Premiership
Team news: De Chaves starts against Saints
Friday 14 October 2022
Sebastian de Chaves starts for Newcastle Falcons on Saturday when they make the Gallagher Premiership trip to Northampton Saints.
The experienced lock comes into the side in place of Greg Peterson, with Tom Penny and George McGuigan named as co-captains in the absence of Will Welch.
Freddie Lockwood makes his first start of the season at No 8 as Callum Chick joins the Falcons’ injured list, while Matthew Dalton makes his Premiership debut in the second row.
There is a return at fly-half for fit-again Brett Connon who needs just two points to reach the 300 mark in Falcons’ colours, with Ben Stevenson and Pete Lucock coming into the centres.
Argentina’s Mateo Carreras continues on the wing after a start to the season which has seen him beating more defenders than any other player in the Gallagher Premiership (18), scoring four tries in his four games.
On the bench there could be a first team debut for 19-year-old flanker Guy Pepper, with head coach Dave Walder looking forward to going up against former house-mate Phil Dowson, who is now the Saints’ director of rugby.
Walder said: “Dows and I always hated playing against each other because we’re such good mates, and one of us has to lose.
“I’ll probably go for dinner with him on Friday night or at least pop round to see him and his family, and we’re pretty relaxed about it. We’re both professional though, and once it’s game day then your full focus is on doing everything you can to give your team the best possible chance of winning.
“You’re not thinking about the fact you shared a house for four years or that he’s godfather to one of your kids, because you’re just concentrating on doing your own job. I don’t think we’re going to be having any scraps on the touchline, but the occasional barbed comment might come out just to see how he takes it!”
Newcastle were beaten away to Northampton on the final day of last season having won on their previous three league visits, Walder saying: “It’ll be hard to stop them, but if we get our own stuff right then we’ll cause them some problems.
“Northampton have the most offloads in the Premiership, they’re playing with confidence and they have good individual threats who like to move the ball. They’ve recruited really well in their forward pack to add a bit more grit and ball-carrying threat, and we know they will challenge us.
“We’re confident we can challenge them back in certain areas, and up until last season when they needed to win to have a chance of getting into the play-offs we’ve had a good record down there in winning our last three or four league games. We nicked a couple of those with last-minute tries through the likes of Mark Wilson and Nili Latu, and our record there is actually pretty good.
“I think Northampton would be the first to admit they’ve been a bit inconsistent this season. They play a great style of rugby and move the ball really well, they’ve got an exciting group of backs and a bit more punch in their forwards now. Those forwards create a lot of space for them, and it will be a great test for us going down there.”
Saturday’s 3pm kick-off is not on TV in the UK but you can watch all the action on PRTV Live, with the stream priced at £4.99 by clicking here.
Newcastle Falcons team to face Northampton Saints (Saturday, 3pm, cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens)
15 Tom Penny (co-captain), 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Ben Stevenson, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 George McGuigan (co-captain), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Matthew Dalton, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Sean Robinson, 7 Connor Collett, 8 Freddie Lockwood.
Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 George Merrick, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Michael Young, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 George Wacokecoke.
Not available for selection: Callum Chick, Sam Clark, Trevor Davison, Nathan Earle, Carl Fearns, Gary Graham, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Josh Peters, Greg Peterson, Oliver Spencer, Philip van der Walt, Will Welch.
Referee: Jack Makepeace.
Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby
Sale Sharks have agreed a deal to sign Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from French Top14 side Toulon.
The explosive centre, who starred for his country during the recent World Cup, has signed a one-year contract with an option for a further year.
He will join up with Alex Sanderson’s Sharks squad ahead of the start of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season.
Waisea, 33, said: “I’ve watched the Premiership for a long time and it’s always been in the back of my mind that I would love to play there one day and experience rugby in England.
“Now that opportunity has arrived and I’m really, really happy and grateful. I’m so excited to get over there and join the boys and see how I can contribute to the team.
“I have spoken to Telusa Veainu and he only has positive things to say about the club and about Manchester.
“I’m looking forward to playing with some of the guys I’ve played against, like Tom Curry and George Ford. But I also know there are a lot of really talented young players in the Sale Sharks squad and I’m excited to share my experience and help them develop as much as I can.
“I told Alex that it’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years of my career and it’s something I’m passionate about.”
Nayacalevu, who stands at 6’4” and weighs in at 16st 7lb, spent ten years at Top14 side Stade Français before making the switch to Toulon in 2022.
He has won 34 caps for Fiji, slotting in at both centre and on the wing, and captained his country at last year’s World Cup, where the Pacific Islanders made the quarter-finals, losing 30-24 to England in Marseille.
He also famously scored for Fiji in their memorable pre-World Cup win against England at Twickenham.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Phil Brantingham to join Saracens
Prop-forward Phil Brantingham will leave Newcastle Falcons in the summer to join Saracens.
The 22-year-old has played 25 games for his home town club, and leaves with the thanks and best wishes of everyone at the Falcons.
Chairman of rugby Matt Thompson said: “Phil has done well for us and we made him a good offer to stay here.
“We respect his decision and wish him all the best for his move in the summer, but between now and then he will be fully committed to finishing the season strongly for Newcastle Falcons.”
Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby
Sale Sharks can confirm that forward Cobus Wiese will leave the club at the end of the season to return to South Africa.
The 26-year-old lock has played almost 80 games for the club and scored five tries since joining from the DHL Stormers ahead of the 2020/21 season.
He played a key role last year as Sale reached the Premiership final, and this season he has featured a further 13 times for Alex Sanderson’s side.
Alex said: “Cobus will be missed by all of us on so many levels. He’s the most polite and courteous of people off the field, but the most wildly excitable man on the field, and on a night out.
“To say Cobus wears his heart on his sleeve is to do him a disservice with regards to his emotional commitment for which his body has paid the price on occasion.
“He leads by example and has earnt the respect and adoration of the group both on a professional and a personal level. We wish him every success and happiness with his move back home.”
Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank Cobus for his contribution to the club and the team during his time here and we wish him all the very best for the future.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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