Newcastle Falcons 2015 / 2016

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: John Wells
Attack Coach: Dave Walder
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock

Current Squad (A= Academy):
Forwards
Props:
TH - Taione Vea, Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson, Paddy Ryan, Andrew Foster
LH - Ben Harris, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry, Alex Rogers, Sam Lockwood, Adam Brocklebank (A)

Hookers: Scott Lawson, Ben Sowrey, Kyle Cooper
David Nelson (A), Santiago Socino (A)

Second Rows: Callum Green, Mauritz Botha, Will Witty, Sean Robinson , Evan Olmstead, Nick Civetta, Glen Youngs, Andrew Davidson
Harry Snowdon (A), Josh Williams (A), Max Davies (A),

Back Row: Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Nili Latu, Mark Wilson, Dan Temm, Joshua Chisanga, Harrison Orr, Opeti Fonua, Tyrone Holmes
Joe Craggs (A), Calum Chick (A), Sebastian Ferreira (A), Simon Uzokwe (A)

Backs
SH's: Sonatane Tukulua, Micky Young, Sam Egerton
Dan Taylor (A),  Ruaridh Dawson (A)

Fh's: Tom Catterick, Mike Delaney, Joel Hodgson  
Craig Willis (A), Brett Connon (A)

Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Adam Powell, Chris Harris,
Adam Redman centre (A), Tom Penny (A)

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti, Marcus Watson, Zac Kibirige, Veriniki Goneva,
Dan Marshall (A)

FB's: Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley
Ed Coulson (A)

Signings for Next Season:
Niki Goneva - Wing (Leicester)
Sam Lockwood - LH Prop (Jersey)
Sam Egerton - SH (7's / Quins)
Harrison Orr - Back Row (Ealing)
Joel Hodgson - 9, 10, 15 (Leeds)
Ben Sowrey - Hooker (Worcester)
Evan Olmstead - Lock (London Scottish)
Opeti Fonua - Back Rower
Nick Civetta - Lock forward
Andrew Davidson (Academy) - Lock Forward
Kyle Cooper - Hooker
Tyrone Holmes - 6/7 - Glasgow

News on the coaches:

Wells signs for another 3 years, and will take care of the defence until the World Cup (and implies someone new will be coming in then - some suspect its Phil Blake. Boy we like our banned coaches don't we!! )

Micky Ward taking a more prominent role with the forwards

Scott MacLeod now on the staff as lineout coach

Barrow has gone to Leicester hasn't he?

He has indeed...fixed.

What do you predict for next season, Geordie?

Another relegation battle mate, and sadly without London Welsh helping us,us out its going to be much closer.

However our defence was appalling this season. We have a new coach coming so that hopefully improves.

Our scrum was poor at times, we've signed some very good props and if we can just work on being more clinical / efficient when we get chances we should stay up...

I can see us battling it out at the bottom with Irish, Sale and Gloucester, I can't see past Wuss going down at this stage.

I'm just hoping on a steady improvement from last year. We were excellent at times but our scrum and defence cost way too many points, it looks that this may have been addressed.

Looks like Clegg is off to Glasgow, good luck to him but he's never quite worked out.

The squad is certainly looking stronger than last year which is all you can ask for really. Not sure all AP teams can say that so fingers crossed we'll get a few more wins.

Clegg to Glasgow is an interesting one SGt. I thought he was off to Australia.

We have improved the areas we were particularly weak in last season...that's all we can ask.

I would like another big monster in the back row...a fonua type as I really don't hold much hope of Kolo'ufai suddenly staying injury free.

We have plenty of options elsewhere and we'll see lots of rotation. Venditti could be a good signing...I suspect we'll see him at 13 quite a bit aswell.

I wouldn't be too gloomy - strong front row now and a generally stronger all over, it seems to me? A lot of dead wood cut away.

Clegg to Glasgow is very weird indeed when we have Russell, Weir, Horne and a couple of other guys who can also do a shift there. What can you tell us about him?

It'll be difficult to pin down an official starting 15, as we have genuine competition and Dean will rotate...but it should be something like this...

1 Welsh
2 Lawson
3 Vea
4 Thompson / Furno
5 Green
6 Wilson
7 Welch
8 Hogg

9 Tipuna
10 Catterick / Delaney (Sharing duties)
11 Sinoti
12 Socino
13 Harris
14 Venditti / Kibirige / Watson (Be interesting)
15 Hammersley

I doubt you'd be far off GF.

