Newcastle v Saracens

A critical game for bot sides as Falcons seek to maintain the pressure at the bottom of the table, and Sarries seek to gain the home semi final that for much of the season has looked all but guaranteed.

Falcons have been in good form, but Sarries reacted well to the two defeats to Quins and Clermont with a win last weekend. Normally a Friday night trip up north is one to induce slight worries, but Sarries hammered Sale a month or so ago after a Friday trip to the NW.



Sarries team announced, two changes with Farrell and Short replacing Hodgson and Michael Tagi:

Saracens team vs Newcastle Falcons

15 Alex Goode
14 David Strettle
13 Chris Wyles
12 Brad Barritt
11 James Short
10 Owen Farrell
9 Neil de Kock
1 Rhys Gill
2 Schalk Brits
3 Matt Stevens
4 Steve Borthwick ©
5 George Kruis
6 Jackson Wray
7 Will Fraser
8 Ernst Joubert

16 Jamie George
17 Mako Vunipola
18 Carlos Nieto
19 Mouritz Botha
20 Justin Melck
21 Richard Wigglesworth
22 Charlie Hodgson
23 Michael Tagicakibau

Falcons meanwhile are unchanged following victory at Gloucester. Golding, Vickers and Murray will be looking to put what has been a fragile Sarries front row recently under pressure.

Newcastle: 15 Greg Goosen, 14 Corne Uys, 13 Jamie Helleur, 12 James Fitzpatrick, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Peter Stringer, 1 Jonny Golding, 2 Rob Vickers, 3 Euan Murray, 4 James Hudson, 5 Tim Swinson, 6 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch, 8 Adam Balding

Replacements: 16 Matt Thompson, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 James Hall, 19 James Goode, 20 Taiasina Tu’ifua, 21 Mark Wilson, 22 Chris Pilgrim, 23 Tom Catterick

Disagree. The critical games this season have been lost already - Quins,Leicester,Clermont and even Worcester.

Cannot see anyone stopping Leicester notching up yet another AP title.

This game is much more important to Newcastle and they could win this.

The only plus point for Sarries is that they are absolutely immense away from home. That's a big plus admittedly.

Sides go through dips in form through the season and lose games they would not expect to.

Sarries are still in a very good position - and a home semifinal is not out of the question.

The momentum is all with Leicester.

Saracens could still even get a home semi but even if we do I can't see anyone beating Leicester as things stand.

Saracens in the last two seasons built up some excellent momentum which led to strong performances in the playoffs. It's certainly not the same here.

Leicester went to FG and hammered Saints - that's an impressive statement of intent.

If Saracens show strong form against Newcastle and Exeter there might be some light at the end of the tunnel but I am not that optimistic.

Beshocked, I will agree with you about last weekend and if we go and do the same at The Stoop then I will be very confident about the end of the season but a loss this weekend (which is very possible) probably means a trip to Saracens in the semis and that is the hardest match we could ask for so I would wait until after this weekend before getting too down on the situation.

Can't understand why Nieto and Vunipola are on the bench tbh. Vunipola has looked in excellent form and Nieto is an underrated scrummager who has been held back this season because of poor looseheads (normally Stevens). The Sarries pack are show casing some impressive academy graduates in Kruis, Wray and Fraiser whilst the backs look dangerous despite the lack of ball carrying punch at 13 (why no Tomkins?) and the distinct lack of creation at 10. The tries will come from the lineout and from counter attacks (Alex Goode is in good form) for Sarries and I expect a sin binning for Newcastle.

The Falcons have gone big in the backs so expect the to be charging into the Sarries line looking to make regular gains are opposed to clean breaks, Sarries will need to improve the line speed from the Clermont game which was pretty poor to nulify the Falcons big boys. The Falcons and Gopperth will play territory and look to weaponise the scrum particularly if it's wet so expect kicks to the flanks to pressurise Strettle and Short as opposed to Goode.

On a side note, have you seen the new Falcons shirt?

Some Sarries fans might get confused TBH!

http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/falcons-shirt-unveiled-at-media-launch

It is all a cunning plan by Gold, Ford, Wells (but not richards of course who is not allowed to talk to anyone till August) to secure safety. Sarries will be so confused they will:

a) Pass to the wrong team
b) See Brits get confused and run in the wrong direction with only a last ditch tackle from Alex Goode preventing him from dotting down over his own line.

Does Rob Miller (full back) play for Newcastle or Sale?

Used to play for Newcastle, now he's at Sale.

Ah, hence the confusion. Looks a good prospect from what I have seen, but still unknown in most parts.

He's a ball player. I thought he was going to be a flyhalf for ages, but he utilises his skills at full back really well. Safe as houses under the high ball, good spacial awareness, accurate boot, eye for the break, good handling/ passing and a great turn of speed. Might suffer from second season syndrome next time around, but another one like this and he'll be on the England radar.

Tom Catterick has always seemed in a similar vein.

AAAhhh Mara thats a horrific shirt.....not looking forward to wearing it...

We just need to get Joe Robinson on the pitch and the game is in the bag

On a serious note...i actually fancy our chances in this one...

It will be a physical yet highly boring game with two "kicking teritory" fly halfs....

Aye, it's an unusual one, see the Unoffy site? All kinds of conspiracies about them trying to include the Mackems and Boro with that red stripe! Bit far fetched to my mind.

Aye I reckon we might have a chance. I can usually get a good stream for ESPN too, I'll be on here tomorrow night, I'll post you a link if you need it?

LondonTiger wrote:Tom Catterick has always seemed in a similar vein.

