Quantcast

Welcome to the Newcastle Falcons Fans Forum

This forum is for all Falcons' fans, and is independent of the both the club and the supporters association.

If you have something to say about Newcastle Falcons this is the place to say it.  However please keep it clean and non abusive, and respect the other users of this board!

While the editors of this site monitor the board, they are not responsible for the content of the postings.

Any concerns, complaints etc., should be emailed to Sportnetwork. If you want to spam,please go elsewhere any spamming will be deleted.

Newcastle Falcons Gallery -


Grenoble Away preview/thread
Discussion started by falconsfan07 , 09 January, 2017 21:01
Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 09 January, 2017 21:01
Now fellow fans, after three weeks of premiership action, Falcons now turn their attentions to French side Grenoble, and top of the table Pro 12 Welsh side, Ospreys.

Firstly on Newcastle, who have a very much needed month away from the premiership to let bodies rest and heal up. This 4 week stint of ECC and Anglo Welsh Cup will give the opportunity for guys who haven't played much in recent weeks a chance to stick their hand up and show what they can do. And gives other players like Mark Wilson, Juan Socino and Bobby Vickers a chance to rest up.

I'd imagine their will be some guys coming back from injury and will be featuring in the next few weeks. Kyle Cooper looks about ready to play so it will be exciting to see what he can bring. Nili Latu is said to be only a few weeks away so it will be fantastic to have him back in the back row. He can link up so well with other players and create opportunities out wide and could really nail down a place in the back row, should Hogg be injured long term. Hopefully Nili shows some of the form he had last season.

Anyway a preview on French side, Grenoble.
The Top 14 side lie second bottom in the Top 14 in the drop spot with 19 points, just 3 points ahead of bottom side Bayonne. Things aren't looking god for Grenoble, they lie 9 points adrift of Lyon, so they have a lot of ground to make up if they are to stay up this season.

Expect a Grenoble side littered with academy players as they rest all their big names for important upcoming games in the Top 14. Grenoble have only won 3 games in the Top 14 this season and haven't won a single game in
The ECC. They sit in 4th place with no points.
Newcastle sitting in 3rd place with 10 points and 2 wins, even if Newcastle won their last 2 pool games, Qualification still isn't assured. But as said the premiership is our bread and butter. And the challenge cup will give some players a chance to get some much needed game time.

Grenoble have won just 1 of their last 5 games, and have shipped a massive 215 points in just 5 games! Although French places are renound as tough places to go, Newcastle should really be aiming to take all 5 points from this game.

Grenoble last 5 games-
59-7 Loss @ home to Ospreys in ECC
71-3 Loss away to Ospreys in ECC
26-22 Win @ home to Toulouse in TOP 14
40-3 Loss away to La Rochelle in TOP 14
23-22 Loss away to Brive in TOP 14

Side I'd expect to see-
Lots of experienced guys been rested and plenty of young lads brought in. hopefully the odd return from injury too, sinoti can't be far away either..

1. Ben Harris
2. Ben Sowrey
3. Paddy Ryan

4. Mouritz Botha
5. Andrew Davidson

6. Callum Chick?
7. Daniel Temm
8. Harrison Orr

9. Sam Egerton
10. Brett Connon

11. Zach Kibirige

12. Craig Willis
13. Fred Burdon (C)

14. Dan Marshall
15. Tom Catterick

16. Kyle Cooper
17. David Wilson
18. Scott Wilson
19. Glen Young
20. Tyrone Holmes
21. Rudriah Dawson
22. Chris Harris? Ben Stevenson
23. Nic Renoylds

Safe travels to all the fans making the long trip, and hope you all have a great time. COYF!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2017 21:41 by falconsfan07.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
London Magpie 10 January, 2017 01:31
I was hoping to make the trip but to get there is to much of a pain. And that's from London. God only knows what supporters from Newcastle have to go through. Hate away matches on the Friday night abroad. Come on you Falcons

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Falcons_Thunder 10 January, 2017 07:59
Challenge cup rugby this year is about boosting EQP percentage to hit the RFU target. And the AW game against bath will be the nearly the full team that will playing in the premiership the week after, as the AW competition is not included in EQP payment. If we do manage to get into the champions cup next year deano is gonna have to play his strongest side. Or get destroyed like we did against ospreys

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 18:15
BOOM! First time with the ball in hand and Chris Harris scores! Great to have him back!

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Monkey1 13 January, 2017 18:18
Sounds like Kibirige is on a flyer too.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Monkey1 13 January, 2017 19:32
15 mins to go, 24 - 27. Should be back to 15 men any minute.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
AFalcon24 13 January, 2017 19:33
Sounds like a good game. I hear that Cooper has come on early for Sowrey. smiling smiley

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 19:36
Quote:
AFalcon23
Sounds like a good game. I hear that Cooper has come on early for Sowrey. smiling smiley

Think Sowrey went off with a head injury! Not to serious hopefully. Will Witty also went off injured I think...

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Monkey1 13 January, 2017 19:40
Oh dear. Grenoble try with 3 mins to go, sounds like game over for our cup.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 19:42
Quote:
Monkey1
Oh dear. Grenoble try with 3 mins to go, sounds like game over for our cup.

Indeed, but a side for us that has played little rugby this season... league is the bread and butter for us!

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 19:44
FT 31-27 Grenoble. Disappointing result and qualification hopes over...

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Falcons_Thunder 13 January, 2017 19:49
Nothing disappointing about the result, we were never gonna win the competition. Scott Wilson coming off at the end injured isn't good. Harris and Cooper getting good run outs a big plus

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Monkey1 13 January, 2017 19:52
15 of the 23 are from our Academy & that will have been a good run out for them. We need the likes of Willis to get as much game time as possible in these competitions. You can only learn so much on the training pitch.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 19:54
Quote:
Falcons_Thunder
Nothing disappointing about the result, we were never gonna win the competition. Scott Wilson coming off at the end injured isn't good. Harris and Cooper getting good run outs a big plus

Dissapointing considering that every other team has beat them in the pool and has put over 40 points on them in the process.

