Newcastle vs Northampton - Sunday

[Puja]

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Callum Chick (c), 6 Sam Cross, 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Sam Cross, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 4 Philip van der Walt, 3 Mark Tampin, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Adam Brocklebank
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Kiran McDonald, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 Freddie Lockwood, 23 Matias Orlando

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank (c), 14 Tom Seabrook, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 George Hendy, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Tom James, 8 Sam Graham, 7 Tom Pearson, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Chunya Munga, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Ethan Waller
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Tom Lockett, 20 Alex Moon, 21 Archie McParland, 22 James Grayson, 23 Tom Litchfield

Venue: Kingston Park
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Hamish Smales
Assistant Referees: Hamish Grant, Jamie Leahy
TMO: Dean Richards

[fivepointer]

Radwan scored a brilliant try last week. He's going to have to do that a lot for Newcastle this season.

Pepper the young 7 has been talked up quite a bit so interesting to see how he goes against Pearson.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Shame Redshaw isn’t playing with this one being on telebox.

Keep an eye on Brantingham when he comes off the bench, and yeah Pepper has a big test on his hands tonight.

[Adam_P]

Was a bit concerned about our backline with Freeman and Ramm getting injured last week, so it's good that Furbank and Dingwall are fit again. No idea where Sleightholme is. We could do with a win after the first two rounds of losing winnable games.

[Mellsblue]

Was a bit concerned about our backline with Freeman and Ramm getting injured last week, so it's good that Furbank and Dingwall are fit again. No idea where Sleightholme is. We could do with a win after the first two rounds of losing winnable games.

Beeeedfoooord.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Horrible conditions. Pepper having a good game!

[Adam_P]

Saints discipline poor, again. Being a penalty machine runs in the Waller family

[Adam_P]

Falcons 15 lucky not to get a card for that tackle in the air

[Adam_P]

Lovely line break and offload from Pearson

[FKAS]

Lovely line break and offload from Pearson

Two very handy summer signings combining for that.

[Adam_P]

Aye Langdon has looked very decent so far in the first few games. Will be interesting how the pecking order at hooker ends up at the end of the season with him, Matavesi and Smith

[Epaminondas Pules]

That looked harsh on Pepper. He looked to have a list before going off feet.

[FKAS]

Falcons are really missing the impact of the Pumas they normally have in the backline. That sprinkling of international class really lifts their attack. The forwards look willing and passable but there's a missing spark. It's a shame that Falcons couldn't pick up Umaga or Billy Searle after the mess of those clubs going under. They could do with a little bit more than what Connon offers at 10.

[Adam_P]

Crap game but a wins a win

[Epaminondas Pules]

Falcons are really missing the impact of the Pumas they normally have in the backline. That sprinkling of international class really lifts their attack. The forwards look willing and passable but there's a missing spark. It's a shame that Falcons couldn't pick up Umaga or Billy Searle after the mess of those clubs going under. They could do with a little bit more than what Connon offers at 10.

Aye, decision making and execution at half back wasn’t great.

[fivepointer]

Falcons terribly weak at HB. Its their achilles heel. Getting their Argentinians back will help.

All round poor game in dreadful conditions.

[FKAS]

Falcons are really missing the impact of the Pumas they normally have in the backline. That sprinkling of international class really lifts their attack. The forwards look willing and passable but there's a missing spark. It's a shame that Falcons couldn't pick up Umaga or Billy Searle after the mess of those clubs going under. They could do with a little bit more than what Connon offers at 10.

Aye, decision making and execution at half back wasn’t great.

Worryingly for Falcons something that won't change with the world cup returnees. Optimised by sending over the winger in the corner when they needed 7 points at the end there. They had penalty advantage.

Freddie Lockwood looked decent off the bench have them some good go forward. Underrated player.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Falcons are really missing the impact of the Pumas they normally have in the backline. That sprinkling of international class really lifts their attack. The forwards look willing and passable but there's a missing spark. It's a shame that Falcons couldn't pick up Umaga or Billy Searle after the mess of those clubs going under. They could do with a little bit more than what Connon offers at 10.

Aye, decision making and execution at half back wasn’t great.

Worryingly for Falcons something that won't change with the world cup returnees. Optimised by sending over the winger in the corner when they needed 7 points at the end there. They had penalty advantage.

Freddie Lockwood looked decent off the bench have them some good go forward. Underrated player.

They’ve got a really decent pack and some fabulous outside backs. The addition of Jennings is a great signing. But 9 and 10 is an issue. I’d bite the bullet and give Louie Johnson the shot.

[FKAS]

Yeah some of those young Falcons coming through are more than handy. Brantingham off the bench is a young loosehead clubs with deeper pockets will be monitoring.

Giving Louie Johnson some game time makes sense. They were unlucky having developed Haydon-Wood to see him go to Wasps. It's probably the only way they'll get a quality flyhalf though, got to develop in house.