I'd have Young in at scrum half and Latu at 7

Yeah I think Latu will definitely get games at 7.

I think we have that scenario in quite a few positions now with 2 or 3 players fighting for the spot. And then adding the academy lads...we are beginning to get a depth.
Just need to continue the individual and team improvement.

One thing latu might bring is real passionate leadership.

I wouldn't keep Will Welch on as captain. Has the captain been announced yet?

Alex Rogers has signed on a 2 year deal from Blaydon.
So he's now a permanent member of the squad

That suggests to me that Welsh is a TH, who can cover LH

TH - Taione Vea, Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson,
LH - Ben Harris, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry, Alex Rogers

Clegg? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

He's got a good pass and is a decent goal kicker. He's not great from hand and isn't the best runner. His main problem is stringing 2 good games together.

Sgt what do you think of the new coaching announcement / set up

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: John Wells
Attack Coach: Dave Walder
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock

Sgt_Pooly wrote:He's got a good pass and is a decent goal kicker. He's not great from hand and isn't the best runner. His main problem is stringing 2 good games together.

Thanks Pooly.

Give it to me straight, though. Better or worse than Phil Godman?

George Carlin wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:He's got a good pass and is a decent goal kicker. He's not great from hand and isn't the best runner. His main problem is stringing 2 good games together.

Thanks Pooly.

Give it to me straight, though. Better or worse than Phil Godman?

Erm, little in it really George. Perhaps Clegg is a touch better as he's a stonger goal kicker.

GeordieFalcon wrote:It'll be difficult to pin down an official starting 15, as we have genuine competition and Dean will rotate...but it should be something like this...

1 Welsh
2 Lawson
3 Vea
4 Thompson / Furno
5 Green
6 Wilson
7 Welch
8 Hogg

9 Tipuna
10 Catterick / Delaney (Sharing duties)
11 Sinoti
12 Socino
13 Harris
14 Venditti / Kibirige / Watson (Be interesting)
15 Hammersley

Think we're more likely to see Furno than Big Kane start in the row, Furno much better in the lineout.

Think we should be aiming for top 8, We've signed a real game breaker in our backs in Vendetti.

Marus Watson should bag a few trys. He's step and go is as good as any winger outside the top 4.

Judging from further chat on the unoffy, and what Mr Carlin said, im not sure we'll see Welsh at LH much. Think he's predominantly brought in as a TH who will share the load with Vea, whilst Scotty continues to come through.

1 Harris
2 Lawson
3 Vea / Welsh

Driver,
I think Thompson has been excellent in there. But I agree Furno was top class at times.
Nice to have those two at options, but I don't think they'd work together well and I think Green offers that oomph in there. Likewise Witty and Robinson will feature more especially with Barrow on his way.

Watson has never done it in the XV game though so very hard to judge, he may take a bit of time.

Yea not sure GF, maybe we'll start with Welsh/Vea until we can get the best out of Harris? I'm unsure Harris is up to the AP yet but we'll soon see.

We've certainly got a much better stable of props, I even like Rodgers who could be handy with a good TH.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/irish-prop-paddy-ryan-packs-9621091

Paddy Ryan, an Irish TH and brother of Tim Ryan (?!?!?!) signs on. Did we not learn or our lesson on Irish props from Tim Ryan? Quite possibly the worst prop we've had over the last 5 years along with Eric Fry.

Tomas released apparently so he'll slot in at 4th choice.

Your possibly right about Harris and Welsh at LH. Vickers will get some game time as well. I agree we have a useful stable of props now and hookers.

Tomas was a genuine frustration.

He meanders about the field with his socks down etc.

But I have sat at KP and the odd occasion I have seen him play like a top class aggressive prop. One game in particular (I cant remember who the oppo was) he was man of the match by a country mile. Both his scrummaging and his ruck and breakdown work. He was outstanding...and showed he was able to play at that level.

He just couldn't show any kind of consistency.

EDit - The feedback on Oli was that he was taking a few months away from rugby to try and get his injury properly sorted

Who is Paddy Ryan?? Where has he come from?

French 3rd division

I remember that game with Tomas, he could be a top AP TH but seemed to lack the desire.

