Falcons make three changes for Saints clash

Posted on Apr 14, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Newcastle Falcons have made three changes for the visit of Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

Tom Catterick gets the nod at full-back ahead of the injured Jeremy Manning, while there are starts for Gcobani Bobo on the wing and James Fitzpatrick at centre.

Alan Tait’s men will be hoping to bounce back from last weekend’s narrow defeat to Leeds, with victory over a star-studded Saints outfit. A last gasp Adrian Jarvis drop-goal snatched victory for the Yorkshiremen, and one man itching for the Falcons to bounce back is back-rower Ally Hogg.

Speaking to the gathering media at Kingston Park, Hogg insists the Falcons’ premiership status is very much in their hands, saying: “At one point behind and four games to go it is still in our own hands, and we will go out there for every single match determined to fight for the win.

Hogg never had to endure the fret of relegation during his 10 year stint at Edinburgh as the Magners League is a ring-fenced 10-team competition.

“If you were in this position in the Magners League then you would start thinking about building for next year, but we don’t have that luxury because we are fighting for our lives until the very end of the season,” he said.

Northampton travel to the north-east hot on the back of an impressive Heineken Cup quarter-final triumph over Ulster.

“We have watched the game on the video and the intensity was good. It was a cracking game to sit and enjoy, but from an analytical point of view we can definitely take a lot of pointers from the way Ulster attacked them.

“They have got pace throughout their team, and we are going to have to match them in terms of physicality.

“Our line-speed in defence will be vital, because if we sit back and let them run at us then they are going to score tries. They are a quality team, and we will need to shut them down early,” added Hogg.

Newcastle

15 Tom Catterick
14 Alex Tait
13 Tane Tu’ipulotu
12 Jame Fitzpatrick
11 Gcobani Bobo
10 Jimmy Gopperth
9 Micky Young

1 Jonny Golding
2 Matt Thompson
3 Euan Murray
4 Tim Swinson
5 Andrew Van der Heijden
6 Mark Wilson
7 Will Welch
8 Ally Hogg

Replacements

16 Rob Vickers
17 Grant Shiells
18 Kieran Brookes
19 Filipo Levi
20 Alex Gray
21 Chris Pilgrim
22 Luke Eves
23 Rob Vickerman

Northampton Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder said today that he is wary of the dangers that will be posed by Newcastle Falcons in tomorrow night’s Aviva Premiership Rugby Round 20 clash at Kingston Park.

The Saints return to Aviva Premiership Rugby action still in the hunt for a top four spot and the place in the semi-finals that comes with it. But Newcastle’s result against Leeds last week sees them fighting for a place in the league, and Mallinder commented that this will make the Falcons very dangerous on their home turf.

“Newcastle are fighting for their lives and will battle throughout the full 80 minutes and beyond,” he said. “We are right at the business end of the season and a point here or there really matters to every team whether you are at the top or the bottom of the lead.

“The Falcons are physical in midfield, have a committed pack of forwards and one of the Premiership’s top points scorers in Jimmy Gopperth. It will certainly not be easy for us at Kingston Park, far from it, and we are prepared for a tough challenge.

“We got a good result on Sunday in Milton Keynes, but that is behind us now and we have been fully focused on Newcastle all week. Understandably the players have been in good spirits, but they also know that we have to keep winning if we are to secure a place in the top four for the play-offs. There are lots of teams ready to capitalise if we slip up, so we have to make sure we don’t.”

Tomorrow night’s game is being shown live on ESPN, with coverage starting from 7pm. Alternatively you can follow all the action in the Saints’ Facebook match blog and get score updates via the club’s Twitter feed. BBC Radio Northampton will carry live commentary, which you can also find online via PremiershipRugby.tv.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS TEAM TO PLAY NEWCASTLE FALCONS
Aviva Premiership Rugby Round 20
Kingston Park
Friday, April 15th, 2011
Kick off 7:45pm
15 Ben Foden
14 Chris Ashton
13 Jon Clarke
12 James Downey
11 Paul Diggin
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
1 Soane Tonga’uiha
2 Dylan Hartley (capt)
3 Brian Mujati
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Christian Day
6 Calum Clark
7 Phil Dowson
8 Roger Wilson

Replacements
16 Brett Sharman
17 Alex Waller
18 Tom Mercey
19 Mark Sorenson
20 Tom Wood
21 Stuart Commins
22 Shane Geraghty
23 Bruce Reihana

Young gun extends stay on Tyneside

Posted on Mar 24, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Promising utility back Tom Catterick is the latest young gun to put pen to paper on a new contract with the Newcastle Falcons.

