Falcons Vs Tigers

[FKAS]

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Ben Redshaw, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Ethan Grayson, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 John Hawkins, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Philip van der Walt, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Luan de Bruin, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Pedro Rubiolo, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Oli Spencer, 23 Louis Brown.

Not available for selection: Josh Bainbridge,Eduardo Bello, Tim Cardall, Brett Connon, Sebastian de Chaves, Alex Hearle, Cameron Neild, Adam Radwan, Kieran Wilkinson.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Izaia Perese, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Charlie Clare, 3 Will Hurd, 4 George Martin, 5 Ollie Chessum (captain), 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Kyle Hatherell.

Replacements: 16 Archie Vanes, 17 James Cronin, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Emeka Ilione, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Will Wand.

Referee: Jack Makepeace

[FKAS]

Tigers rotate slightly but not massively. Joe Woodward and Will Hurd come in to try and stake a claim. Ilione looks set to get a go from the bench as does Will Wand. Chessum and Martin pair up in the second row which is a boost. Cracknell injured so Hatherall hopes to redeem himself from the Bath game.

Falcons large unchanged bar Redshaw in for the injured Radwan. Young Joe Davies not quite forcing his way into the first team yet. Wonder if he was even born when Ben Youngs made his Tigers debut?

[Puja]

Trying to work out if we're rotating and cocky, or if Kelly and Heyes are both injured. I'm a little bit concerned that Newcastle are targeting this game and they're a very different proposition at home - we don't want to be taking them lightly.

Good to see Joseph trusted with a start though, and that Ilione isn't dead to Cheika. Is there any news on Carnduff's fitness?

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Ben Redshaw, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Ethan Grayson, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 John Hawkins, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Philip van der Walt, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Luan de Bruin, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Pedro Rubiolo, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Oli Spencer, 23 Louis Brown.

Not available for selection: Josh Bainbridge,Eduardo Bello, Tim Cardall, Brett Connon, Sebastian de Chaves, Alex Hearle, Cameron Neild, Adam Radwan, Kieran Wilkinson.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Izaia Perese, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Jamie Shillcock, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Charlie Clare, 3 Will Hurd, 4 George Martin, 5 Ollie Chessum (captain), 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Kyle Hatherell.

Replacements: 16 Archie Vanes, 17 James Cronin, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Emeka Ilione, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Will Wand.

Referee: Jack Makepeace

Lighfield's finest making his Prem debut! Cracking news!

[FKAS]

Trying to work out if we're rotating and cocky, or if Kelly and Heyes are both injured. I'm a little bit concerned that Newcastle are targeting this game and they're a very different proposition at home - we don't want to be taking them lightly.

Good to see Joseph trusted with a start though, and that Ilione isn't dead to Cheika. Is there any news on Carnduff's fitness?

Puja

I saw Woodward and Hurd and was thinking similar but then you look at the rest of the pack and that's about as strong as we can go without rushing Montoya back. Ditto backline without rushing Pollard back.

This seems like sensible rotation, bringing in some younger players amongst a strong and sort of settled team.

[fivepointer]

Newcastle hoping consistency of selection will pay dividends. More of young Davis at 9 would be very welcome.

Pleased to see Woodward getting a start. Ilione's lack of development is a bit of a disappointment. He looked set for big things when in the u20s.

[FKAS]

Scrappy affair this. Nice finish from Ant Watson.

Joe Woodward looking entirely at home at Prem level so far.

Hatherall pulls out injured pre game so Ilione is at 6 and Liebenburg 8 from the start.

[Mikey Brown]

How has Watson looked outside of that? He had a habit of coming back from injury looking absolutely lethal, just a shame it never lasts.

[FKAS]

How has Watson looked outside of that? He had a habit of coming back from injury looking absolutely lethal, just a shame it never lasts.

He was pretty quiet last weekend, looking sharper this weekend. Positive signs so far.

Tigers look a bit disjointed in attack. It's obvious they are reshuffling having lost their 8 pre match with no like for like replacement in the travelling squad. As such they've got Martin, Liebenburg and Ilione popping up to carry as the 8 at different times and it's not quite working so there's limited momentum to launch back plays.

Ollie Chessum is having a stormer though.

[FKAS]

Hird tackles Macdonald into Liebenburg. It's a head clash and a yellow. Not sure what Liebenburg was supposed to do there. Carrier and tackler were both low.

Tigers down to 13 now after Watson got sin binned for a fairly dim deliberate knock on, on half way.

[FKAS]

I'll be amazed if that's not red for Blamire.

