 

rugby but he’s a legend in 

Tucuman, and really showed 

me the way when I was 

coming through." 

Progressing through the 

@FalconsRugby

anks of his local club and taking his 

first steps on the ladder to making 

rugby a career, Orlando explains: “I 

played throughout the age groups for 

Huirapuca, and then earned 

selection for Tucuman, 

which is my local 

provincial team. 

“That helped me get 

selected for Argentina 

Under-20s, and then 

eventually the full 

Argentina squad. My 

first professional 

contract came at the 

age of 21, 

which was basically playing for the 

Pumas and my home club, and it just 

took off from there when the 

Jaguares came around in 2015. 

By that stage the centre was already 

an established international, earning 

his Pumas debut in 2012 against 

Uruguay before playing his first toptier 

test against England the year 

after. Featuring in the 2019 Rugby 

World Cup, he was then a key part of 

the side which defeated New Zealand 

for the first time back in November 

2020. 

It has not all been roses for Orlando 

and Argentina in more recent times, 

however, with the Pumas enduring a 

disappointing 2021 Rugby 

Championship and autumn tour as a 

combination of quarantine, bubbles 

and poor results took a huge toll on 

all involved. 

“The international rugby with 

Argentina in the last couple of years 

has been really hard, mentally,” says 

Orlando. 

“We haven’t played any home games 

since before the pandemic, and the 

away games have meant some really 

long tours where we’ve been away 

from home for months at a time. Not 

just that, but every new country you 

go to you’re having to do another 14 

days of quarantine where you’re not 

allowed to leave your hotel room. 

“The whole bubble thing is just really 

difficult for the guys, like being in a 

Romanian hotel for two weeks, then 

an Australian hotel 

and the same again in New 

Zealand and South Africa. 

We couldn’t leave these hotels, and 

everyone had families at home that 

they hadn’t seen for months. It’s not 

an excuse for the results we’ve had, 

because we know we need to 

improve, but it has been a really hard 

time. 

“This summer was even worse for me 

because I went on tour for the Rugby 

Championship, but I was struggling to 

get over my groin injury. It meant I 

had to do all the hotel quarantine and 

everything else, but I didn’t even have 

the games to look forward to on a 

weekend. 

“I got the injury around March time, 

and I was playing through it. I was 

struggling to be fit, but in June I had a 

setback and it got to the point where I 

couldn’t run. I did rehab from there, 

missing the Pumas’ summer tour, and 

even though I went with them for the 

whole duration of the Rugby 

Championship I was never fit enough 

to play. 

“At the end of the tour I went home to 

Argentina to see a specialist, and now 

I’m back in Newcastle just desperate 

to play rugby again. All I can do is get 

myself fit, and from there hopefully 

the coaches will choose to pick me if 

it’s the best thing for the team.” 

The festive season is tough for 

sportsmen at the best of times with 

fixtures coming thick and fast while 

celebrations are going on all around, 

and for Orlando there is the added 

culture shock to factor in. 


21

- .-...,.,.,._=-._;-,: -'- . 

- ... 

·-·- 

- . ..- - 

He says: “In Argentina we have our big 

Christmas celebration and exchange gifts 

on the night of December 24, and have our 

main meal that night. It’s hot in Argentina at 

this time of year so the meal is normally a 

big BBQ outdoors, and it’s a lot different 

over here. I’m just hoping Santa Claus 

gives me the gift of a few rugby games! 

“I’m on my own here at the moment, but my 

girlfriend is coming over after Christmas. 

Mateo Carreras is like my son here in 

Newcastle so I have to look after him a little 

bit, and it’s nice having someone at the 

club to speak Spanish with. My English 

was terrible when I first arrived, but I’m 

getting a little bit better now.” 

Embracing life in North East England, he 

adds: “When I heard that Newcastle were 

interested in signing me I spoke with a few 

Argentinean players who have been here 

before, guys like Beli Agulla, Juan Pablo 

Socino and Gonza Tiesi. They told me it 

was very cold but that the city and the club 

is really nice, and everything they’ve said 

has been true. They said the club was very 

friendly, and when I spoke with Dean 

Richards I just said ‘yeah, I want to come 

and be part of it’. 

“Before I arrived in Newcastle I thought the 

cold wasn’t going to be a problem, but 

when I got here I was like ‘OK, this is 

actually freezing’, and we were doing things 

like coming in to sweep the snow from the 

pitch at the stadium so the games could go 

ahead. I didn’t speak much English at the 

time so it was difficult to begin with, but I 

can honestly say that every single person at 

the club helped me. They helped me sort a 

house, car, make friends and just do 

everything, and I think that was the most 

important thing for me. 

“Playing rugby in a different language was 

really, really hard, and especially with the 

weather here. I’ve learned that you need to 

change your tactics to suit the conditions, 

and I think of the wind as like being a third 

team on the field. You’re playing against the 

opposition and also against the wind, and 

it’s just not something I’d ever had to think 

about before.” 

Confident that good times are around the 

corner, he says: “I enjoy being in 

Newcastle, but it’s tough when you want to 

play rugby but you’re injured. 

“I try to enjoy different things when I’m not 

able to play, but I find it really difficult 

coming to watch the games when I’m 

injured. I’ll sit in the stands and try to 

support the boys as best I can, but all I’m 

really thinking about is the pain that I’m in 

and the fact I want to be playing. 

“The boys have made a good start to the 

season overall though – similar to last 

season, really – but we need to keep the 

levels high. 

