Titans v Pirates game rescheduled

Posted on Mar 26, 2013 in Rotherham Titans

Rotherham Titans RFU Championship match against Cornish Pirates has been rescheduled for Wednesday 10th April; kick-off at Clifton Lane will at 5:15pm.

Blues v Knights rearranged

Posted on Mar 26, 2013 in Bedford

Bedford Blues postponed match vs Doncaster Knights has been rearranged to take place at Goldington Road on Wednesday 17th April, Kick Off 7:45pm.

All match tickets purchased for the original date are valid for this game and gates will open at 5pm.

Nottingham Rugby team news

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Nottingham

Nottingham hooker Joe Duffey will play his 200th game for the club against RFU Championship leaders Newcastle at Meadow Lane tomorrow night (Friday, March 22 – 7.45pm kick-off).

Notching up the double ton in the biggest home game of the season to date – the second-versus-first showdown with the Falcons – is a fitting stage for the tough and uncompromising Kiwi.

Duffey is in the second year of his third spell with the club, having first joined the Green and Whites in 2003.

While a man of few words, the 30-year-old didn’t need to say much to express how much the milestone moment means to him.

“That many games, 200, is a really big achievement. I’m proud to play so many games for Nottingham,” Duffey said.

“I’ve been with this club for so long – from starting out at Beeston to playing here at Meadow Lane.

“It has been a great ride.”

Duffey is rejoined in the front row by Matt Parr, with the loosehead prop recovering from a leg injury.

The only other change head coach Martin Haag makes for the Falcons’ first ever trip to Meadow Lane – and Newcastle’s first appearance in Nottingham since 1996 – is recall centre Tim Streather, who has recovered from a hamstring niggle.

Haag said: “Streather has been playing very, very well but got injured and that opened the door for Joe Cobden to get a few games and he performed well. We also have Andy Forsyth going well and really at this time of year we are in a good place with players fit and fighting for spots in the starting XV.

“Parr obviously got injured and Jonny Harris came in and did exceptional work for us and it is probably a bit hard to leave him out, but that was always the plan.

“Going forward it is always about who plays well, and this week it is good to have some fresh legs in there because we have had a couple of short turn arounds in the past few weeks.”

Nottingham’s clash with the Falcons has generated record pre-sales with more than 1,700 tickets already snapped up for the Friday blockbuster.

Advanced ticket sales close at 12noon today (Thursday, March 21), but tickets will still be available on the gate on match day for the main Derek Pavis Stand.

Call Nottingham Rugby HQ on 0115 907 0070 for more details.

Nottingham Rugby team to face Newcastle Falcons at Meadow Lane Stadium on Friday, March 22 (7.45pm kick-off):

15 Andrew Savage 14 David Jackson 13 Tim Streather 12 Joe Munro 11 Alex Lewington 10 James Arlidge 9 Sean Romans 1 Matt Parr 2 Joe Duffey 3 Michael Holford 4 Dan Montagu 5 Nic Rouse 6 Rupert Cooper 7 Brent Wilson 8 Alex Shaw.

Replacements from: 16 Shaun Malton 17 Ryan Bower 18 Joe Quinn 19 Tom Calladine 20 Finlay Barnham 21 Joe Cobden 22 Andrew Forsyth.

Falcons team news

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Newcastle Falcons

Adam Powell will make his Newcastle Falcons debut in tomorrow night’s RFU Championship clash with Nottingham at Meadow Lane (kick-off 7.45pm).

The 26-year-old centre who has made the move north from Saracens is one of two changes as the Falcons aim to maintain their unbeaten run going into the play-offs.

Gloucester-bound James Hudson misses out through injury with Sean Tomes getting the nod in the engine room.

“Nottingham are a good side and they have a lot of quality players at their disposal,” said director of rugby Dean Richards.

“They have a really good, well-balanced team that plays a good brand of rugby, and the pitch at Meadow Lane has enabled them to play good rugby all year,” he added.

