Newcastle vs Gloucester - Friday night

[Puja]

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Michael Young (captain); 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Pedro Rubiolo, 7 Callum Chick, 8 Carl Fearns.

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Freddie Lockwood, 20 Tom Marshall, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Josh Thomas, 23 Ben Stevenson.



15. Lloyd Evans*
14. Louis Rees-Zammit*
13. Chris Harris
12. Seb Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley*
10. Santi Carreras
9. Stephen Varney*
1. Harry Elrington
2. Seb Blake*
3. Kirill Gotovtsev
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Jordy Reid
7. Lewis Ludlow (c)*
8. Ruan Ackermann

Replacements
16. Henry Walker*
17. Mayco Vivas
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Cam Jordan*
20. Jack Clement*
21. Charlie Chapman*
22. Billy Twelvetrees
23. Tom Seabrook*

[Gloskarlos]

VRR, Tuisue and Kveseladze are all out for the rest of the season now too with injuries requiring surgery. Glos already down to bare bones, struggle to make sixth now I reckon. Worst season I have known for injuries.

[fivepointer]

Losing VRR is a blow.
Think Blake has stepped up very well. Had it not been for injuries he wouldnt have got a sniff but just shows what can happen when you give a young player a run of games.
Radwan V LRZ might be an interesting foot race if we get one.

[FKAS]

What a try by Falcons. The 15 steps Thorley, Reid, Thorley again and make it look easy.

[Oakboy]

Due process followed but, regardless, I am fed up with watching XV v XIV. Too many games are being ruined.

[FKAS]

I think there's definitely some merit in the twenty minute red card with the player then being subbed. Definitely penalises the red carded player and their team but shouldn't ruin so many games.

[Mr Mwenda]

That was exciting. Blimey glaws' are brain-dead in attack beyond Carreras. Chris Harris is remarkable how his defence is so good but his handling is shocking. Kind of like an archetypical premiership player in some ways.

[stepsider]

Due process followed but, regardless, I am fed up with watching XV v XIV. Too many games are being ruined.

In fact this wasn't. But the regulations need sorting.

[FKAS]

Falcons did amazingly well to dig in the way they did. Great effort from them.

Glaws faded badly in the second half. LRZ had an absolute shocker of a game. Butchered two or three really good chances.

[Banquo]

Falcons did amazingly well to dig in the way they did. Great effort from them.

Glaws faded badly in the second half. LRZ had an absolute shocker of a game. Butchered two or three really good chances.

He’s a funny one- amazing one minute, the next not so much

[stepsider]

Trouble is, as he's so quick, he seems to think he can run round anyone and score without needing to pass if tackled.

Great to watch both LRZ and Radwan in space, though. To hell with all those fecking scrum resets, that's what rugby's about.

[Beasties]

Long journey back for Thorley. Radwan excellent esp defensively. Obatoyinbo silky. Chick excellent too but if I was a Ncl prop I’d be having a word about him barely even leaning on the 7 man scrums.

[fivepointer]

Got to credit Newcastle for showing such resilience and securing the win. Gutsy effort that was helped by Glos failing to show up in the 2nd half. They seem to have lost their way quite badly after a promising start to the season.

Radwan definitely the more impressive of the flying wingers.

[Oakboy]

Due process followed but, regardless, I am fed up with watching XV v XIV. Too many games are being ruined.

In fact this wasn't. But the regulations need sorting.

Agreed. Enough to make me watch till the end which I often don't once there's a red card.

I thought Blamire was good till he was injured. Atkinson had his moments and Stevenson was more than useful. How did Harris end up on the losing side?

[Oakboy]

Radwan definitely the more impressive of the flying wingers.

Yes, he's an out-and-out finisher, not just a highlight-grabber. I've watched OHC for LI and thought the same. It's the step up that questions them. Worse wingers (e.g Ashton) have something between the ears that makes them effective when its harder. Radwan's touchline finish hinted that he might just have it but who knows?

These days, wingers seem to need to have all-round games that make them a combination of FB/flanker on top of their main try-scoring function, preferably weighing in at 17 stones plus. How many caps would the Underwoods get if they were starting out now, never mind Ickle?

[Puja]

Was the first time I got to see much of Ollie Fletcher. Didn't show a huge amount sround tbe park, but his lineout throwing was utterly exquisite, nailing some extremely difficult ones at absolute double-top with perfect timing. You'd expect good skills from someone with his pedigree, but I was still impressed.

Puja

[FKAS]

Falcons do seem to be able to produce hookers. McGuigan and Robbie Smith leave in less than a year, no bother no signings required Jamie Blamire and the young'un Fletcher just step and do the job.

Stevenson deserves some plaudits for coming off the bench and having a great game at centre as well.

Whomever the next coach is going in there will have something to work with but the right five and depth at tight five must be a worry.

[fivepointer]

Both hookers looked pretty good i thought. Blamire looks a better bet internationally than Walker or Dunn. Wonder if SB will bring him into the WC training squad.

Always liked Stevenson, who i think is a bit under rated.

[p/d]

Blamire looks a better bet internationally than Walker or Dunn.

I’m sure you are right 5p but how do we know? The fact Walker is still picking the splinters out of his behind doesn’t provide much evidence one way or t’other

[Puja]

Blamire looks a better bet internationally than Walker or Dunn.

I’m sure you are right 5p but how do we know? The fact Walker is still picking the splinters out of his behind doesn’t provide much evidence one way or t’other

I'd say Blamire's proven himself with his previous caps, including the start against the Springboks. I don't know why Walker was picked in the first place; he didn't look likely based on his Prem performances and I'm not sad he stayed on the bench.

Puja

[Oakboy]

Blamire looks a better bet internationally than Walker or Dunn.

I’m sure you are right 5p but how do we know? The fact Walker is still picking the splinters out of his behind doesn’t provide much evidence one way or t’other

Which, in itself, is odd considering that George was not outstanding. Now down to maybe 80% of his best he stays on till the dying seconds.

[p/d]

Blamire looks a better bet internationally than Walker or Dunn.

I’m sure you are right 5p but how do we know? The fact Walker is still picking the splinters out of his behind doesn’t provide much evidence one way or t’other

I'd say Blamire's proven himself with his previous caps, including the start against the Springboks. I don't know why Walker was picked in the first place; he didn't look likely based on his Prem performances and I'm not sad he stayed on the bench.

Puja

I agree ref Blamire. I am just none the wiser ref Walker. I do disagree about staying on the bench though.

I would bring desperate Dan in as a complete bolter

[FKAS]

I presumed the hooker situation was based around lineout accuracy. Hasn't always been a Blamire strength though it looked decent last night. Walker is a good basics hooker and George has a great all round game. Not quite sure why that meant George had to play the full 80 mind.

LCD should be back for the world cup and Blamire looks to be in the shape to make the squad as long as that rib injury isn't serious.

[Gloskarlos]

I have no words for that. Other than embarrassing.

[Peej]

I thought Falcons had absolutely blown it, first by not taking a drop goal and turning it over, and then Connon's utterly brainless kick from the scrum after LRZ fumbled it