“We shouldn’t stress out because we lost 

our last league match at London Irish, 

because it’s just one game. We’re still a 

good team, and playing Sale Sharks at 

home on Boxing Day is a big opportunity for 

us to show it.” 

22

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FULL-BACK 

17/4/99 

194CM, 104KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

22/12/97 

185CM, 

113KG 

ENGLAND 

6/9/95 

188CM, 125KG 

ENGLAND 

STUDENTS 

FULL-BACK 

4/9/85 

183CM, 93KG 

ENGLAND 

LUTHER BURRELL 

MATEO CARRERAS 

CALLUM CHICK 

CONNOR COLLETT 

CENTRE 

WING 

BACK ROW 

BACK ROW 

06/12/88 

191CM, 

104KG 

ENGLAND 

WING 

17/12/99 

168CM, 78KG 

ARGENTINA 

25/11/96 

193CM, 

105KG 

ENGLAND 

BACK ROW 

5/2/96 

185CM, 

103KG 

BRETT CONNON 

KYLE COOPER 

MATTHEW DALTON 

TREVOR DAVISON 

FLY-HALF 

PROP 

LOCK 

PROP 

ROB FARRAR 

29/8/96 

176CM, 93KG 

IRELAND U20 

10/2/89 

178CM, 113KG 

SOUTH AFRICA 

U20 

16/11/98 

198CM, 

115KG 

IRELAND 

U20 

20/8/92 

188CM, 116KG 

ENGLAND 

NATHAN EARLE 

ROB FARRAR 

CARL FEARNS 

MARCO FUSER 

WING 

LOCK/BACK ROW 

BACK ROW 

LOCK 

24 

25/9/94 

185CM, 99KG 

ENGLAND XV 

16/3/00 

190CM, 103KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

28/5/89 

191CM, 

122KG 

ENGLAND A 

9/3/91 

198CM, 

122KG 

ITALY

AD 

GARY GRAHAM 

JOEL HODGSON 

CONOR KENNY 

OLLIE LINDSAY-HAGUE 

BACK ROW 

FLY-HALF 

PROP 

WING/FULL-BACK 

BACK ROW 

29/8/92 

187CM, 

112KG 

SCOTLAND 

1/8/92 

176CM, 84KG 

ENGLAND 

U19 

25/7/96 

185CM, 

125KG 

IRELAND U20 

8/10/90 

180CM, 80KG 

GREAT BRITAIN 7S 

PETE LUCOCK 

CHARLIE MADDISON 

TOM MARSHALL 

GEORGE MCGUIGAN 

CENTRE 

HOOKER 

BACK ROW 

HOOKER 

27/11/92 

183CM, 98KG 

24/6/91 

188CM, 

109KG 

20/10/99 

190CM, 99KG 

SCOTLAND 

U20 

30/3/93 

183CM, 

110KG 

ENGLAND A 

GEORGE MERRICK 

WILL MONTGOMERY 

LOGOVI’I MULIPOLA 

CAMERON NORDLI-KELEMETI 

LOCK 

LOCK/BACK ROW 

PROP 

SCRUM-HALF 

4/10/92 

201CM, 

123KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

2/2/00 

195CM, 

98KG 

ENGLAND 

U19 

11/3/87 

192CM, 

128KG 

SAMOA 

20/9/99 

177CM, 84KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

MATIAS ORLANDO 

RICHARD PALFRAMAN 

TOM PENNY 

GREG PETERSON 

CENTRE 

PROP 

FULL-BACK 

LOCK 

14/11/91 

183CM, 94KG 

ARGENTINA 

20/12/93 

185CM, 

120KG 

13/10/94 

179CM, 92KG 

26/3/91 

203CM, 

117KG 

USA 

25

ADAM RADWAN 

FIRST TEAM SQU 

SEAN ROBINSON 

LOUIS SCHREUDER 

ROBBIE SMITH 

WING 

LOCK/BACK ROW 

SCRUM-HALF 

HOOKER 

30/12/97 

179CM, 86KG 

ENGLAND 

8/2/91 

193CM, 

112KG 

ENGLAND 

STUDENTS 

25/4/90 

184CM, 82KG 

SOUTH 

AFRICA 

26/9/98 

175CM, 

110KG 

SCOTLAND 

U20 

BEN STEVENSON 

SAM STUART 

ALEX TAIT 

MARK TAMPIN 

WING/CENTRE 

SCRUM-HALF 


PROP 

19/7/98 

189CM, 96KG 

ENGLAND 

STUDENTS 

27/9/91 

173CM, 83KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

18/3/88 

183CM, 94KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

20/1/92 

185CM, 

120KG 

PHILIP VAN DER WALT 

GEORGE WACOKECOKE 

WILL WELCH 

MARK WILSON 

BACK-ROW 

CENTRE/WING 

BACK ROW 

BACK ROW 

14/7/89 

193CM, 110KG 

23/10/95 

180CM, 92KG 

ENGLAND 

STUDENTS 

3/4/90 

192CM, 

108KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

6/10/89 

191CM, 112KG 

ENGLAND 

MAX WRIGHT 

MICHAEL YOUNG 

CENTRE 

SCRUM-HALF 

To sponsor a player email 

corporatesales@newcastle-falcons.co.uk 

26 

24/5/97 

188CM, 100KG 

ENGLAND U20 

31/12/88 

176CM, 83KG 

ENGLAND A

AD 

DEAN RICHARDS 

DAVE WALDER 

MICKY WARD 

NICK EASTER 

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY 

HEAD COACH 

FORWARDS COACH 

DEFENCE COACH 

SCOTT MACLEOD 

MARK LAYCOCK 

TOBY FLOOD 

JOHN STOKOE 

LINE-OUT COACH 

SKILLS COACH 

KICKING & SKILLS COACH 

TEAM MANAGER 

KEVIN MCSHANE 

LEWIS WILLIAMS 

TIM PAYNE 

STEVEN BREMNER 

HEAD OF ATHLETIC 