Richards’ men defeated Nottingham 29-9 in the reverse fixture back in November, and the Falcons boss is expecting another stern test against the East Midlands club.

“It is no surprise to see them where they are,” Richards said of second place Nottingham.

He added: “It is actually a surprise to see how they have slipped up on a couple of games this season, games that they probably should have won.

“They are a good team with good coaches.”

Newcastle come into this weekend’s clash on the back of an edgy affair with Bedford Blues a fortnight ago, in which a Noah Cato try and a Jimmy Gopperth conversion in the dying embers of the game ensured the Falcons’ 100% record remained intact.

Richards said: “After the Bedford game we spoke to the players about how we can control the game better, and I think it is fair to say that we went a little bit off-plan against them which is disappointing, but at the same time the boys know exactly where we went wrong.

“They understand how they can put things right this week, and they are itching to get out there and show what they can do.”

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Tom Catterick, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Rory Lawson, 1 Jonny Golding, 2 Matt Thompson, 3 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 4 Sean Tomes, 5 Scott MacLeod, 6 Mark Wilson, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Ally Hogg

Replacements: 16 Rob Vickers, 17 Kieran Brookes, 18 James Goode, 19 Ollie Stedman, 20 Warren Fury, 21 Joel Hodgson, 22 Alex Crockett

Powell relishes promotion push with Falcons

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons’ latest signing Adam Powell is fired-up for this Friday’s RFU Championship blockbuster at second place Nottingham (kick-off 7.45pm).

The talented centre, 26, who has spent the last eight seasons in the capital with Saracens, is keen to help the Falcons maintain their impressive winning streak which now stretches to 24 games in all competitions.

“Coming from Saracens I’m used to a winning mentality, and it is evident here that confidence is high,” said Romford-born Powell.

“We were brought down to earth a little bit against Bedford a couple of weeks ago, and hopefully that is the scare that we needed going into the play-offs,” he added.

Now Powell is focussed on propelling the Falcons back to the big time at the first time of asking under the stewardship of Dean Richards.

“I think this is the best part of the season as you start getting the big matches such as the semi-finals and finals, and it’s a time that all players look forward to,” said Powell.

He added: “At the moment we just want to win every game that we play going into the end of season play-offs.”

Upping sticks to Newcastle last week, the cockney born and bred hit-man admits he has received a friendly welcome from everyone at the club.

He said: “Everyone has been really friendly to me and I have been made to feel welcome – it also helps that Noah [Cato] is here as I’ve known him for a long time.”

You can watch more of Powell’s interview on Falcons TV shortly.

Bedford Blues boosted by Saracens return

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Bedford

As Bedford Blues prepare for the visit of Doncaster Knights this weekend, they have been boosted by the news that three dual registered Saracens players will be available for selection.

Hooker Scott Spurling has recovered from a hand injury that he picked up during the British & Irish Cup trip to Neath back in December, while Ben Ransom returns to the squad after making a huge impression for his parent club in the LV=Cup competition.

The duo will also be joined by winger James Short who spent several months with the Blues during the 2010/11 season which included a memorable four try haul during the Ladies Day fixture against Moseley.

The arrival of the reinforcements is a welcome boost to Blues Director of Rugby Mike Rayer who has seen his squad depleted this season following long term injuries to Sacha Harding, Henry Staff, Captain James Pritchard and most recently lock Ben Gulliver who broke a bone in his wrist and is ruled out for at least a month.

Rayer said: “We have picked up a number of injuries this season and while we do have cover, it is great to have Scott and Ben back and available to us for a very important game against Doncaster this weekend.

“Having James joining up with the squad again is also a massive bonus and will really add plenty of fireworks to the backs as we saw a couple of years ago what he is capable of.”

Saturday’s game against Doncaster is a huge match for both teams as Bedford look to bounce back from two defeats and make a push for one of the three remaining play-off places while the Knights, who are bottom of the Championship, look to make ground on their nearest rivals Jersey.