Indeed, since losing to Richmond on our first visit to Reading in September 1998, we have won then lost in a perfect alternating sequence.  Our last victory came on an atrocious afternoon in February 2006 when Dave Walder’s hand-kicking and Matthew Burke’s three penalties won the game 6-9 for the Falcons, however Irish gained revenge initially a year ago by winning at KP (again.  It must be THEIR lucky ground!) and then demolishing our boys 38-12 at home in March.

That game saw the first outing for our inter-changing back system of Mathew Tait wearing 13, Jamie Noon 12 and Toby Flood 11, and it did not work very well.  Tries from Flood and Ollie Phillips were little consolation against five Irish scores, including two from Noah’s England rival Shane Geraghty.  But the form says we are due a win.

The Exiles began their campaign at Twickenham on Saturday with a 35-27 defeat by Harlequins, something of a comeback after being 15-6 down at half-time and 32-13 at one point in the second half.  David Paice, Steffon Armitage and Richard Thorpe were the second half try-scorers, whilst new signing from Wasps Jeremy Staunton converted all three and added two penalties.

Staunton joins the Irish as one of a number of new signings this summer, with centre Mark Ireland, England’s Peter Richards and fellow scrum-half Warren Fury all following from High Wycombe to Reading.  Perhaps the biggest signing was Peter Hewat, the man New South Wales chose to replace our own Matthew Burke and who became the second-highest points scorer in the state’s history behind God, but constantly being overlooked by the national side after representing Australia A has seen the full-back/wing make a move to England.

Other new arrivals include Canada prop Casey Dunning, Argentine Tomas De Vedia from Saracens, Eoghan Hickey from Munster and Otago’s Clark Dermody, another prop who will begin life in Reading at the end of October.

They will join a squad brimming with talent, if not household names, including the monster all-international front row of Tonga Lea’aetoa, Danie Coetzee and Faan Rautenbach, locks Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy, and quick backs Delon Armitage, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Topsy Ojo and England international Geraghty.  These will be joined by the aforementioned Richards, Mike Catt and Juan Manuel Leguizamon (he of YouTube fame) after the World Cup.

Matches between our two sides are rarely classics, or maybe it just seems so because have beaten us so often, especially at Kingston Park, over the last few years, but the strength of their front five especially means our lineout and scrum will be tested much more than it was against Sale.  The only change to our starting pack is Andy Perry coming in for the injured Andy Buist, although Russell Winter makes a welcome return to the bench.

We will also have to cope with talisman Toby Flood, who is gaining experience becoming a better player by sitting in the stands in France than he would on the pitch in Reading, but it is time for Steve Jones to show he is the player he wasn’t five years ago, and with our record at the Majestic Stadium a win is certainly possible on Sunday.  Mark Mayerhofler’s injury sees a first Premiership start for Tom Dillon alongside Joe Shaw, and John Rudd comes onto the wing.

15 Matthew Burke
14 Tom May
13 Tom Dillon
12 Joe Shaw
11 John Rudd
10 Steve Jones
9 James Grindal

1 Joe McDonnell
2 Matt Thompson
3 Micky Ward
4 Andy Perry
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Geoff Parling
7 Ben Woods
8 Phil Dowson (captain)

Replacements:
Andy Long
David Wilson
Russell Winter
Brent Wilson
Lee Dickson
Adam Dehaty
Ollie Phillips

Oirish team, including former Falcon Stuart Mackie on the bench:

15. Delon Armitage

14. Topsy Ojo

13. Mark Ireland;

12. Jeremy Staunton

11. Tomas De Vedia

10. Shane Geraghty

9. Paul Hodgson

1. Dan Murphy

2. David Paice

3. Faan Rautenbach

4. Nick Kennedy

5. Bob Casey (captain)

6. Declan Danaher

7. Richard Thorpe

8. Phil Murphy

Replacements:
16. Casey Dunning, 17. Stuart Mackie, 18. Tonga Lea'aetoa, 19. Kieran Roche, 20. Steffon Armitage, 21. Warren Fury, 22. Nils Mordt.

Anyone who wants to go to the game, travel information can be found at www.newcastle-falconssupportersclub.co.uk, bus space permitting.  After Sunday’s win, how can you resist?

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