PERFORMANCE 

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING 

COACH 

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING 

COACH 

HEAD PERFORMANCE 

ANALYST 

MATT HODKINSON 

RHYS GRIFFITHS 

ANDY SHEA 

DERMOT AUSTIN 

PERFORMANCE ANALYST 

HEAD PHYSIO 

PHYSIO 

PHYSIO 

TOBY TREMLETT 

RACHEL SCURFIELD 

ALAN BASKERVILLE 

PHYSIO 

LEAD DOCTOR 

KIT MANAGER 

27

JAMES BLACKETT 

SCRUM-HALF 

SENIOR ACADEM 

PHIL BRANTINGHAM 

PROP 

CONRAD CADE 

PROP 

OSCAR CAUDLE 

PROP 

22/10/01 

175CM, 79KG 

ENGLAND U18 

2/10/01 

183CM, 

116KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

27/1/97 

183CM, 107KG 

ENGLAND 

STUDENTS 

14/10/00 

189CM, 

130KG 

MATT DEEHAN 

LOCK/BACK ROW 

MARK DORMER 

PROP 

OLLIE FLETCHER 

HOOKER 

EWAN GREENLAW 

CENTRE 

4/10/02 

190CM, 102KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

16/9/02 

185CM, 

104KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

9/9/02 

183CM, 

103KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

14/3/03 

177CM, 98KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

WILL HAYDON-WOOD 

FLY-HALF 

LOUIE JOHNSON 

FLY-HALF 

ZACH KERR 

WING 

FREDDIE LOCKWOOD 

BACK ROW/LOCK 

27/10/00 

178CM, 85KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

13/6/03 

185CM, 89KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

13/12/99 

180CM, 95KG 

31/12/00 

188CM, 

113KG 

ENGLAND 

U19 

CHIDERA OBONNA 

WING/CENTRE 

MORGAN PASSMAN 

WING 

GUY PEPPER 

BACK ROW 

IWAN STEPHENS 


28 

18/10/00 

185CM, 90KG 

ENGLAND 

U17 

30/9/99 

183CM, 102KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

JOAN MILNE 

15/4/03 

190CM, 99KG 

ENGLAND 

U18 

24/3/02 

170CM, 80KG

Y SQUAD 

MARCUS TIFFEN 

BACK ROW 

MATTHEW WARD 

WING 

3/9/02 

184CM, 93KG 

30/9/01 

183CM, 92KG 

ENGLAND 

U20 

JOAN MILNE 

MARK LAYCOCK JAMES PONTON PJ BUTLER 

JACK HAYES 

ACADEMY MANAGER ACADEMY HEAD COACH ACADEMY COACH 

ACADEMY PERFORMANCE 

ANALYST 

MICHAEL FERGUSON 

SHAUN MCLAREN 

FRAZER BELL 

CAIN WILKINSON 

ACADEMY HEAD STRENGTH & 

CONDITIONING COACH 

ACADEMY STRENGTH & 

CONDITIONING COACH 

LEAD ACADEMY PHYSIO 

ACADEMY PHYSIO 

ROZ LYALL 

ACADEMY & MEDICAL 

ADMINISTRATOR 

To sponsor a player email 

corporatesales@newcastle-falcons.co.uk 

29

YOU R 

YOU R 

GET 

ER 

TOGET H SQUA D 

OF 

SPONSOR PROUD 

30 

THE SPIRIT OF RUGBY

NORTHUMBERLAND 

rugby union 

NEWCASTLE RAVENS 

TEAM OF THE MONTH 

Northumberland RFU are delighted to announce that 

Newcastle Falcons have once again kindly agreed to 

sponsor the Team of the Month Competition. 

The competition is open to all clubs, teams and age 

groups in Northumberland, and the entries will be judged 

on their own merits by an impartial panel including 

representatives of both Northumberland RFU and 

Newcastle Falcons. 

The RFU is rightly focusing on growing as well as 

celebrating diversity and inclusion in rugby, and so it is great 

to report that Newcastle Ravens, Northumberland’s first 

LGBTQ rugby club, last year celebrated their 15th 

anniversary, and were thrilled to attend the Thebans Clinic in 

October this year. 

The Clinic is a staple in the IGR (International Gay Rugby) 

calendar, and for the first time this year included a 

tournament which enabled teams from the length and 

breadth of the country to pit themselves against each other. 

The event, spread over a long weekend, started with a 

‘social’ at the President’s Suite at Murrayfield Stadium, 

followed by working on key aspects of the game such as 

footwork, protecting the ball and tackling skills. 

The day after was game day, with the Ravens enjoying a 

successful run out, winning two, against London Stags and 

KX Steelers, and only losing one game - to the eventual 

tournament winners, Cardiff Lions. A tremendous weekend 

was had by all, and friendships made for life. 

