Premiership

Barton reflects on first week as a Falcon

Published

8 months ago

July 20, 2022

Huge Rugby

Friday 15 July 2022

Scrum-half Josh Barton has spoken of the ‘exciting times’ ahead after completing his first week as a Newcastle Falcons player.

The 24-year-old is one of 13 new arrivals after signing from Coventry, and rounded off his first week on Tyneside with a brutal hill-sprint session on Newcastle’s Town Moor.

“It’s been a class week and it’s an exciting time ahead,” said the half-back, who made his professional breakthrough with London Scottish.

“All the boys and the staff couldn’t have been any more welcoming, and I’m enjoying what we’re doing.

“In some respects we’ve been eased to it, but I know things will pick up. The standard is already very high in terms of what the players are doing and the level of ability, and it’s been good to get going after so long for me personally.”

Crediting the Falcons coaches for mixing fitness with skills during their opening week, Barton said: “I enjoy the way Newcastle approach pre-season because you’ve got your standard stuff which you obviously have to do for the strength and conditioning side, but there’s lots of skill work and game awareness mixed in from day one.

“Some places just go hammer and tongs on the fitness side from the off, which can break the guys’ morale, but as a new lad here I’ve been really impressed with how well thought out everything is in terms of the schedule and the purpose behind everything we’re doing.

“It’s given me time to settle in, but the standards are still expected to be high. It’s certainly not easy, but you enjoy the hard work because you can see what it’s all leading towards.”

Barton was speaking at the culmination of a gruelling series of hill-sprints, saying: “That hill session was pretty dark – genuinely one of the worst things I’ve ever done.

“It’s one of those where it’s more about the boys all buying in, everyone suffering together and building those bonds. You don’t want to be the guy who drops out, you keep pushing each other along and you just get on with it.

“You can see the team spirit from the way the lads were all encouraging each other, and it’s great to be involved in a group like that. We’re laying the foundation for when the games come round, and luckily it’s a pretty short pre-season.”

Fixtures for the new Gallagher Premiership season are revealed on Tuesday at 11am, with season ticket memberships on sale now by clicking here.

Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby

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Premiership

Gloucester Rugby issue injury update

Published

3 days ago

March 24, 2023

Huge Rugby

Gloucester Rugby can regrettably confirm that Albert Tuisue, Val Rapava-Ruskin and Giorgi Kveseladze have all suffered season-ending injuries.

Albert Tuisue sustained a significant hamstring injury in the Cherry & Whites game against Leicester Tigers on Sunday 12 March, whilst Giorgi Kveseladze suffered a similar injury on international duty with Georgia.

In-form prop, Val Rapava-Ruskin, will undergo surgery following a knee injury.

Chief Operating Officer, Alex Brown, spoke of his disappointment to lose more key players.

“We’ve been hugely unfortunate this season with the injuries we’ve sustained and losing three more players in such a short space of time is another significant blow to the squad.

“Albert, Val and Giorgi have all played key parts in our season and they’re equally disappointed to be ruled out for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.

“They’ve all already started their respective returns with our on-site medical team, and we’re wishing them all a speedy recovery.”

Content & Images from – Gloucester Rugby

Premiership

TEAM NEWS | London Irish v Sale Sharks

Published

3 days ago

March 24, 2023

Huge Rugby

George Ford and Raffi Quirke return to the Sharks starting XV while Dan du Preez is named as a replacement after missing the last ten matches, as Alex Sanderson makes two changes to his side to face in-form London Irish at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday (KO 1pm, live on PRTV).

Ford’s return from England duty means Rob du Preez shifts to outside centre while Quirke replaces Gus Warr, who had started the last ten Premiership games.

After beating Saracens in front of a full house at the AJ Bell Stadium, the Sharks Director of Rugby has picked an unchanged pack for the crucial clash with Declan Kidney’s men.

That means Bevan Rodd and Coenie Oosthuizen will line up either side of Ewan Ashman once again in the front-row.

Cobus Wiese and Jonny Hill continue their formidable partnership in the second-row and with Ben Curry still on England duty, in-form Sam Dugdale retains his starting spot at openside flanker alongside Jono Ross and Jean-Luc du Preez.

It’s all change at half-back with Ford returning from England duty to partner scrum-half Quirke.

Ryan Mills retains his starting spot at 12 and he’ll partner Rob du Preez in the centres.

And in an unchanged back three, Tom Roebuck will line up alongside Tom O’Flaherty and Joe Carpenter, who made six line breaks against Sarries. That was the most by a single player in a Premiership match this season and the most by a Sharks player since Opta began recording stats in 2008.

Tommy Taylor, Nick Schonert and Simon McIntyre make up the front row replacements, while Dan du Preez and Josh Beaumont cover the rest of the forwards.

Luke James, Warr and Arron Reed are the backs replacements.

Speaking ahead of the game, Alex said he’s expecting another big test against London Irish after last week’s nailbiter against his former club.

He said: “Irish are just a really good team. They’ve won five of their last six and they probably should have won the other one too. They’re dangerous when teams get loose and ragged in terms of their defensive shape.

“We’ll have to work hard in defence so we don’t give them anything in the wide channels.”

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Ryan Mills, 10. George Ford, 9. Raffi Quirke; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Ewan Ashman, 3. Coenie Oosthuizen, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Jono Ross ©, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.

Replacements:

16. Tommy Taylor, 17. Simon McIntyre, 18. Nick Schonert, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Dan du Preez, 21. Gus Warr, 22. Luke James, 23. Arron Reed.

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby

Premiership

Internationals return for Falcons trip

Published

4 days ago

March 23, 2023

Huge Rugby

Gloucester Rugby return to action with an away clash against Newcastle Falcons tomorrow evening.

George Skivington has been boosted by the return of his international contingent, as the Cherry & Whites look to bounce back from defeat to Leicester Tigers last time out.

Wales’ Louis Rees-Zammit returns to the side after featuring for Wales in the last three rounds of the Guinness Six Nations.

Rees-Zammit joins Ollie Thorley, who penned a fresh deal at Kingsholm last week, and Lloyd Evans in the back three.

Former Falcon, Chris Harris, partners Seb Atkinson in midfield.

Stephen Varney has also been on international duty, he played all-bar-one of Italy’s Six Nations fixtures. He starts inside Santi Carreras in the half-backs.

There is just one singular change in the pack from the fixture against Leicester two weeks ago.

Harry Elrington replaces Val Rapava-Ruskin at loosehead, joining Seb Blake and Kirill Gotovtsev in the front row, with Freddie Clarke and Matias Alemanno slotting in behind them in the second row.

Jordy Reid, Ruan Ackermann and captain Lewis Ludlow form the back row once more.

Argentinian international, Mayco Vivas, is set for his Cherry & Whites debut from the bench.

Vivas joins Henry Walker, Jamal Ford-Robsinon, Cam Jordan and Jack Clement as cover for the forward positions, with Charlie Chapman, Billy Twelvetrees and Tom Seabrook in reserve for the backs.

The match kicks off at 7.45pm at Kingston Park and will be broadcast live on BT Sport.