Newcastle Falcons Season 2014/2015 - Closed, use new one.

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UPDATED FOR 2015 / 2016

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: John Wells
Defence Coach: Graham Steadman
Attack Coach: Dave Walder

Current Squad (A= Academy):
Forwards
Props: Taione Vea, Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson, Ben Harris, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry,

Hookers: Scott Lawson, George McGuigan, Rob Hawkins,
David Nelson (A)

Second Rows: Dom Barrow, Callum Green, Kane Thompson, Josh Furno,
Glen Youngs (A), Will Witty (A), Sean Robinson (A), Harry Snowdon (A),

Back Row: Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Richard Mayhew, Nili Latu, Mark Wilson, Uili Kolo'ofai, Dan Temm,
Brian Tuilagi (A), Joe Craggs (A), Calum Chick (A)

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

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

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

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti, Alex Tuilagi, Giovanbattista Venditti, Marcus Watson, Zac Kibirige,
Dan Marshall (A)

FB's: Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

Contracts yet to be agreed:
Oliver Tomaschyk
Scott MacLeod
Warren Fury
Jamie Helleur
Noah Cato
Rory Clegg - Going to Australia

What do you reckon? Can we get anything this weekend? Irish are playing Welsh so you can assume that they have got four (probably five) points there.

I'm not sure driver. Sarries are a quality side it's a tough ask. We'll need to be at the best we've shown this season..but who knows.

What's your thoughts of the back row? It's built for speed and breakdown etc... But is it lightweight?
Could be great or could backfire

I can't see us getting anything tbh, a LBP would be good enough.

Really lacking a carrier in the pack bar Thompson and Wilson who's are ok. Tiesi on the wing?!?!

That was like Tuilagi of old!

Playing some nice stuff but need to keep it tighter at the back. Scrum stuttering for a change....

Yeah we need to sort the front row and scrum in general out.

Let's keep at them.

Scrum is killing us every week, Vickers is really struggling. 4 props needed imo, 3 at a push.

Defo mate.

Lawson, Tuilagi and Wilson have had great games, esp Lawson. Catterick struggling with the boot and general play.

I'd consider a backrow of:

6. Kolo
7. Wilson
8. Hogg

If Kolo ever gets fit. Wilson is probably our best 7 tbh, not hugely convinced with Welch and Saull although Welch is a real workhorse.

I've lost hope with kolo.

Jayzus, your boys are 3/4 of the way to the TBP.

Scoring tries hasn't been the problem of late, I think we have something like 8 TBP in the last 10 games or something. The scrum and defence has been a bit leaky though.

Catterick has struggled with the boot today, we've left too many points out there.

Still touching distance with 5 to go, we have to get something out of this. Wilson & Lawson have been great

LBP at least, should have been more. Strettle was lucky to stay on after throwing a punch.

Another day with Cattrick hitting the goals we'd have sneaked it, shows how far we've come.

Right then Sgt, Driver...

How do we fix a problem like our scrum?

Is it as easy as getting new better props?
Or is there more too it that out locks aren't doing their job or the full collection including the back row not doing the job?

Do we need to change Micky Ward maybe? We've had a poor scrum since Hayman left and I reckon I could have coached that front row with the best TH in the world at 3.

The scrum is a unit not an individual but our props rarely look up to it. The only time we gain parity is that half a game every five that Brookes is fit.

LH is a shambles really, Fry is terrible and Vickers has done well but has regressed this season. It's hard to judge Orlandi as LH is such a major issue, I think he could be a decent option given a good run in the first team.

2 LH's and a TH are a must, maybe even 2 TH's?

LH - New, New, Youth?
TH - New, Orandi, Wilson

I have been thinking about the coaching.

Ward maybe does need to be replaced... Look at the effect Walder has had.

I agree aswell we badly need to sign a few props. It is making our life difficult...and probably has been the difference between a win and a close defeat in a few games.

I have no doubt we'd have a lot more points if our scrum was better. There was the first game against Irish, the away game to Bath, Sale etc. All pretty close games where our scrum cost us field position and points.

Whats your thoughts on the SH situation?

Blair - Retiring?
Tipuna
Fury - Is his injury career threatening?
Tukulua
Youngs
Davies - Will he move on?

That would leave - Youngs, Tipuna and Tukulua

Are you happy hitting the prem next season with that trio?

All of the above GF and happy with those 3

NEWCASTLE FALCONS: A Tait, S Sinoti, A Powell, JP Socino, Al Tuilagi, T Catterick, R Tipuna; R Vickers, S Lawson, A Rogers, K Thompson, D Barrow, R Mayhew, W Welch (captain), M Wilson. Replacements: R Hawkins, M Irving, R O’Donnell, J Furno, A Saull, T Takulua, G Tiesi, N Cato.

LEICESTER TIGERS: M Tait, N Morris, V Goneva, S Bai, A Thompstone, F Burns, S Harrison; M Ayerza, T Youngs, L Mulipola, S de Chaves, G Parling, T Croft, J Gibson, L Pearce. Replacements: L Ghiraldini, M Rizzo, F Balmain, J Crane, J Salvi, D Mele, T Bell, J Roberts.

4 injured TH's, crazy.

Rodgers the LH moves across to TH and O'Donnell comes in from Worcester on loan. O'Donnell can't make the Worcester 23 in the Champ.....could be a tough afternoon in the scrum, again.