We want to hear about all your achievements this 

season! Selected winners will receive 20 tickets for a 

Falcons game of their choice, subject to timing and 

availability. The deadline for October and November 

entries has now shut, but we will be accepting 

nominations in early January for December’s award. 

Maybe your first team was unbeaten for the month, your 

u16s raised money for charity or your newly forged girls’ 

team played their first ever match? Let us know! All 

nominations, including details of the team and a brief 

summary of what has been achieved, should be emailed 

to DeanGray@NorthumberlandRFU.co.uk. 

SECOND BITE 

Northumberland RFU, Northumberland Rugby Union's 

Referees Society and Novos RFC support the work of 

Second Bite. 

The Second Bite Community Interest Company has 

social value at its core, and uses its profits and assets 

for the public good – providing dining choices in four 

venues in the North East to give training and hands-on 

experience to students from here and overseas, thereby 

opening previously-shut doors to recognised 

qualifications and job opportunities. Three of the venues, 

in collaboration with local grassroots charities, are also 

used for the preparation of meals to be distributed to 

individuals and families in areas of deprivation. 

If you would like to find out more or want to support the 

invaluable work that Second Bite does in the Community 

please get in touch with them. More information can be 

found at www.second-bite.org. 

On behalf of everyone involved with Northumberland 

RFU we hope you had a Merry Christmas, and best 

wishes for a healthy and happy 2022! 

31

32 

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37

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS 

Kingsley Hyland’s series of rugby reminiscences continues 

with a Boxing Day special, charting the history of the club’s 

post-Christmas matches. . 

BOXING DAY ‘DERBIES’ 

With modern day players generally limited to playing one 

match a week, club rugby on Boxing Day has become 

something of a rarity in the professional era. 

Things were very different in the amateur days, as club 

treasurers salivated at the prospect of bumper crowds and 

bar takes as the holiday season was crammed with fixtures 

between local rivals. 

Gosforth, for example, would traditionally play Northern on 

Boxing Day and Novocastrians on New Year’s Day. If 

December 26 happened to fall on a Saturday the club would 

Gosforth’s inexorable rise through the 1970s coincided with a 

steady decline in the fortunes of Northern which has never 

really been reversed, with the club now playing its league 

fixtures at level 7 in the RFU pyramid. 

Gosforth in turn fell from grace during the 1980s, although 

their decline was partially arrested following the move to 

Kingston Park in 1990. In fact, Northern’s only victory in the 

fixture in the 15 years before the game went open came in 

1989, as Gosforth endured their worst season since the 

Second World War. 

1980: Gosforth 12-6 Northern 

1981: No fixture 


1983: Northern 6-30 Gosforth 







1990: Newcastle Gosforth 34-4 Northern 

1991: Northern 6-54 Newcastle Gosforth 


1993: Northern 7-51 Newcastle Gosforth 


David ‘Banty’ Johnson turning out in Northern colours. 

play four matches in nine days, with the majority of the 

players playing in all four. 

The Boxing Day derbies between Gosforth and Northern 

were always compelling affairs, even if the quality on show 

did not always match festive expectations. 

The two clubs were walking distance apart, separated by the 

width of the Great North Road. Both clubs were running five 

adult sides along with veteran XVs – the Gosforth Nomads 

and Northern Gypsies – and Colts, and on Boxing Day all 

seven teams were pitted against their local rivals. 

Whilst the two clubs might only attract a few hundred to their 

regular club fixtures, attendances in excess of 2,000 were 

commonplace on Boxing Day, with the respective 

clubhouses packed post-match with supporters for whom this 

annual fixture was their only visit. 

The matches also proved an accurate indicator of the relative 

standings of the two clubs. 

38 

Gosforth: P14,W13, L1, Pts for 418, Pts against 83. 

Northern: P14, W1, L13, Pts for 83, Pts against 418. 

Northern’s sole victory in this period in 1989 owed much 

to Gosforth’s record points scorer, David Johnson. 

Having represented the club since a teenager Johnson had 

decamped to Northern in the close season, lured by the offer 

of a job in the building industry. He scored all of Northern’s 

points with two penalties and a drop goal after Gosforth had 

taken an early lead through a Graeme Spearman penalty. 

The teams that day were as follows: 

Gosforth: J.Whisker; G.Spearman; C.Leslie; D.Briggs 

(rep.R.Wilkinson, 50); D.Ogilgie; A.Markham; S.Douglas; M./ 

Fraser; G.Cooper; P.Harvey; K.Westgarth; T.Roberts; 

R.Thorpe; N.Frankland; P.Smith. 

Northern: J.Murray; J.Briggs; B.Russell (rep.A.Elliott); 

N.Robinson; M.Carr; D.Johnson; J.Tiffen; P.Jackson; 

A.Tucker; P.Watson; A.Oglethorpe; J.Foster; J.Baldwin; 

G.Evans; M.Carter. 

Gosforth got some measure of revenge when they regained 

the Northumberland Senior Cup four months later, beating 

Northern 16-3 at Morpeth. 

By the end of the 1980s it had become clear that Newcastle 

could not sustain two successful clubs at senior level, and 

following Gosforth’s decision to sell their Great North Road 

ground there were talks between the two clubs about the 

possibility of a merger. 

@FalconsRugby

Northern eventually decided to go it alone, buoyed by 

their success in the Northumberland Senior Cup the 

previous season, which fuelled a belief that they could 

regain their status as one of the premier club sides in 

the north. There were other factors in play such as a 

complex tax situation, as Northern’s McCracken Park 

was owned by a ground company and not the club itself. 

