Falcons will test Redpath's strength in depth
BR - squad test
By Cherry Picker
November 17 2010
Gloucester’s longest trip of the domestic season gives them a chance to burst back on the Premiership scene with an away win after their hot-and-cold break for the LV= Cup. Defeat at Newport and a home win over Saracens mean that Bryan Redpath’s team are still in with a shout in the LV=, but it’s the Premiership that really counts.
Newcastle Falcons might not be the worst team in the Premiership on current form, but they are not the best either and teams with Gloucester’s ambition and strength in depth should be winning at Kingston Park.
Redpath rang the changes in the LV= as he again underlines his belief in the squad system and he told the Citizen: "If we are going to win something it is going to be with 28 to 32 players. It is not going to be with 23 or 24 players.
"I think the performance against the Dragons helped us. It enabled me to highlight some key things and some key principles that we need to keep addressing when we have poor performances.
"We are going to have poor performances and I think we learnt more from the Dragons game then we did in winning against Wasps and Leicester.
"It was important we got back on track from the Dragons game because there were some poor performances individually and collectively.
"It was a good team performance against Saracens, but I think they were not at their best and we won't get carried away."
Falcons are not at their best lately, either, but they will be battling for the win they desperately need Glaws could do with improving their away record – winning at Bath was top-drawer stuff, but losing at Exeter on the first day of the season wasn’t.
The Falcons are not doing well, but they do have home wins over Wasps, Bourgoin and Ospreys under their belts, so it’s not going to be easy. Falcons aren’t hit as badly as many other teams by the autumn international series, so it’s a real test for the Kingsholm strength in depth.
Competition for places in the Glaws team is really hot now and there aren’t too many players who can feel they are automatic choices when Redpath comes to name his 15 for each game.
That means it’s all down to the coach picking the men in form and those who he feels are right for the job in hand.
Sunday afternoon on Tyneside might not be the biggest Prem game of the weekend, but it should be interesting.
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Falcons are no great shakes and all the top teams will be looking at fixtures against them as wins, home and away.
We can't afford any Exeter-style slip-ups.
Quote:Dannyinnit
I guess that works out when they travel away too though.
You obviously didn't read that part, but that's ok.
I'm not moaning, just not nailing my colours to the mast saying anything other than a victory for Glaws would suffice. I'm actually paying Newcastle the respect they deserve and saying it should be a really good match.
For anyone travelling to the far north, weather forecast is for rain and .... wrap up warm!
1 Grant Shiells
2 Rob Vickers
3 Tim Ryan
4 James Hudson (c)
5 Tim Swinson
6 Brent Wilson
7 Redford Pennycook
8 Ally Hogg
9 Micky Young
10 Jimmy Gopperth
11 Charlie Amesbury
12 Luke Eves
13 Gcobani Bobo
14 Luke Fielden
15 Jeremy Manning
16 Joe Graham
17 Micky Ward
18 Kieran Brookes
19 Glen Townson
20 Will Welch
21 Hall Charlton
22 Tane Tu'ipulotu
23 Tom Catterick
Massive to have James Hudson back!!
I remember going there early one year and it took me two days to warm up.
Mind you, it was just as cold down these parts, but Kingston Park seems to attract a cold wind.
Quote:eastfalcon
Newcastle Falcons Team
1 Grant Shiells
2 Rob Vickers
3 Tim Ryan
4 James Hudson (c)
5 Tim Swinson
6 Brent Wilson
7 Redford Pennycook
8 Ally Hogg
9 Micky Young
10 Jimmy Gopperth
11 Charlie Amesbury
12 Luke Eves
13 Gcobani Bobo
14 Luke Fielden
15 Jeremy Manning
16 Joe Graham
17 Micky Ward
18 Kieran Brookes
19 Glen Townson
20 Will Welch
21 Hall Charlton
22 Tane Tu'ipulotu
23 Tom Catterick
Massive to have James Hudson back!!
Ally Hogg is some player too. He played very well against us when playing for Edinburgh. How has young Kieran Brookes been doing this season? I'm led to believe he's an impressive unit!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:11:19:18:17:03 by Dannyinnit.
Kieran will more than likely come on so you will see for yourself.
Apparently he shed a bit of weight over the summer and is playing well when given the opportunity.
I think it will be a good match - at least there is no snow forecasted!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:11:20:08:04:09 by eastfalcon.
If it is a good un, that would be a bonus for those who go.
Quote:eastfalcon
Dannyinnit
Kieran will more than likely come on so you will see for yourself.
Apparently he shed a bit of weight over the summer and is playing well when given the opportunity.
I think it will be a good match - at least there is no snow forecasted!
I've seen him for the U20s and the coaches seem to rate him highly. For his age, he's made rapid progress. Alex Gray is another youngster of yours who (apparently) has a good future ahead of him. Has he featured much so far this season?
We won fair and square - even your travelling support admitted that we deserved the win - your guys were just not up to it today -
Great game - awful conditions -
By God we needed a win!
Cheating?
Dirty?
None of the above ... just better on the day, it appears.
Quote:Two Sheds
Nukes?
Cheating?
Dirty?
None of the above ... just better on the day, it appears.
Yep, that's right. Our boys didn't seem up for it. Similar to the Newport game. Trinder is very good when on the front foot but can be anonymous when the going gets tough.
Quote:Turkey Basher
Dirty cheating Nukes!
Pot....kettle.... and black come to mind!
We were gifted 6 points from a late tackle and a high tackle
---- and a broken fibula and fractured checkbone don't just happen given the atrocious conditions
Apologies, and thanks for a good weekend. Shame about the result, but we've only got ourselves to blame!
Pleased that you had a good weekend, sorry that the weather was even worse than predicted!
Latest rumour is that injuries are not as bad as first thought, although Charlie's eye looked pretty bad from our perch in the East Stand.
Hope to make it down for the return match, as I have family living near Cirencester.