The 20-year-old Darlington born player has progressed through the clubs’ successful academy system, and follows youngsters Mark Wilson, Will Welch and James Fitzpatrick in committing his future to the club.

“There are not many grounds I would like to play on more than Kingston Park,” said Catterick.

“You grow up watching the club and you idolise the stars but they’re just normal guys when you meet them. It just means so much to walk out onto Kingston Park in front of your own fans,” he said.

Catterick, who attended Barnard Castle School, has been impressive for the Development Team this term. Academy manager Richard Arnold and his assistant Mark Laycock have been instrumental in developing Catterick’s all round game, as he looks to cement a regular first team berth.

Laycock, who mentored Catterick through the academy ranks, told media manager Stewart McCullough: “Since joining the academy as a 14-year-old, Tom has always shown promise as an outstanding young player. He has grown in maturity over the past two years and we are delighted that he has decided to continue his development at the club.”

An avid Falcons follower as a child, Catterick admits it was a no brainer to sign on the dotted line adding: “It was an easy decision for me to make as we’ve got a great set-up here. As a player coming through, I get the chance to work with some of the first team guys every day.

“People like Jimmy Gopperth and Jeremy Manning help the youngster’s progress. Hopefully I can put a marker down between now and the end of the season.”

Catterick made his debut for the Falcons in the 2009/10 season in the Amlin Challenge Cup win over Albi.

DOB: 18/10/1990
Birthplace: Darlington
Height: 1.78m (5’ 10”)
Position: Fly-half/Full back

Newcastle sign scrum-half Jordi

Posted on Mar 9, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Newcastle Falcons are pleased to confirm the capture of 20-year-old Gloucester scrum-half Jordi Pasqualin.

The Sheffield born half-back is a product of the Gloucester academy, and will move to Kingston Park for the start of the 2011/12 campaign.

Pasqualin, who currently plays for England under-20s, has made 15 appearances for the Cherry and Whites so far this season including an Aviva Premiership outing against the Falcons back in November.

Head coach Alan Tait said: “I’m keen to build a young team here and Jordi is somebody I’ve been looking at. I like the way he plays the game and nine times out of 10 he will always find his No.10 with the pass.

“This is a step forward as we look to bring attacking rugby to Kingston Park.”

The club are still in the market for further additions to the backline.

Tait challenges Falcons to deliver

Posted on Feb 17, 2010 in Rugby News

Newcastle first team coach Alan Tait has challenged his players to turn words into deeds on Saturday, as the Falcons look to regain their place in the top half of the Guinness Premiership table against London Irish.

The Exiles travel to Kingston Park for a 5.30pm kick-off, with Tait insisting that a victory is the absolute minimum requirement for his side to fulfil its top six ambitions.

“The players are talking the talk at the moment about finishing in the top half of the league, but now’s the time to see if they can back it up with their actions,” said the dual-code Scotland and Lions star.

“We can all sit here and say we’re going to finish in a Heineken Cup place, but if you don’t go out and win games then it’s just words.

“If the players are going to talk big about things like the top six then they need to bring in at least four points this weekend, it’s as simple as that.”

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Gopperth hails adaptable Falcons

Posted on Nov 26, 2009 in Rugby News

Newcastle fly half Jimmy Gopperth has hailed his side’s decision-making powers, as the Falcons look to record their fourth successive Guinness Premiership victory on Friday when Northampton Saints visit Kingston Park (kick-off 8pm).

The Junior All Black has been at the centre of the Falcons’ league wins over Bath, Worcester and London Irish, saying: “Our decision-making right throughout the whole team has been getting a lot better in recent weeks, knowing when to do the right thing, and I think that has been a major driver behind the results we’ve been achieving.

“The strategy we have is just to play what we see, so if the run is on we’re going to run it, and if we need to kick we’ll kick.

“It’s not a case of saying let’s kick everything or let’s chuck it about in our own half, it’s down to players to make those calls out on the field based on the situation in front of them at any given moment.

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