Northern may have come to rue their decision. 

Whilst Gosforth received a real boost from the move to 

Kingston Park, culminating in promotion to the top 

division in 1993, Northern failed to advance further in 

the league structure despite ‘investing’ – to the extent 

that you could invest in an amateur game – in two South 

Africans who played in the heavy defeat on Boxing Day 

1991. 

One of them, fly-half Hennie le Roux, went on to win 27 

caps for the Springboks and played in the 1995 Rugby 

World Cup final victory over the All Blacks. The club 

ended up having to sell one of their four pitches to fund 

the rebuilding of their clubhouse, and later sold further 

land in the north west corner of the site to alleviate 

ongoing financial difficulties. 

Whilst the Boxing Day derbies involved a short walk 

across the road, the closest the Falcons have come to a 

derby fixture in the professional era since the decline of 

Leeds and West Hartlepool has been the regular 

Premiership fixture with Sale - just short of 150 miles 

away. 

Two of the rare occasions on which the Falcons have 

played on Boxing Day have involved matches with Sale. 

DECEMBER 26, 2006 – NEWCASTLE 

FALCONS 40-25 SALE SHARKS 

IIn a high-scoring game in front of a festive crowd of 

8,574 it was goal-kicking that proved the essential 

difference between the two teams, the visitors missing 

with eight shots at goal whilst Toby Flood kicked eight 

from eight for the Falcons, who secured a bonus point 

victory with a try in the last play of the game. 

The Falcons went ahead after just two minutes when 

Anthony Elliott went over in the left corner following a 

maul on the other side of the pitch. Sale came back 

strongly when Lee Thomas’ successful penalty attempt 

was followed by a try from wing Chris Mayor. 

Sale’s lead was short-lived as Tom May went over 

on 21 minutes following a sharp midfield move, in 

which Flood and Matthew Tait were prominent. Tait 

himself was the next to score with a spectacular 

try, made initially by Flood’s chip, chase and offload 

to Tait, who stood up Jason Robinson and touched 

down under the posts. 

As Sale struggled to hit the proverbial barn door off the 

tee, they did manage to close the deficit to 18-21 at the 

break with tries from hooker Sebastien Bruno and 

a second for Mayor. 

The Falcons continued to build scoreboard 

pressure after the interval as Flood kicked his first two 

penalties of the match, and he added a third to extend 

the lead to 12 points following a yellow card for Bruno. 

Sale then scored their own bonus-point try when 

Chris Bell scored in the corner. Scrum-half 

Richard Wigglesworth, the Sharks’ third kicker of the 

afternoon, added the conversion from the touchline. 

Flood’s fourth penalty restored an eight-point lead 

for the Falcons, and with the last play of the game 

they secured turnover ball in their own 22 for Flood to 

feed Burke, whose scoring pass enabled winger John 

Rudd to run in from his own half. 


Newcastle: A.Elliott; T.May; A.Tait (rep.M.Burke 67); 

M.Mayerhofler (rep.L.Crichton 50); J.Rudd; T.Flood; 

J.Grindal (rep.L.Dickson 67); J.McDonnell 

(rep.J.Golding 67); M.Thompson (rep.A.Long 68); 

M.Ward; M.Sorenson; J.Oakes (rep.A.Buist 72); 

G.Parling; B.Woods (rep.B.Wilson 78); R.Winter. 

Sale: J.Robinson; B.Foden; M.Taylor; C.Bell; C.Mayor; 

L.Thomas (rep.D.Larrechea 17); R.Wigglesworth 

(rep.A.Vilk); L.Faure (rep.B.Evans 55); S.Bruno 

(rep.A.Titterill 78); S.Turner; D.Schofield; C.Day 

(rep.S.Cox); C.Jones (rep.S.Chabal 22); M.Lund; 

J.Fernandez Lobbe. 

S Sale’s Sebastien Chabal attacks attacks with Joe with McDonnell Joe McDonnell and Anthony and Anthony Elliott in attendance 


39

DECEMBER 26, 2011, SALE SHARKS 27-19 

NEWCASTLE FALCONS 

Tim Swinson 

Fast-forward five years, and the boot was on the other 

foot as the Falcons made the journey to Edgeley Park 

in Stockport. 

Winger Tom Brady opened the scoring with a try for the 

hosts on eight minutes, converted by Nick Macleod. 

The visitors were quickly on the wrong side of referee 

Dave Pearson, and Macleod’s three successful penalty 

kicks gave Sale a 16-0 lead. 

The Falcons responded with a Jimmy Gopperth 

penalty, and centre James Fitzpatrick should have gone 

over for a try but knocked on over the line, before 

Macleod’s fourth penalty extended the home side’s lead 

to 19-3. 

The Falcons came back strongly with replacement 

Jeremy Manning scoring an outstanding try, which 

Gopperth converted for a half-time scoreline of 19-10. 

Three minutes into the second half Gopperth kicked his 

second penalty from halfway, and on the hour mark 

reduced the deficit to just three points with a further 

penalty. 

A soft try scored by Mark Cueto steadied Sale’s 

nerves, and although Gopperth’s fourth penalty 

brought the Falcons back within bonus-point range, 

even that was denied when Macleod kicked a late 

penalty for Sale. 