Nice to see Harris get a run out like... but not the start we want to keep momentum going.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
toastie1 13 January, 2017 19:54
With the team we had out i'm afraid there's everything disappointing about the result. Regardless of whether we were going to win the competion or not.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 19:56
Quote:
Monkey1
15 of the 23 are from our Academy & that will have been a good run out for them. We need the likes of Willis to get as much game time as possible in these competitions. You can only learn so much on the training pitch.

Oh aye we always use this competition to blood players. It's great that they get the experience. Likes of Sean Robinson and will Witty came through this competition and they have became fantastic players for us.

Dean uses this competition really effectively, and long may it continue.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Falcons_Thunder 13 January, 2017 19:59
Quote:
falconsfan07
Quote:
Falcons_Thunder
Nothing disappointing about the result, we were never gonna win the competition. Scott Wilson coming off at the end injured isn't good. Harris and Cooper getting good run outs a big plus

Dissapointing considering that every other team has beat them in the pool and has put over 40 points on them in the process.

Nice to see Harris get a run out like... but not the start we want to keep momentum going.

I've never been interested since day one when our European squad was announced and it showed the lack of interest and ambition for the competition. That's why it's best we don't qualify for champions cup. If we had that team (great having loads of academy and EQP tho) against Munster, Leinster, Toulon it would have been another ospreys result.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 20:05
Quote:
Falcons_Thunder
Quote:
falconsfan07
Quote:
Falcons_Thunder
Nothing disappointing about the result, we were never gonna win the competition. Scott Wilson coming off at the end injured isn't good. Harris and Cooper getting good run outs a big plus

Dissapointing considering that every other team has beat them in the pool and has put over 40 points on them in the process.

Nice to see Harris get a run out like... but not the start we want to keep momentum going.

I've never been interested since day one when

our European squad was announced and it showed the lack of interest and ambition for the competition. That's why it's best we don't qualify for champions cup. If we had that team (great having loads of academy and EQP tho) against Munster, Leinster, Toulon it would have been another ospreys result.

We could select a different squad if we where in the champions cup though...

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Geordie 13 January, 2017 20:46
Whilst I need to hopefully see some highlights on our performance...I don't get the disappointment.

We've put out a team of academy and LONG term injury returnees getting their first game of the season and we very nearly came away with a victory.

This is vital experience for the youngsters and vital match time for those coming back from injury....

A win would have been nice...but no real negatives from me.

Well apart from the injuries. Lets hope to god Scotty is not out long term again...! And that Witty and Sowery are only minor things.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 21:00
I'm probably expecting a little bit more of our boys, but considering every loss Grenoble have had is 40 points or over in ECC and with guys like Sowrey, Witty, green, Robinson, Willis and davey Wilson. I would have been hopeful of a win. But then again it's great to see the young lads like Connon and Marshall, Orr get the game time.

If I'm correct our last away win in Europe was 2 seasons ago against Bucharest wolves I think.

Onto the Ospreys, I wonder if they'll bring a side with wyn jones, tipuric and bigger...

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Geordie 13 January, 2017 21:20
Well just think about the backline for two mins....

Marshall, Conon, Kibirige, Willis...all very young and inexperienced, but great potential.
Harris at 13...first game in how long...? A long time.

Robinson is only just back from long term injury.
Dan Temm is a reserve team player and not now likely to make the step up.

Witty, and Sowery have been great in amongst the senior boys, but they are still learning their trade and its nice to how they cope with out Mark Wilson, Will Welch, Scott Lawson, Ally Hogg...etc

Maybe that's why they aren't quite first choicers under Dean yet...they need to take their game up that level...

Ill say again..shame we didn't win....but games like these show us where players are and what players are made of...ie leadership etc.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
falconsfan07 13 January, 2017 21:46
Quote:
GeordieFalcon
Well just think about the backline for two mins....
Marshall, Conon, Kibirige, Willis...all very young and inexperienced, but great potential.
Harris at 13...first game in how long...? A long time.

Robinson is only just back from long term injury.
Dan Temm is a reserve team player and not now likely to make the step up.

Witty, and Sowery have been great in amongst the senior boys, but they are still learning their trade and its nice to how they cope with out Mark Wilson, Will Welch, Scott Lawson, Ally
Hogg...etc

Maybe that's why they aren't quite first choicers under Dean yet...they need to take their game up that level...

Ill say again..shame we didn't win....but games like these show us where players are and what players are made of...ie leadership etc.

Very good point made GF, the back line has had very little playing time this season. Was great to see Harris scoring though, I'd imagine he will be first choice 13 soon. Such a strong powerful runner.

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
Geordie 13 January, 2017 22:43
Absolutely...I cant wait to see Harris fully match fit (very different to being fitness fit) . Imagine him with Joel and JP. Now that is an interesting midfield!!!

ALso going back to what I said...I think Witty in particular is going to be a monster player for this club. And he's gaining experience all the time playing with some of these current pack members!

Add in Sowery, Calum Chick etc and the future lo very positive....

Re: Grenoble Away preview/thread
NorfolkFalcon 14 January, 2017 06:58
Hope Witty, Sowery and Scotty Wilson end up being okay, hopefully taken off as precautions.

Would have been nice to get the result but We wee always going to struggle. Not because it was a bad team, just lots of players who either haven't played much rugby or coming back from long term injuries. In the circumstances I think we done well, seemed Willis also nailed most if not all of his kicks.


Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net