I suspect they will be leaving the starting front row on for as long as possible.

The problem is the starting front row isn't much cop either.

Its a dire situation. Really is.

All four of their senior tight-heads Kieran Brookes, Oliver Tomaszczyk, Scott Wilson and Juan Pablo Orlandi are sidelined.

Eric Fry has broke his leg, so LH Alex Rogers starts as TH.

If I were the Tigers I would just play the game up front and smash that scrum all day long.

Ayerza v Rogers....ouch that's a hard day at the office for the falcon....

At the same time Barrow and Kane THompson are going to really have to work in the scrums aswell...maybe why Mayhew is back aswell...a bit more beef in there

Scrum actually going ok? Looking good so far

Scrum getting absolutley ruined, but don't worry as we have Sinoti!!!

New signing Wednesday, pls be a prop

Please be 5 props

I see on the unofficial the talk is that tomorrow announcement will be young Leeds prop Ben Harris.

Ben Harris it is, at last a prop! I hope he's good.

https://youtu.be/N--YmNsnStI

Jesus he can shift! Can he scrummage?

Well that's one in.

Lets hope he's not another Eric Fry.

If he's like Dom Barrow (staying fit though)  and Calum Green we'll be on to a winner.

Wow yeah he can move...

Feel sorry for Leeds, we are doing to them what we have complained about Leicester and Saints doing to us.

Guess its only natural movements to progress...

A couple more props needed then Sgt, a replacement for Kolo'ufai...or just the signing of a monster ball carrier in the pack....and we're progressing nicely.

Yea agree GF.

Just browsing through one of the other forums and some Falcons fans seem to think Fry can scrummage?!?!

I'm not being funny but these posters must either never see the games or know nothing about rugby. Fry is a complete travisity in the set piece.

His body position is all wrong, he seems too tall with very little power in his legs. When you watch him he almost folds in under pressure, he's the worst LH I've seen in the AP for a long long time.

Brookes is a steady scrummager for the first 40 mins and even he struggles when Fry is on the other side, he's bloody useless!

Stop sitting on the fence Sgt

You don't have to watch him Heaf!

I think they signed fry because he is actually good in the loose and they hoped they could make Him a bareable scrummager.

He would be one of those desirable mobile props. It's not working though. He just can't scrum simple as that.

Likewise Harris scored a good try but we have backs for that. I want a prop who will wrestle a rhino and come out on top.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:You don't have to watch him Heaf!

True - but supporting LI I think I've had my fair share of pain too

Sgt,

I can't believe I'm reading on the unofficial that they think fry is a good scrummager!!!!

He's decent around the pitch but it's a worry if people think he's a good scrummager....

Extremley odd GF, he's obviously very poor in the set piece.

Are you happy with Socino for another 2 years?

It's 3 isn't it GF? Either way, very happy. He's coming along nicely and if he can improve his distribution could be one of the better 12's in the league.

I see we're linked to Latu the Tongan 7. Good operator and probably better than our current options, but he's no spring chicken.

Ah to be honest mate...I hope that's just a rumour that's not fulfilled.

1) We have good opensides in Welch, Saull and Dan Temm (who never gets much of a chance but looks class for the A side)

2) We don't need another foreigner in a spot where we have good English players (Dan Temm is a kiwi acceptably).

3) Back row (aside from a monstrous rampaging beast of a replacement for Kolo'ufai) is not a critical area. We have far more urgent areas such as .....PROP.

Seen there's rumours of Clegg & York leaving, neither would be overly missed tbh.

We're not too far away bar the obvious front row travisity. At least we have Fry though.

There's an announcement tonight apparently.

Havent seen those rumours...but agree neither would be missed. York just never fulfilled his potential.

Yeah Fry will keep us going have no fear

At least signing Ben Harris is a start.

I would also like to find out why so many of our players seem to be getting injured. Especially the likes of Barrow etc.

I'm not sure if Barrow has maybe bulked up a little too quickly. He's a unit this season, maybe it's having an adverse effect?

Happy with Harris, a little more quality on either side and we'll be ok. What's happening with Tomas?

Busy day!

Vea the LW Tighthead signs on and Deano signs for another 3 years!

Fantastic news on Deano, he's turned things around this season and chuffed he's staying.

Vea has looked pretty solid and will be a decent replacement for Brookes who's either injured or away. Another LH and Orlandi/Tomas maybe staying should do?

1. Harris/New/Vickers
3. Vea/Orlandi/Tomas/Wilson

Vea from London Welsh? Heard the rumours about him a while ago. Confess haven't seen much of him. Is he any good?

Havent heard a thing about Tomas. Probably on his way out.
Don't forget we do still have Fry at LH aswell.

Im getting a little concerned with all these foreigners though.

Brilliant news about Dean though. THings coming together nicely.

On the unoffy theres a few glowing reports about Vea from LW fans. Saying he's one of their stand outs in a poor side and should be a very good signing for us.
That's good to hear.

Do you think that could be a reason for Barrows injuries Sgt? To big too quick?

Imagine what we could be able to do if we actually can gain parity or more in the scrum...

I'm sure i heard Barrow has a 'gym' injurie. I.e When he exercises or plays too much he picks up injuries.