Newcastle: G.Goosen; L.Eves: C.Uys; 

J.Fitzpatrick; S.Hufanga; J.Gopperth; J.Pasqualin; 

G.Shiells; R.Vickers; E.Murray; J.Hudson; T.Swinson; 

T.Tu’ifua; W.Welch; A.Hogg. 

Sale: R.Miller; T.Brady; J.Leota; S.Tuitupou; 

M.Cueto; N.Macleod; D.Peel; A.Dickinson; M.Jones; 

H.Thomas; F.McKenzie; A.Ostrikov; J.Gaskell; 

D.Seymour; A.Powell. . 

Ally Hogg 

40 

@FalconsRugby

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41

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON ALL THINGS RUGBY WITH OUR 

TEN-QUESTION TEASER. ANSWERS ARE UPSIDE-DOWN AT THE 

BOTTOM OF THE PAGE. 

Q1 WHICH NEWCASTLE FALCONS FORWARD SPENT PART OF THE 2019-20 SEASON ON LOAN 

AT SALE SHARKS? 

Q2 WHICH NEWCASTLE FALCONS PLAYER IS PICTURED HERE? 

Q3 WHICH TWO FRENCH TEAMS ARE IN NEWCASTLE FALCONS’ 

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP GROUP? 

Q4 JORDIE BARRETT AND WILL JORDAN PLAY INTERNATIONAL 

RUGBY FOR WHICH COUNTRY? 

Q5 TRUE OR FALSE, NEWCASTLE FALCONS PROP LOGOVI’I MULIPOLA HAS 

APPEARED ON THE NEW ZEALAND VERSION OF MASTERCHEF? 

Q6 HOW MANY GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP TEAMS HAVE ARTIFICIAL GRASS PITCHES AT 

THEIR REGULAR HOME STADIUM? 

Q7 BEFORE SALE SHARKS MOVED TO AJ BELL STADIUM, WHERE DID THEY PLAY THEIR 

HOME GAMES? 

Q8 WHICH FRENCH INTERNATIONAL IS PICTURED HERE? 

Q9 IN WHICH YEAR DID NEWCASTLE FALCONS BEAT SALE SHARKS AT TWICKENHAM IN THE 

POWERGEN CUP FINAL? 

Q10 SALE SCRUM-HALF FAF DE KLERK HAS WON THE RUGBY WORLD CUP PLAYING FOR 

WHICH COUNTRY? 

1 MARK WILSON, 2 KYLE COOPER, 3 BIARRITZ AND TOULON, 4 NEW ZEALAND, 5 FALSE, 6 FOUR, 7 

EDGELEY PARK, 8 ANTOINE DUPONT, 9 2004, 10 SOUTH AFRICA.

An unmissable 

line up on BT Sport 

43

SALE SHARKS 

Sale and England scrum-half Raffi Quirke 

Last season’s 

Gallagher Premiership 

'semi-finalists, have 

had a more testing 

start to the 2021-22 

season, coming into today’s game 

at third-bottom in the table. 

The Sharks have won three of their 

nine league games, sitting three 

points and three places behind the 

Falcons ahead of this afternoon’s 

so-called ‘northern derby’. 

Last season had brought major 

change to the only other 

Premiership club north of Leicester, 

with long-time director of rugby 

Steve Diamond leaving the club and 

being replaced with former Sharks 

back-rower Alex Sanderson. 

The change seemed to signal an 

upturn in their fortunes as they 

ended last season strongly, finishing 

third in the regular-season 

standings with 16 wins from 22 

games. 

A relatively quiet summer in the 

transfer market brought a degree of 

stability to a squad with a heavy 

South African influence, hooker 

Tommy Taylor returning to the club 

after a few seasons away with 

Wasps. 

Highly-rated tight-head Nick 

Schonert joined from Worcester 

Warriors, while Simon McIntyre 

continued the front-row focus as he 

arrived from Wasps. 

44 

With the Sale having had a bye week 

during Gallagher Premiership round 

10, their most recent league 

assignment going into the European 

window was a 25-14 defeat at 

Saracens, part of which was played 

with 14 men due to the red card 

shown to winger Byron McGuigan. 

He misses this afternoon’s encounter 

due to the accompanying three-match 

ban – his side’s last league victory 

coming back on November 6 when 

they hammered Northampton Saints 

30-6 at home. 

The campaign had begun in promising 

fashion, the Sharks chiselling out a 

20-19 home victory over Bath in which 

the West Country side missed a lastminute 

penalty. 

There was entertainment aplenty in 

round two when the Sharks drew 

31-31 at London Irish, the Exiles 

hitting the post with a long-range 

penalty at the death as Sale allowed a 

31-14 half-time lead to slip. 

USA fly-half AJ MacGinty suffered an 

injury during that game, and the 

Bristol-bound pivot was a big miss for 

the Sharks as they fell 25-15 at home 

to Exeter Chiefs in round three. 

They continued to be good 

entertainment value with another highscoring 

nail-biter at Gloucester, when 

a last-minute missed penalty allowed 

the Cherry and Whites to escape with 

a 33-32 victory at Kingsholm. 

@FalconsRugby 

Two tries from England scrum-half Raffi 

Quirke got their show back on the road 

with a 28-22 home victory over 

champions Harlequins on October 15, 

before a bruising trip to Welford Road 

saw them beaten 19-11 at the current 

league leaders. 

A 27-14 loss to Worcester Warriors was 

arguably the low point of their league 

campaign on October 30, before 

steadying the ship with a convincing 

home win over Northampton. 

