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It's that time of the year again

In black, not white
By Leipziger September 14 2007
On Sunday the Guinness Premiership finally gets underway for the Falcons this weekend as we get the visit of the Albanians from Sale out of the way early. Despite the fact that there is some tournament involving countries going on in France, Sunday sees two of the best fly-halves in England in direct opposition for their clubs.

Toby Flood’s rejection and doubts over the fitness of Charlie Hodgson means both are available to us and Sale, and with Andy Farrell / Mike Catt being named as England’s seemingly joint fly-halves 10 for Friday it looks like neither is required over the Channel.  The Falcons could give a second debut to the returning Steve Jones from the bench, with the other major summer signing Carl Hayman still in France, along with Jamie Noon, Mathew Tait and Jonny Wilkinson.

 

The Sharks come north missing a number of quality players from their talented, flair-packed squad, with Mark Cueto and Andy Sheridan both regular England starters and presently in France along with the Juan and Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe who are in the Argentina squad.  Jason White is with Scotland and Elvis Se’veali was selected by Samoa, and ‘rugby caveman’ and Sale cult legend Sebastien Chabal is playing for the host country, so all we have to worry about are those who missed out including Stuart Turner, Magnus Lund, Chris Jones, Charlie Hodgson and Steve Hanley, all England internationals.

 

These are backed up by two French props Lionel Faure and new signing from Auch Benoit Bourrust, and hooker Sebastien Bruno.  France international Julien Laharrague has signed after rejecting Munster and will add quality to a backline which can now also boast South African Rudi Keil and will soon include the mercurial All Black Luke McAlister too after the World Cup.  Only Keil however will be making his debut on Sunday.

 

Last season was a poor one for the Albanians, as they failed to even look like defending their Guinness Premiership title, and indeed finished 10th, one place below the Falcons, although they were not helped by international call-ups and long-term injuries sustained by Hodgson and Sheridan whilst on England duty.

 

Sale of course are coming to their bogey ground this weekend, having never won at Kingston Park, and were beaten 40-25 on Boxing Day last season with Anthony Elliott, Tom May, John Rudd and Tait the try scorers for us as we completed our only league double of 2006/07.

 

The year before relegation worries were banished with another bonus point win 32-21, and at New Year 2005 a last-gasp Wilkinson try and conversion stole a 30-29 victory.  The opening day of 2005/06 saw us lose to the Sharks with Wilkinson missing a conversion through a crescendo of noise, but since then we have four wins out of five meetings with our northern neighbours.

 

The first rule of league competition is “don’t lose your first game”, but looking at our opening results in the Premiership years the inconsistency offers little pattern or clue to Sunday’s outcome:

2006/07 Northampton (A) L23-25

2005/06 Sale (A) L25-26

2004/05 Worcester (A) W30-9

2003/04 Saracens (H) L20-25

2002/03 Wasps (H) W24-17

2001/02 Leicester (H) W19-16

2000/01 Northampton (H) W27-21

1999/00 Gloucester (A) L16-31

1998/99 Richmond (A) L29-41

1997/98 Bath (A) W20-13

 

But after a number of seasons of mediocrity and, one could say (generally, though there have been some exhilarating games of course), boredom in the Premiership, this game could be the one that finally kicks off a season to remember for our Falcons. 

 

It’s been too long since Bath in April, lets all get right behind the team with some big noise on Sunday and ensure Sale still don’t win at KP!

 

Falcons team:

15 Matthew Burke
14 Tom May
13 Mark Mayerhofler
12 Joe Shaw
11 John Rudd
10 Toby Flood
9 James Grindal
1 Joe McDonnell
2 Matt Thompson
3 Micky Ward
4 Andy Buist
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Geoff Parling
7 Ben Woods
8 Phil Dowson (captain)

Replacements:
Andy Long
David Wilson
Andy Perry
Brent Wilson
Lee Dickson
Steve Jones
Ollie Phillips

 Sale team:

Ben Foden, Chris Mayor, Rudi Keil, Lee Thomas, Steve Hanley, Charlie Hodgson, Sililo Martens, Lionel Faure, Neil Briggs, Ben Evans, Dean Schofield (Captain), Sean Cox, Magnus Lund, Michael Hills, Nathan Bonner Evans

Replacements: Mark Jones, Stuart Turner, Chris Day, Chris Jones, Richard Wigglesworth, Chris Bell, Oriol Ripol

Referee is Rob Debney.  Tickets still available, see www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk for details.

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