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And Saint's opponents: -

Newcastle Falcons team to face Northampton Saints (Saturday, 12.15pm, Franklin's Gardens, live on BT Sport)
15 Tom Arscott
14 Zach Kibirige
13 Alex Dunbar
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Brett Connon
9 Sonatane Takulua
1 Trevor Davison
2 Santiago Socino
3 David Wilson
4 Calum Green
5 Andrew Davidson
6 Will Welch (captain)
7 Callum Chick
8 Nemani Nagusa
Replacements
16 Kyle Cooper
17 Adam Brocklebank
18 Logovi'i Mulipola
19 Tevita Cavubati
20 Simon Uzokwe
21 Sam Stuart
22 Chris Harris
23 Sinoti Sinoti

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Looks like both sides are taking this pretty seriously. Time for revenge from the last visit of the Falcons to FG !

It looks like being a full-blooded cup semi, but with the weather forecast predicting wind speeds of 25mph it will be a day to keep the ball in hand.

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COME ON YOU SAINTS!
Church's Stand season ticket holder
EMRU Referee

Looks like a good contest awaits. I do like how our bench looks. Seems we have decided on mobility and pace in our 'finishers'.
Wrestle them around for 60 mins then pick them off last 20 with some pace. Wonder what the thinking is around Tuala on the information and Kellaway not selected?

Time for some payback.

On paper, we ought to win this with relative ease, but things rarely happen like that.

For the first time in a long time, with the exception of perhaps Sinoti Sinoti, there's no-one on the Falcons team that i would like to see over one of our players.

Its amazing what a new coaching set up can do to a squad.

Quote:

Saint Stokey
On paper, we ought to win this with relative ease, but things rarely happen like that.
For the first time in a long time, with the exception of perhaps Sinoti Sinoti, there's no-one on the Falcons team that i would like to see over one of our players.

Its amazing what a new coaching set up can do to a squad.

I would take Goneva over big T on current form.

Haskell not even on the bench!

We owe them big time after last time.

Lets absolutely smash them!

I haven't seen Big T for a few weeks. Hopefully Dickens has spent a good deal on defensive training.

Big T went away straight after the Clermont game, meaning he didn't even come back to England with the rest of the team

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Strong side, on paper we should win. But no complacency please, as we saw what happened last time. COYS!

They've got a lot of handy players, although a little short on class. As well as those mentioned, Mulipola, Green and Welch would walk into most squads.

The defeats at home in the league to Newcastle this year and last were gut-wrenchingly dreadful results. We certainly do owe them a thumping.

Last time we had a windy cup semi-final against Newcastle, the game was delayed on safety grounds, and then we won convincingly - 1990s sometime, was it something like 35-0 at h/t?
Good omens and all that!

I thought the windy match that got delayed was in 2002 and we won 38-7

I only remember it because the later kick off meant my (at the time) girlfriend drove past me as I was walking to the ground when she thought I was at work!

If it was 2002, that would be the year we lost in the final to Irish? Couldn't go to the final, glad to have missed it!

Checked up and I'm mixing it up with a Cup match against Newcastle I've got a recording of from 1998 - we won 17-7.

Just occurred to me that Saints are the only semi-finalists who play on grass rather than plastic at home. Sarries it will be then if we can overcome our friends from the north tomorrow.

Quote:

Saint Stokey
For the first time in a long time, with the exception of perhaps Sinoti Sinoti, there's no-one on the Falcons team that i would like to see over one of our players.

IMO Vereniki Goneva is the most consistently good winger in the Premiership. By the time be notched up his 100th Premiership game last year, he was on 53 tries. That is one hell of a strike rate. 2014 Premiership Player's Player of the year and 2017/18 Premiership Player of the season shows exceptionally high standards & consistency. He would probably start at any club in Europe, so if you wouldn't swap him for any of our squad then I think you are quite mad!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/02/2019 13:40 by MarchingIn.

Totally understand your point of view MarchingIn. As I said, it was my personal preference.

I accept the stats are impressive, but I'd prefer to have Sinoti Sinoti over Goneva as I prefer the way he plays. I find him more exciting... simple as that.

Also, I'd prefer to put my faith in the likes of TC, Sleights and Kellaway. I also have loved watching Ken Pisi play, and once he gets his defensive duties sorted, Big T could be a real weapon for us.

So... you may think I'm mad, but my preference isn't just based on stats.