Newcastle Vs Gloucester

[FKAS]

Newcastle Red Bulls v Gloucester Rugby (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park, live on Discovery+)

15 Ethan Grayson, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz; 1 Murray McCallum, 2 George McGuigan (captain), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 6 Tom Gordon, 7 Tom Christie, 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow.

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Connor Hancock, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Finn Baker, 20 Amanaki Mafi, 21 James Elliott, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Oli Spencer.

Not available for selection: Rhys Beeckmans, Eduardo Bello, Adam Brocklebank, Freddie Clarke, Joe Davis, Connor Doherty, Hame Faiva, Joel Grayson, Callum Hancock, John Hawkins, Elvis Kitenge-Fuki, Fergus Lee-Warner, Freddie Lockwood, Adam Scott, Liam Williams.

Gloucester Rugby: 15 Charlie Atkinson, 14 Jack Cotgreave, 13 Will Knight, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Tomos Williams (captain); 1 Val Rapava Ruskin, 2 Will Crane, 3 Afo Fasogbon, 4 Freddie Thomas, 5 Arthur Clark, 6 Deain Gwynne, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 8 Jack Clement.

Replacements: 16 George Knowles, 17 Ciaran Knight, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Cam Jordan, 20 James Venter, 21 Mikey Austin, 22 George Barton, 23 Josh Hathaway.

Unavailable for selection
Seb Blake, Will Butler, Josiah Edwards Giraud, Caolan Englefield, Jack Innard, Will Joseph, Max Llewellyn, Ben Loader, Jack Mann, Ben Redshaw, Rob Russell, Jack Singleton, Will Trenholm.

Referee: Christophe Ridley.

[fivepointer]

Big game this. Newcastle will see this as a big chance to get their first win.

[FKAS]

Big game this. Newcastle will see this as a big chance to get their first win.

Definitely. Masses of pressure on Skivington as well. If they lose this he might lose his job.

Newcastle have started to improve it's looking ominous for Glaws.

Should be an interesting game.

[Puja]

Newcastle have started to improve it's looking ominous for Glaws.

I think there's finally a tangible uplift in the quality of the XXIII after their signings have become available. The team named for this game looks like a side chosen out of Premiership level players, rather than scraping together whatever journeymen and Championship players are available to form a bare XV.

They've got hopes up several times this season only to dash them, and they will still require a good dose of luck, but this could be the one.

Puja

[FKAS]

Newcastle have started to improve it's looking ominous for Glaws.

I think there's finally a tangible uplift in the quality of the XXIII after their signings have become available. The team named for this game looks like a side chosen out of Premiership level players, rather than scraping together whatever journeymen and Championship players are available to form a bare XV.

They've got hopes up several times this season only to dash them, and they will still require a good dose of luck, but this could be the one.

Puja

I think there's been a tangible uplift in the quality of their coaching since Stephen Jones arrived. Has removed some of the responsibility from Dickins shoulders as well.

[Epaminondas Pules]

That’s a really exciting Gloucester backline and Byrne.

Great test for Will Knight. He showed some really nice bits against Sarries. Big chance to now take a swipe at claiming the jersey.

[FKAS]

Glaws nearly pulled it back. Another loss though and Newcastle are off the mark. Skivington might need to dust off his CV at this rate.

[fivepointer]

Great result for Newcastle. That should give them a timely boost. Glos look to be in very poor shape. Pressure will surely grow on Skivington.

[Epaminondas Pules]

You can’t win games with no set piece. Gloucester lineout was hilariously bad! And then a new (ish) scrum half and comfortable the worst fly half in the Prem. Gloucester desperately need to play someone else at 10 and try everything to keep Tomis Williams fit!

Newcastle good value, though they almost came unstuck!

[Captainhaircut]

How the hell did Hodgson not get sent off? Clark makes a perfect tackle on him and he unprovoked punches him while they are on the floor. Clark retaliates with a forearm across the face and they both get yellows with penalty to Newcastle who kick to the corner and score.

Dreadful officiating. Should have been straight red for Hodgson.

[Puja]

How the hell did Hodgson not get sent off? Clark makes a perfect tackle on him and he unprovoked punches him while they are on the floor. Clark retaliates with a forearm across the face and they both get yellows with penalty to Newcastle who kick to the corner and score.

Dreadful officiating. Should have been straight red for Hodgson.

Agreed - looked like a red all day (although Clark driving him into the ground after the ball had gone was unnecessary, if legal). Can only think Hodgson got away with it because there was no angle from the reverse that actually showed a fist connecting with face - all you could see from the angles available to the ref/TMO was the movement of his arm from behind that looked exceedingly punch-like.

Thought the refereeing was pretty average all the way through - I think the last jackal penalty was the only one that Newcastle got all game; they should've turned over the ball several times before the Glaws tries.

Puja

[Puja]

You can’t win games with no set piece. Gloucester lineout was hilariously bad! And then a new (ish) scrum half and comfortable the worst fly half in the Prem. Gloucester desperately need to play someone else at 10 and try everything to keep Tomis Williams fit!

Newcastle good value, though they almost came unstuck!

The one positive for Glaws out of that game was CAtkinson at 15, who I thought had a superb game. Strong in defence and under the high ball, came into the line well, and made good decisions in attack. Hopefully they won't move him to 10 with Byrne's woes.

Puja

[FKAS]

You can’t win games with no set piece. Gloucester lineout was hilariously bad! And then a new (ish) scrum half and comfortable the worst fly half in the Prem. Gloucester desperately need to play someone else at 10 and try everything to keep Tomis Williams fit!

Newcastle good value, though they almost came unstuck!

The one positive for Glaws out of that game was CAtkinson at 15, who I thought had a superb game. Strong in defence and under the high ball, came into the line well, and made good decisions in attack. Hopefully they won't move him to 10 with Byrne's woes.

Puja

I thought Seb Atkinson had some decent moments as well.

It would be a big call to drop your marquee 10 mid injury crisis. Promote George Barton to start but with first choice wingers and 13 unavailable would potentially be a rough day out. Especially with the pack unable to generate good ball to work with, with any reliability.

[Captainhaircut]

Clement was excellent too. 21 carries, 11 tackles, did all he could.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Oh and Thorley’s red was monumentally stupid! Lined him up from miles away and still went high!!

[Puja]

Oh and Thorley’s red was monumentally stupid! Lined him up from miles away and still went high!!

Felt like one which probably technically shouldn't've been a red by the letter of the law, given that first contact was with the chest, but for which red was absolutely the right call overall given that it's exactly what the laws are trying to get out of the game. Utterly appalling rechnique, both from safety and from inefficiency of the tackle - if he'd bent his back even slightly then he would've absolutely destroyed the catcher.

I thought Seb Atkinson had some decent moments as well.

It would be a big call to drop your marquee 10 mid injury crisis. Promote George Barton to start but with first choice wingers and 13 unavailable would potentially be a rough day out. Especially with the pack unable to generate good ball to work with, with any reliability.

Thought SAtkinson was off and on tbh. A player who's international level needs to be standing out in a game of that low quality.

Is Barton mostly a 10 by trade? I've only ever seen him at 15 before.

Puja

[FKAS]

Barton was a 10 that got shoved back to 15 due to Glaws having options at 10 but lacking them at 15. Being a handy goalkicker and Anscombe having some issues in that regard also helped. He could be moved back now they need a 10. No guarantee it'll fix anything.