Newcastle Falcons have of course 

already faced today’s opponents once 

this term, when Sale were 25-20 

winners in Premiership Rugby Cup 

action on November 19. 

Both club’s line-ups will have changed 

considerably since then, not least with 

the return of their international stars. 

Joining their vast collection of capped 

South African internationals, they have 

recently added further England honours 

with call-ups for scrum-half Raffi Quirke 

and prop Bevan Rodd, adding to the 

firm fixture of back-rower Tom Curry in 

the red-rose ranks.

the bos s 

The Chester-born director of rugby started 

his senior playing career at Sale Sharks in 

1998 after playing junior rugby at local club 

Littleborough, going on to make 90 

appearances for Sharks and earning the 

club captaincy, as well as five caps for 

England. Moving to Saracens as a player, 

Sanderson was forced to retire prematurely 

through injury and began his coaching 

journey with Sarries in 2008, initially as 

forwards coach, and eventually 

incorporating defence. Part of the Sarries 

management as they won domestic and 

European honours before being relegated 

for salary cap breaches, Sanderson rejoined 

the Sharks in January 2021. 

THE MAIN man 

LOOD DE JAGER 

The giant World-Cup-winning lock 

turned 29 years old nine days ago, 

and is a central pillar in the Sale 

forward pack. Standing at 6 foot 7 

De Jager is a renowned line-out 

force who helped South Africa to 

global glory in Japan in 2019, and 

currently has 54 Springbok caps to 

his name after making his 

international debut against Wales in 

2014. Bringing brain as well as 

brawn, the former Bulls and Blue 

Bulls man boasts deft handling 

skills to go alongside his 

considerable physical attributes. 

ALEX 

SANDERSON 


IN OPPOSITION 

45

46 

@FalconsRugby

PLAYER STATS 

Name 

Falcons 

career 

apps 

Falcons 

career 

points 

Falcons 

career 

tries 

Season 

2021-22 

apps 

Season 


points 

Season 


tries 

Name 

Falcons 

career 

apps 

Falcons 

career 

points 

Falcons 

career 

tries 

Season 


apps 

Season 


points 

Season 


tries 

Josh Basham 8 10 2 4 5 1 

James Blackett 1 0 0 1 0 0 

Jamie Blamire 52 50 10 7 0 0 

Phil Brantingham 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Adam Brocklebank 60 0 0 10 0 0 

Mike Brown 7 10 2 7 10 2 

Luther Burrell 16 0 0 3 0 0 

Conrad Cade 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Mateo Carreras 7 0 0 2 0 0 

Oscar Caudle 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Callum Chick 93 80 16 8 15 3 

Connor Collett 14 0 0 4 0 0 

Brett Connon 57 238 1 8 38 0 

Kyle Cooper 78 60 12 11 5 1 

Matthew Dalton 1 0 0 1 0 0 

Trevor Davison 78 10 2 7 0 0 

Matt Deehan 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Mark Dormer 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Nathan Earle 5 5 1 5 5 1 

Rob Farrar 9 5 1 3 0 0 

Pete Lucock 19 0 0 8 0 0 

Charlie Maddison 12 0 0 0 0 0 

Tom Marshall 5 0 0 1 0 0 

George McGuigan 139 145 29 11 30 6 

George Merrick 1 0 0 1 0 0 

Will Montgomery 11 5 1 5 5 1 

Logovi'i Mulipola 56 15 3 7 0 0 

Cameron Nordli- 

Kelemeti 

14 5 1 10 5 1 

Chidera Obonna 5 5 1 0 0 0 

Matias Orlando 12 5 1 0 0 0 

Richard Palframan 3 0 0 3 0 0 

Morgan Passman 1 0 0 0 0 0 

Tom Penny 62 40 8 8 0 0 

Guy Pepper 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Greg Peterson 41 10 2 9 0 0 

Adam Radwan 54 200 40 8 20 4 

Sean Robinson 111 50 12 7 5 1 

Louis Schreuder 29 10 2 7 5 1 

Robbie Smith 5 0 0 4 0 0 

Iwan Stephens 3 15 3 3 15 3 

Carl Fearns 13 5 1 8 5 1 

Ben Stevenson 44 75 15 8 

15 

3 

Ollie Fletcher 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Marco Fuser 17 10 2 5 0 0 

Gary Graham 78 80 16 8 5 1 

Ewan Greenlaw 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Will Haydon-Wood 10 32 1 8 32 1 

Joel Hodgson 153 538 14 5 18 0 

Louie Johnson 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Conor Kenny 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Zach Kerr 4 0 0 2 0 0 

Ollie Lindsay-Hague 1 5 1 1 5 1 

Sam Stuart 57 25 5 0 0 0 

Alex Tait 255 185 37 2 10 2 

Mark Tampin 37 0 0 7 0 0 

Marcus Tiffen 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Philip van der Walt 29 10 2 7 0 0 

George Wacokecoke 44 65 13 9 0 0 

Matthew Ward 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Will Welch 261 90 18 9 0 0 

Mark Wilson 236 210 42 0 0 0 

Max Wright 5 5 1 5 5 1 

Freddie Lockwood 1 0 0 0 0 0 

NEXT HOME GAME 

V nORTHAMPTON sAINTS 

sATURDAY jANURARY 8 

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Michael Young 181 100 20 0 0 0 

47

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FARMHOUSE CHEESES AND ACCOMPANIMENTS

FIXTURES AND RESULTS 

KEY: GP = Gallagher Premiership, ECC = European Challenge Cup, 

PRC = Premiership Rugby Cup, F= Friendly. 