Yeah, I've got hopes for him if he can stay injury free for any period. Still only 21 though, got plenty of time on his side.

Ill be watching it aswell mate..ill be on here too

Am I right in saying only 1 of the Newcastle backs is English?

Shortland is English qualified too, but yeah it's not great.

beshocked wrote:The momentum is all with Leicester.

Saracens could still even get a home semi but even if we do I can't see anyone beating Leicester as things stand.

Saracens in the last two seasons built up some excellent momentum which led to strong performances in the playoffs. It's certainly not the same here.

Leicester went to FG and hammered Saints - that's an impressive statement of intent.

If Saracens show strong form against Newcastle and Exeter there might be some light at the end of the tunnel but I am not that optimistic.

When I said that Tigers could finish top and that SAracens could finish fourth, you ----------stated that overhauling Quins was too much 'even for Saracens'.... you must surely concede that that prediction could become reality (well SAracens could easily finish third at any rate) and that 'even SAracens' have proved disappointing towards this latter part of the season?

Cumbrian wrote:On a side note, have you seen the new Falcons shirt?

Some Sarries fans might get confused TBH!

http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/falcons-shirt-unveiled-at-media-launch

I don't understand this. What has the colour red got to do with Newcastle?

Is it coincidence they are launching this shirt against the one team in the AP whose main colours are red and black?

formerly known as Sam wrote:Can't understand why Nieto and Vunipola are on the bench tbh. Vunipola has looked in excellent form and Nieto is an underrated scrummager who has been held back this season because of poor looseheads (normally Stevens). The Sarries pack are show casing some impressive academy graduates in Kruis, Wray and Fraiser whilst the backs look dangerous despite the lack of ball carrying punch at 13 (why no Tomkins?) and the distinct lack of creation at 10. The tries will come from the lineout and from counter attacks (Alex Goode is in good form) for Sarries and I expect a sin binning for Newcastle.

The Falcons have gone big in the backs so expect the to be charging into the Sarries line looking to make regular gains are opposed to clean breaks, Sarries will need to improve the line speed from the Clermont game which was pretty poor to nulify the Falcons big boys. The Falcons and Gopperth will play territory and look to weaponise the scrum particularly if it's wet so expect kicks to the flanks to pressurise Strettle and Short as opposed to Goode.

Sam that makes two of us. I would have played Vunipola and Nieto. I agree Nieto is underrated. Agree about the academy boys. All three put in a good shift vs London Irish. Wray is probably the brightest prospect.

Tomkins still is inexperienced and in my opinion had a poor game vs London Irish. His defensive lapses were clear in both of Armitage's tries.

Farrell might lack creativity but he's still a good player. If Saracens are struggling Hodgson can come on to spark something.

Looking at the two teams Saracens should win this.

Not sure Nieto is under-rated. Opponents and fans know he is a damn good scrummager. As he has got older he has become less prominent elsewhere on the pitch. With Stevens ability to concede penalties that may be a good thing.

You do wonder whether Nieto is fit enough to last the 50-60 minutes usually required of a starting prop.

The Saracens bench is pretty strong though.

3 English internationals. 2 Ex England U20s, not too shabby.

Cumbrian wrote:Shortland is English qualified too, but yeah it's not great.

I like Newcastle, but Wasps are starting with 7 English players who are 21 or under. As a neutral I know who I want to stay up this year.

Any one have ESPN freaking out at the moment?

Yeah. Stuttgard beat Brenan 4:1 apparantly

And some stop gap animation as well...

Yay!

Barritt out injured during the warm up. Hodgson in for him

Don't you just love ESPN with it's deliberately ironic low-tech flip-sheets.

Strange ting is that a whiteboard is just as effective as one of those stupid screens that are so vulnerable to user brain-farts,

Howay the lads!

JP Doyle as ref.

DaveM wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Shortland is English qualified too, but yeah it's not great.

I like Newcastle, but Wasps are starting with 7 English players who are 21 or under. As a neutral I know who I want to stay up this year.

No worries, If I were neutral I might feel the same way. The Falcons's academy isn't quite as productive as it used to be, but things are improving again... hopefully things will be rectified soon.

Looks a decent crowd in tonight.

'castle playing pretty well.

Really good crowd. Looks to be nearly a sell out

0:0 so far (16mins gone)

Doyle doing the strict rolling away thing.

Pretty dire stuff though Hammer.

Farrell goes for a second pot at goal and this time he gets it.
0-3

3-0 to Sarries. 'castle need to to keep the ball. Penalties will come to the ball holders

They aren't playing to entertain or thrill or even impress. They're playing to stop Sarries getting as many points as possible. Probably won't work but even a losing bonus point could be critical

Christ on a bike, we need to stop kicking the damn ball away!

Bad kick by Stringer. They need to hold possession in Sarries half otherwise they'll never get any points.

FFS! how many times do they want to put it out on the full!!!

Goppeth hasn't passed the ball once, literally not once...

Goppath has made 0 passes so far. I saw him almost make one earlier but he caught himself in time

This is a great game for people who appreciate punts and weak scrums.

Oh how I loathe the lines of players that are being constructed before the box kicks...

Do you reckon Goppath is going for a record regarding no passes? Has that happened before? A 10 making no passes?

Just as I say that.

Cumbrian, I agree. The worst thing Sarries have introduced this year

note to both sides:

Having a ruck about 25m long is not legal if half the contacts are 'binding' with a palm on the next bloke in front's bum.

Dear me this is bloody dire. I expected it to be bad but...