Oh well I cant see him getting much gametime anyway, but you never know he may be ok.

Cant worse than Fry...though I cant believe many on the unoffy actually think hes good!

Apparently we are trialling some players also? Wonder who and which positions?
Thought the squad was pretty much there now.

The chronicle will confirm the situations with the below this weekend:

Warren Fury
Jamie Helleur
Noah Cato
Rory Clegg

2 props, 2 backrow and a hooker:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_61750,00.html

Fury still unconfirmed, Clegg, Helleur, Cato and Sean Brown all gone.

So we're trialling Socinos brother who is a flanker .

Sgt, Driver

Do you know much about the current senior academy lads?

Hookers: David Nelson (A)

Second Rows: We know about these lads Glen Youngs, Will Witty, Sean Robinson ,
Harry Snowdon (A),

Sh's: Dan Taylor (A), Ruaridh Dawson (A)

Fh's: Craig Willis (A), Brett Connon (A)

Centres: Adam Redman centre (A), Tom Penny (A)

Wing: Dan Marshall (A)

Tom Penny is meant to be a good player.

Team for Next Season?

Hammersley , Sinoti , Harris , Socino , Vendetti , Catterick , Young; Welch , Lawson , Vea , Furno , Green , Wilson (C) , Latu , Kolo'ofia

Yeah of the academy lads we know - Witty, Robinson, Youngs (the 3 second row lads), vague bits of Nelson the hooker (who has had some glowing reports though) and Penny who I agree has looked a cracking prospect in the few games we've seen him.

Yeah pretty much that team driver...but theres a few positions that are very close and will rotate.

For example:
FB - Tait is a good solid FB and was our best player of the season a few back. Hammersley has been a revelation, but still has weak areas that needs working on.

Scrum half....I wouldn't start with young. Probably Tipuna, or see who this big tongan is.

Back row: Could be a lottery. Im not really happy with the whole back row at the moment. I think we're lacking some serious muscle. I rate Wilson so high...and Hogg but they aren't the biggest guys. Kolo could have been the one to add that...but he's simply never fit.

Good to see Socino has been selected for Argentina v Australia.

I see we've kept hold of that South African lad who played for us in the A league last season - Sebastian Ferriera. He's mostly a lock but covers 6. He's in the senior academy.

Are any of you guys going to the Georgia game? Just booked my ticket. Think it might be a bit tougher game than the Tonga game was.

What date is the game GF? I doubt Pooly will be going. He's the sultan of some middle eastern country now

Friday 28th mate.

Haha....something like that.

Have you moved away Sgt?

I see Calum Chick has been selected as the captain of the England u18 side v France.

Great stuff for the young No.8!

Looks like we have signed Moritz Botha the former England and Sarries lock.

World cup cover for Furno and Kane Thompson.

Well so far we have the following WC representatives...

Socino - Argentina
Thompson, Tuilagi - Samoa
Tukulua, Latu - Tonga

I think we can add Furno & Venditti to that too

Yeah I expect so.

Team for Georgia tomorrow night:

Newcastle Falcons
15. Willis (academy)
14. Tait
13. Harris
12. Powell
11. Tuilagi (Andy)
10. Catterick
9. Tipuna
1. Vickers
2. Lawson
3. Wilson
4. Green
5. MacLeod
6. Mayhew
7. Welch
8. Hogg

Bench
Ben Harris
George McGuigan
Alex Rogers
Sean Robinson
Mark Wilson
Dan Temm
Dan Marshall (academy)
Ruaridh Dawson (academy)
Brett Connon (academy)

Im looking forward to it actually. See a few of the kids getting a run out as well.

5-0 to the falcons at half time....they've got some big lads in their team.

Although they thought Gorgodze was one of the tough men of Europe until he met Calum Green ha ha....

Chris Harris looks like he's put some serious muscle on has been putting smashes in left right and centre. Looks like it's him and socino for centres this season....

Final score 27-7

Bar the scrum we played well and we were on top the whole game. But I have to say Georgia look a poor side going into the WC

https://www.606v2.com/t60323-welcome-to-the-new-aviva-pro-12-season-your-help-needed

Tomas signs for the Ospreys

I see Welch is to make a fourth consecutive season as captain. Thoughts from you guys?

I would've thought they might have tried someone else, however who else could step up?