(HOME GAMES IN CAPITALS) 

F: Fri Sep 3 v Glasgow Warriors (won 7-12) 

F: SAT SEP 4 V DONCASTER KNIGHTS (won 33-29) 

F: Sat Sep 11 v Edinburgh (won 10-26) 

GP: SUN SEP 19 V HARLEQUINS (lost 20-26) 

GP: Sat Sep 25 v Bath Rugby (won 13-20) 

GP: SAT OCT 2 V WASPS (won 18-14) 

GP: Sat Oct 9 v Saracens (lost 37-23) 

GP: SAT OCT 16 V BRISTOL BEARS (won 13-5) 

GP: Sat Oct 23 v Gloucester Rugby (lost 29-20) 

GP: Sat Nov 6 v Exeter Chiefs (won 14-15) 

PRC: SAT NOV 13 V WASPS (won 34-27) 

PRC: Fri Nov 19 v Sale Sharks (lost 25-20) 

GP: FRI NOV 26 V WORCESTER WARRIORS (drew 

24-24) 

GP: Sat Dec 4 v London Irish (lost 43-21) 

ECC: FRI DEC 10 V WORCESTER WARRIORS (won 

31-26) 

GP: SUN DEC 26 V SALE SHARKS (3PM) 

GP: Sun Dec Jan 2 v Leicester Tigers (3PM) 

GP: SAT JAN 8 V NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (3PM) 

ECC: Fri Jan 14 v Biarritz (8PM UK time) 

ECC: Sat Jan 22 v Toulon (8PM UK time) 

GP: SAT JAN 28 V GLOUCESTER RUGBY (3PM) 

GP: Sat Feb 5 v Bristol Bears (2pm) 

GP: SUN FEB 20 V EXETER CHIEFS (3PM) 

GP: SAT FEB 26 V BATH RUGBY (3PM) 

GP: Fri Mar 4 v Harlequins (7.45pm) 

GP: SAT MAR 12 V SARACENS (3pm) 

PRC: MAR 18/19/20 V LEICESTER TIGERS 

PRC: Mar 29/30 v Northampton Saints 

GP: Mar 25/26/27 v Wasps 

GP: Apr 1/2/3 v Worcester Warriors 

ECC: APR 8/9/10 V ZEBRE 

GP: APR 22/23/24 V LONDON IRISH 

PRC: Apr 26/27 Semi-finals 

GP: Apr 29/30/May 1 v Sale Sharks 

ECC: May 6/7/8 Quarter-final 

ECC: May 13/14/15 Semi-final 

PRC: May 17/18 Final 

ECC: Fri May 27 Final (Marseille) 

GP: MAY 20/21/22 V LEICESTER TIGERS 

GP: Sat June 4 v Northampton Saints 

GP: Sat June 11 Semi-final 

GP: Sat June 18 Final 

TICKETS: Call 0871 226 6060 or visit 



49

9pm

FROM THE PRESS BOX 

By Mark Smith 

Newcastle Falcons media manager 

Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? 

I asked Santa for a never-ending free supply of Irn Bru Xtra and 

pickled onion Monster Munch, although the security guards at 

Fenwick’s were a bit heavy-handed in escorting me from the 

premises via a fifth-floor window. 

How was I to know there was an age limit of 13 to sit on Santa’s 

knee!? 

Hopefully his broken bones will have healed before next 

Christmas. 

Assuming my wish goes unfulfilled, maybe the rest of the rugby 

season can offer some more grounds for optimism. 

If we can win away at Exeter and have a dry bus for the entire 

eight-hour drive back from Devon, then surely anything is 

possible! 

So, what should I be wishing for? 

Aside from the small stuff like hoping the population remains 

safe and that professional sport doesn’t financially implode due 

to the crippling effects of Covid, of course. 

Micky Ward to wear long trousers? 

I would honestly think the world had ended if Wallsend’s finest 

turned up for work in anything other than T-shirt and shorts. 

All joking aside, I don’t think we need wish for much. 

We’ve got a squad laden with homegrown talent, who have 

proven they’re a match for pretty much anyone this season. 

As a media manager they’re a joy to work with, and their effort 

on the field is plain to see. 

A win at Leicester on January 2 would be nice, but I’ll play the 

boring card and not look beyond today’s assignment against 

Sale Sharks. 

We’ve had a bit of fun with them on social media regarding 

their claims to be ‘northern’ (they are northern, of course, the 

whole thing was just a wind-up!) and they are worthy of every 

inch of the respect we’ll be giving them. 

Let’s just hope it’s a game befitting the occasion, and that we 

as a club can repay the support you have shown us by 

attending in such numbers. 

Straight scrum feeds? 

That’s probably too much to hope for. 

The BT Sport cameras actually coming to Kingston Park 

Stadium? 

Well, after a 17-game gap lasting more than four months, we 

finally have a live televised home match to look forward to on 

January 28 when Gloucester make the trip to the Toon. 

A safe and seamless resolution to the European competitions? 

It’s hard to see, the way things are. And with our next two 

Challenge Cup games being in France within the next month, our 

team manager John Stokoe sees his considerable administrative 

powers being tested to the max just to get the team in and out on 

successive weekends. 

Something has to give there, surely. 


Forwards coach Micky Ward showing 

off his winter wardrobe 

51

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