Return of the Walnut

By Leipziger
February 22 2007

Dave Walder makes a long-awaited and emotional return to Kingston Park on Friday night as the Falcons look to bounce back from defeats in their last two Premiership matches and pull away from what is looking to be an increasingly dangerous relegation zone.

Walder scored late penalties to beat Wasps on their previous two visits to the North East, which we won 29-28 in February 2005 and 17-15 in November 2005, but has only made five starts for the High Wycombe-based side this season, scoring 58 points with eight conversions, thirteen penalties and a drop-goal. He will be guaranteed a warm welcome from the home crowd.

Wasps are third in the table and well-placed to compete in the Premiership playoffs for the fifth successive year, the previous triple champions having been deposed by Sale last year. Sunday saw our visitors and partners-in-black beat the champions 26-18 at Adams Park with tries from Tom Rees and Jeremy Staunton, just two of Wasps’ veritable smorgasbord of internationals.

They have not won a single away domestic match however since the opening day of the season, a 21-19 victory over Saracens at Twickenham being followed by seven successive defeats in league and cup before a 3-3 draw at Sixways v Worcester at the end of January when Dave Walder and Shane Drahm’s penalties were the only points scored.

Wasps haven’t been hit as hard as they could have been by the 6 Nations Championship, and defied England coach Brian Ashton (John Fletcher, are you listening?) by playing Josh Lewsey against Sale, whilst Joe Worsley was on the bench and Phil Vickery rested. Lock Tom Palmer is also in the frame having played in the Autumn Internationals, whilst fans have been pushing for flanker Tom Rees to get into the international XV and 80-plus-cap hooker Raphael Ibanez is in the French side.

Other internationals available to Ian McGeechan include England World Cup winners Lawrence Dallaglio and Simon Shaw , their compatriots Alex King, Paul Sackey, Tim Payne, Mark Van Gisbergen, Fraser Waters and Tom Voyce, and Ireland’s Jeremy Staunton, Eoin Reddan and Jonny O’Connor.

Let’s see if I can make a full team of internationals: Van Gisbergen, Sackey, Waters, Lewsey, Voyce, King, Reddan, Payne, Ibanez, Vickery, Shaw, Palmer, Worsley, O’Connor, Dallaglio. Replacements: Walder, Rees, Staunton, Dan Leo (Samoa, with big hair), OK that’s only four subs letting the side down.

That’s some team though, including almost 300 caps for England alone, no wonder Wasps have won six trophies, at least one trophy every season since they were last potless in 2001/02.

As for our team, Loki Crichton plays at fly-half in the absence of Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood, whilst the pack is unchanged from the one which came so close to winning us four points in Bristol. Mark Mayerhofler replaces Mathew Tait.

15 Matthew Burke (captain)
14 Tom May
13 Jamie Noon
12 Mark Mayerhofler
11 John Rudd
10 Loki Crichton
9 Lee Dickson
1 Joe McDonnell
2 Matt Thompson
3 Micky Ward
4 Mark Sorenson
5 Jason Oakes
6 Geoff Parling
7 Ben Woods
8 Russell Winter

Replacements:
Jon Golding
Ross Batty
Andy Buist
Brent Wilson
Joe Shaw
James Grindal
Tom Dillon

Wasps team, including Walder at fly-half and captain Dallaglio at number 8.
15 Mark Van Gisbergen
14 Rob Hoadley
13 Fraser Waters
12 Jeremy Staunton
11 Tom Voyce
10 Dave Walder
9 Mark McMillan
1 Tim Payne
2 Joe Ward
3 Peter Bracken
4 Simon Shaw
5 Richard Birkett
6 Dan Leo
7 Jonny O'Connor
8 Lawrence Dallaglio

Replacements: 7 from the following 8
Nick Adams, Simon Amor, James Brooks, John Hart, James Haskell, Martin Purdy, George Skivington, Rob Webber

The West Stand is sold out for this game, however standing tickets are still available. Call 0871 226 60 60.