[FKAS]

Somehow arriving upright and shoulder first into someone's face with no attempt to bend is only a yellow. Ridiculous.

[FKAS]

Looks like he developing an early bald patch but young Will Wand scores an interception try on debut.

Jamie Shillcock normally fantastic off the tee has had a mare tonight.

[FKAS]

Ollie Chessum man of the match, a captain's performance. He really was everywhere, absolutely fantastic. The Martin and Chessum combo at lock was eye catchingly class. Only player who could have troubled him for that left the field early barely conscious, I doubt Perese will be fit for next week after that shot from Blamire. I'm still non-plussed how Kata picked up a red and then that upright shot straight to the face was only yellow.

Woodward looked to the manor born at 12. Kept Falcons dangerman Arnold quiet, created Steward's try with a nice out of the back of the hand offload, he carried well also. Dan Kelly might struggle to get back in at 12 for next week (and he's been in decent form).

[Mikey Brown]

So what’s that now Woodward > Rigg > Wimbush > Atkinson > Kelly roughly the pecking order at 12 now for England?

[fivepointer]

Woodward was very good i thought. Hopefully we'll see a lot more of him.

Falcons manage one or two good phases then blow it. Not quite sure what Dimes can do with this squad. They are short of quality and depth. Just getting a win this season might be their goal.

[FKAS]

So what’s that now Woodward > Rigg > Wimbush > Atkinson > Kelly roughly the pecking order at 12 now for England?

Until tomorrow's game.

[Puja]

So what’s that now Woodward > Rigg > Wimbush > Atkinson > Kelly roughly the pecking order at 12 now for England?

Until tomorrow's game.

Where's Spink? He was supposed to be the new messiah upon joining Sarries, but he's not featured at all yet.

Actually thought Leicester were exceedingly average in the first half. Compare that to watching any of the other teams so far this weekend and we were ponderous and poorly connected in attack, with achingly slow ruck speed and imprecise handling that dragged everything down.

Looked a lot better second half, but we'll get a thumping if we bring that performance against Saints.

Puja

[FKAS]

Spink's injured. I can't remember the details but I seem to remember it was a few months he'd be out.

Yeah Tigers didn't deal well with the disruption to the pack. It was achingly obvious that George Martin hadn't done much training in covering the 8 carrying roles he was getting shoved into with the late withdrawal of Hatherall. There were some positive glimpses of what we were trying to do and some of the younger guys showed up well but it was far from a tour de force performance.

We will need to be a lot better to topple Saints next time out. Getting Montoya and Pollard back for that game will help, we might even see Beets make his debut as well.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Not the most taxing game ever. Woody did pretty well. Generally solid. Couple of glimpses of higher calibre and a couple of glaring errors. A good step up all round.

[FKAS]

Not the most taxing game ever. Woody did pretty well. Generally solid. Couple of glimpses of higher calibre and a couple of glaring errors. A good step up all round.

The only real error I can remember was the crossfield kick. It was on to go wide but it was threading the eye of the needle. Right area of the field to give it a go and I liked the confidence if not the execution.

Newcastle targeted his channel, someone on the offy reckoned he topped the Tigers tackle charts with 14. That's a good effort.

[FKAS]

Rumours Carnduff was in the travelling squad and due to play at 6 with Liebenburg at 8 after Hatherall picked up a bug. Rumours of a broken foot that will keep him out until January scuppered that. Unsure when exactly he broke his foot, warm up or captain's run but it's a blow.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Not the most taxing game ever. Woody did pretty well. Generally solid. Couple of glimpses of higher calibre and a couple of glaring errors. A good step up all round.

The only real error I can remember was the crossfield kick. It was on to go wide but it was threading the eye of the needle. Right area of the field to give it a go and I liked the confidence if not the execution.

Newcastle targeted his channel, someone on the offy reckoned he topped the Tigers tackle charts with 14. That's a good effort.

There was another poor option ball in hand on the left side in the second half. I’m being hyper critical of him cause I want him to kick on. He did well and didn’t look out of place.

[Scrumhead]

If we’re looking at the A squad as a ‘pathway’, Woodward will be a prime candidate if he keeps getting game time with Tigers. Obviously early days, but if Cheika has seen enough to start him that’s a positive sign.

[FKAS]

If we’re looking at the A squad as a ‘pathway’, Woodward will be a prime candidate if he keeps getting game time with Tigers. Obviously early days, but if Cheika has seen enough to start him that’s a positive sign.

We'll see if Cheika backs him again this weekend or whether he's just being developed with the occasional rotation in.