Newcastle Falcons vs Sale Sharks Match-Day Programme
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IN OPPOSITION<br />
<strong>Sale</strong> <strong>Sharks</strong><br />
NICKNAME<br />
<strong>Sharks</strong><br />
FOUNDED<br />
1861<br />
HOME GROUND<br />
Salford Community Stadium<br />
DIRECTOR OF RUGBY<br />
Alex Sanderson<br />
CAPTAIN<br />
Ben Curry<br />
<strong>Sale</strong> <strong>Sharks</strong> came into this weekend’s round of matches<br />
placed sixth in the Gallagher Premiership standings following<br />
last Sunday’s 37-31 home win against Harlequins.<br />
<strong>Newcastle</strong> and northern rivals <strong>Sale</strong> have already met three<br />
times this season, with the <strong>Falcons</strong> winning two and taking a<br />
four-try bonus point from the other.<br />
The Tynesiders enjoyed a 23-10 Premiership Rugby Cup victory<br />
at Kingston Park with the help of a sensational solo try from<br />
Adam Radwan, and the Gallagher Premiership meeting in<br />
Salford in November saw the <strong>Falcons</strong> scoring four tries in a<br />
40-22 loss which was right in the balance until the last few<br />
minutes.<br />
An early-March ‘friendly’ at <strong>Sale</strong> saw <strong>Newcastle</strong> edging a<br />
31-28 thriller in Steve Diamond’s first game in charge, with the<br />
<strong>Falcons</strong>’ consultant director of rugby a long-time player, coach<br />
and even CEO of the North-West outfit.<br />
Current director of rugby Alex Sanderson steered the <strong>Sharks</strong><br />
into last season’s Premiership final, with his summer transfer<br />
dealings seeing a relatively low-key influx.<br />
England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie arrived from Exeter Chiefs,<br />
with fellow No.2 and Argentina legend Agustin Creevy also<br />
signing up. Ernst van Rhyn added back-row ballast after landing<br />
from the Stormers in South Africa, and ex-Leicester full-back<br />
Telusa Veainu joined from Stade Francais.<br />
Departures included Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman<br />
(Edinburgh), front-rowers Akker van der Merwe (Bulls) and<br />
Coenie Oosthuizen (<strong>Sharks</strong>) and fly-half Kieran Wilkinson, while<br />
a host of retirements saw Will Cliff, Byron McGuigan, Jono Ross,<br />
Ryan Mills and Dom Barrow among those calling time on their