Saracens vs Newcastle discussion

http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=6567

Saracens line-up vs Newcastle Falcons

15 Alex Goode
14 Joe Maddock
13 Owen Farrell
12 Brad Barritt
11 James Short
10 Charlie Hodgson
9 Neil de Kock
1 Deon Carstens
2 Schalk Brits
3 Carlos Nieto
4 Steve Borthwick (c)
5 George Kruis
6 Jackson Wray
7 Andy Saull
8 Ernst Joubert

16 Jamie George
17 Rhys Gill
18 Mako Vunipola
19 Mouritz Botha
20 Justin Melck
21 Ben Spencer
22 Adam Powell
23 David Strettle

It's another decent side. Certainly shows we are taking Newcastle very seriously. Plenty of playmakers in the side will help things. Hodgson,Farrell and Barritt have been working well together so far.

Not a huge fan of Deon Carstens but he shouldn't do our team's chances too much harm.


http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/tait-names-side-for-saracens-trip

Newcastle: A. Tait, Fielden, Uys, Helleur, Shortland, Gopperth, Pilgrim, Shiells, Graham, Hall, Townson, Swinson, R. Mayhew, Welch, Hogg.

Rep: M. Mayhew, Fearn, Wells, Pennycook, Wilson, Chudley, Goosen, Eves


Can't say I have heard of many of them bar Tait and Gopperth but they will be able to put up a hell of a fight.


Fingers crossed Saracens will have too much for Newcastle - hopefully get a try bonus point.

Looks quite a hefty backline for the Flacons, that should be a physical test of the Sarries defence.

Vunipola on the bench still, will he get a start before Stevens returns? I thought Sarries might have taken a chance or two more with the team but that looks almost as strong as they can make it.

2 or 3 changes from the side that faced Exe, beshocked? Gill, Botha and last week's openside drop to the bench. Horses for courses?

I am hoping Barritt,Farrell and Hodgson will all add more tries to their respective 2 each so far.

So far our try scorers have been

Barritt -2
Farrell -2
Hodgson-2
Joubert-2
Short-1
Strettle-1
George-1

I think Hodgson is started to bed into the side now. Barritt and Farrell are obviously flourishing with him in the backline.

We still don't really utilise our wingers quite as much as other clubs.

Decided to goe easy on us then? Oh jeez. I'd say, that will be about our strongest backline this season, reckon we'll be humped by 20+ I'm afraid. Oh dear.

Cumbrian I hate to say it but I hope you are right. You put up a good fight against us in both fixtures last season so I am not counting my chickens just yet. We struggled against Worcester too.

I want us to try and emulate that game in 2010 against you when we played well.

First victory under our belt...confidence boosted....Corne Uys getting his second run out...and a strong back row.....come on the Falcons

Just not sure about our front 5...bar Swinson...

Geordiefalcon

Who are the players in the Falcons side I should be looking out for and be weary of?

beshocked wrote:Geordiefalcon

Who are the players in the Falcons side I should be looking out for and be weary of?

Helleur has made the backline look interesting at times, assuming Jimmy actually gives him the ball.

Will Welch is starting to turn into a decent openside/6.5, he’s a nuisance at rucks and has a fairly decent carrying game. Luke Fielden was our top scorer last season, he’s not particularly quick but he has Cueto-esque ability to do the right thing at the right time.

The front row, agh! They are good in the loose but are in for a beasting at set piece.

Yeah as Cumbrian says...not many... ha ha

Jimmy Gopprth is the saviour and detractor of this team .

Great boot...but doesnt know how to pass.

Corne Uys our new South African centre is a big unit...and has rave reviews from SA.....

As Cumbrian says also ...him and Helleur could make an interesting midfield...

We're going one way....DOWN DOWN DOWN....and i fear that we wont be coming back up!

West Hartlepool ring any bells????

Geordiefalcon I thought Newcastle gave a good account of themselves in the last 35 minutes. You starved us of possession and never let go of the ball. Really frustating.

We tore your lineout to shreds yet you kept coming back for more! Really impressed by your dogged never say die attitude. Your set piece was always going to struggle with players missing.

You did well to restrict us to 3 tries though our execution was poor. The final passes just didn't happen. Too many dropped passes.

Having played both Newcastle and Worcester thsi season I have to say that Worcester look the better side.

Both teams are dogged and work hard, but Worcester have a really dangerous back three that can score them tries, and cause the opposition real problems. I haven't seen that from Newcastle yet this season.

Anyway, I reckon Tigers are for the drop!

Naughty!!

As much as I am not one to revel in others misfortune, I would actually chuckle if Tigers did end up in the relegation dogfight at the end of the season.

"Geordiefalcon I thought Newcastle gave a good account of themselves in the last 35 minutes. You starved us of possession and never let go of the ball. Really frustating."

Yeah but Beshocked....its irrelevant when we're 30 points down....

England and Falcons fan...does it get any worse???

Only 20 points unfortunately Geordie Falcon. We didn't get the try bonus point.

Also try looking at our club losses. Eye watering.

Mind Leicester will be in trouble when we go down....who will supply their players then?