Gloucester v Newcastle Falcons Preview
By Leipziger
September 22 2004
Newcastle visit Kingsholm for the 11th time in league and cup rugby on Saturday looking to build on the fine start to the season which sees us looking down on the rest of the country. Gloucester being the fortress that it is, we have just the right form to head south.
September 22 2004
Newcastle visit Kingsholm for the 11th time in league and cup rugby on Saturday looking to build on the fine start to the season which sees us looking down on the rest of the country. Gloucester being the fortress that it is, we have just the right form to head south.
Phil Dowson should be restored to the Falcons pack having been spared any further suspension after his fisticuffs at the Rec two weeks ago, but unfortunately Mark Mayerhofler will be missing through injury. Our defence will undergo stern examination at Kingsholm, and it will require the right personnel and tactics to cope. Mind you, I said that about Bath a fortnight ago, and look what happened there. The fact of the matter is, we need to be at our best to get anything on Saturday because…
The Cherry and Whites have also had a good first three games, third in the league on points difference from Sale, defeating Leeds and London Irish but what really impressed was stealing the four points at Northampton 12-18 last weekend, the Saints having started like a house on fire. While Gloucester haven’t gained a try bonus point yet, and haven’t won by more than seven points, they have scored at least twice in each game, Marcel Garvey and Rob Andrew’s favourite Olivier Azam crossing at Franklin’s Gardens.
Our record away to Gloucester is poor, one win in ten games and 178 points scored to 311 conceded. That one victory was on April 11th 1998 in front of the Sky cameras when scores from Rob Andrew (2) and Peter Walton as well as a penalty try saw us triumph and really start to believe we could win the Premiership. Our last two ventures to Kingsholm have also been significant, the last, in February this year because it was Gosforth / Newcastle’s 300th league match (there you go Monkey), but the previous, on April 12th 2003, because it went from a dream to a nightmare so quickly.
Bottom of the Premiership with only four matches left, we needed points even though we were visiting the Premiership leaders and recent Powergen Cup winners. Our team of J Shaw, T May, J Noon, M Mayerhofler, M Stephenson, J Wilkinson, J Grindal, I Peel, N Makin, M Ward, M Andrews, S Grimes, E Taione, P Dowson and H Vyvyan not only led but led 0-15 at half time! And but for Stephenson coming into a ruck from the side it might well have been more, but it was James Grindal whose first try for the Falcons gave us a 0-20 lead. Gloucester ate away though, and with the last kick of the match Ludovic Mercier’s conversion gave hosts the points, and we had to be content with a bonus point to take us level with Bath at the bottom. I will never forget seeing Ian Peel sink to his knees at the final whistle in disbelief. But as we know, the story had a happy ending.
Our previous meetings with the Gloucestershire side were:
12/3/77 North Road John Player Cup QF W3-0
25/2/78 Kingsholm John Player Cup 2nd round L10-19
10/2/90 Gateshead Pilkington Cup 4th round L15-26
28/11/92 Kingston Park Pilkington Cup 3rd round W13-10
18/9/93 Kingston Park Courage League Division 1 D12-12
15/1/94 Kingsholm Courage League Division 1 L9-15
14/12/97 Kingston Park Allied Dunbar Premiership 1 W37-27
11/4/98 Kingsholm Allied Dunbar Premiership 1 W29-27
17/10/98 Kingsholm Allied Dunbar Premiership 1 L32-41
25/4/99 Kingston Park Allied Dunbar Premiership 1 W39-15
11/9/99 Kingsholm Allied Dunbar Premiership 1 L16-31
30/4/00 Kingston Park Allied Dunbar Premiership 1 W36-28
6/9/00 Kingston Park Zurich Premiership L18-19
23/12/00 Kingsholm Zurich Premiership L13-28
18/11/01 Kingston Park Zurich Premiership W18-16
29/12/01 Kingsholm Zurich Premiership L25-29
18/5/02 Kingsholm Zurich Championship QF L9-60
15/9/02 Kingston Park Zurich Premiership L19-22
12/4/03 Kingsholm Zurich Premiership L23-25
5/10/03 Kingston Park Zurich Premiership W42-22
7/2/04 Kingsholm Zurich Premiership L12-36
A defeat on Saturday would not be a disaster I don’t think. However, imagine the confidence we would have if we could extend our run to four wins this season at Gloucester, having already won at Bath, going into two games against England’s biggest club (Leicester) and the European Champions (Wasps). This game is again so tight to call on current form, but I’ll stick my neck out and say 13-15 to Newcastle.
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