Premiership
Wasps 35 Falcons 21
Tuesday 20 September 2022
Newcastle Falcons began their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign with defeat in Coventry on Tuesday night, as Wasps took the full five points.
The hosts led 21-0 at half-time and registered the first score of the evening after just five minutes, kicking a lineout to the right corner and working the ball infield from where Kieran Curran ploughed over from a pick-and-go.
Former Falcon Will Haydon-Wood added the simple conversion from in front, Newcastle growing into the game by winning a string of penalties, only for Wasps’ defence to hold firm.
The home side doubled their lead midway through the opening half, with a similar pattern to their first try as a penalty was kicked to the corner, a maul was worked infield and the resulting pick-and-go brought a try for Greg Fisilau.
Haydon-Wood again slotted the conversion, his side trying and failing to add a third try from a tap penalty five metres out as they were penalised for sealing off at the resulting ruck.
That third try eventually arrived just after the half-hour, again from a lineout in the left corner as hooker Michael van Vuuren scored from a driving maul.
Haydon-Wood’s conversion extended Wasps’ lead to 21-0, and that was how it remained at the break as Newcastle enjoyed a spell of red-zone pressure without managing to make it count on the scoreboard.
The Falcons changed their entire front row at half-time and emerged with renewed gusto for the start of the second 40, winning repeated penalties in the home half and applying forward pressure.
But it was from the backs that the try eventually came on 51 minutes, Nathan Greenwood marking his debut with a try when the 18-year-old received a pass from Zach Kerr 35 metres out down the right – Jeremy Civil having opened the gap with a back-hand offload.
Louie Johnson added the conversion from wide out on the right, but Wasps had the four-try bonus point just before the hour mark when they kicked a penalty to the right corner and Van Vuuren once again steered a maul over the try-line.
Replacement Harry Craven followed that up with a more expansive try three minutes later when the replacement collected an inside offload to score their fifth converted try.
Greenwood continued to be a bright spark in attack for the Falcons with a string of runs in broken-field, chipping and chasing down the right and narrowly missing out on a second try.
Wasps were reduced to 14 men when Haydon-Wood was sin-binned for a mid-air shot on Greenwood under a high bomb, and the Falcons found a second try with five minutes to go when lock Josh Peters scored on his competitive debut from a close-range pick and go.
Johnson’s conversion reduced the arrears to 21, but the visitors managed to have the final say when Iwan Stephens scored a converted try in the left corner from a quick transfer through the hands.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo (Rory Ward, 68), 14 Nathan Greenwood, 13 Zach Kerr, 12 Louie Johnson, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Josh Thomas (Jeremy Civil, 20), 9 James Blackett (Ben Douglas, 55); 1 Conrad Cade (Mark Dormer, 40), 2 Charlie Maddison (captain, Ollie Fletcher, 40), 3 Conor Kenny (Richard Palframan, 40), 4 George Merrick (Will Hopes, 55), 5 Josh Peters, 6 Matt Deehan (George Bennett-Teare, 48), 7 Marcus Tiffen, 8 Tom Marshall.
Scorers – Tries: Nathan Greenwood, Josh Peters, Iwan Stephens. Conversions: Louie Johnson 3.
Wasps: 15 Olly Hartley, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Reikiti Maasi-White, 12 Will Simonds, 11 Luke Mehson, 10 Will Haydon-Wood (captain), 9 Francois Hougaard (Harry Craven, 40); 1 Zac Nearchou (Archie McArthur, 36), 2 Michael van Vuuren, 3 Elliot Millar-Mills, 4 Cam Dodson, 5 Theo Vukasinovic, 6 Fyn Brown, 7 Kieran Curran, 8 Greg Fisilau (James Tunney, 40).
Scorers – Tries: Kieran Curran, Greg Fisilau, Michael van Vuuren 2, Harry Craven. Conversions: Will Haydon-Wood 5.
Referee: Andrew Jackson.
Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby
The RFU Club Financial Viability Group has agreed to give London Irish a one-week extended deadline to meet the original conditions as set out below and pay the remaining May payroll to staff and players.
1) a takeover of the club has been completed and approved by the RFU, with the buyers undertaking to provide all required working capital to meet the club’s obligations as they fall due for at least season 2023/24; or
2) the club evidences that it will continue to be funded to operate throughout the 2023/24 season. If the club fails to meet these conditions it will be suspended from participating in the Premiership (and other competitions) in season 2023/24 to avoid a scenario where the club enters insolvency mid-season, with the corresponding and substantial impact that has on players, staff, and fans, as well as on the remainder of the league.
The extension, until Tuesday 6 June, has been given following consultation with staff and players who asked for the deadline to be extended to allow them to be paid 50% of their salaries.
Paula Carter, RFU Board Member and Chair of the Club Financial Viability Working Group said; “It is deeply frustrating for all the staff, players and fans that there have been multiple missed deadlines.
“We are extremely disappointed that the club has so far only funded 50% of the staff and player wages, however, we have to respect the wishes of those most affected.
“The 4pm deadline on 6 June is final and we have added the stipulation that the club must also fulfil its contractual obligations to its employees by paying the May salaries in full.”
Content & Images from – London Irish Rugby
Springbok Coenie swapping Sharks for Sharks
Prop Coenie Oosthuizen leaving Sale Sharks to join South African side Cell C Sharks
Sale Sharks can confirm that prop Coenie Oosthuizen will leave the club to return to South African side Cell C Sharks.
The 34-year-old Springbok, who can play on either side of the scrum, arrived in Manchester in May 2019 from the Durban-based Super Rugby side.
He’s gone on to make 94 appearances for Sale, including 16 this season as Alex Sanderson’s men reached their first Premiership final in 17 years.
Coenie made his debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won 30 international caps.
Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson said: “Since he arrived in Manchester, Coenie has been a massive part of this team and this club and everyone is going to miss him.
“On the field he’s a fantastic player but off it, he’s been a real leader for us in what is a young squad.”
Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank Coenie 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
Leicester Tigers can confirm the club’s senior coaching team ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Dan McKellar, who was announced as the club’s new Head Coach in February, will oversee the rugby programme and lead on the line out and forwards coaching.
Brett Deacon will lead on the breakdown and contact area, while also assisting McKellar with the forwards.
Deacon made 135 first-team appearances in two spells as a player with Tigers before joining the coaching staff upon retiring in 2015. After working with the club’s academy for two seasons, he joined the senior coaching team ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.
Matt Everard, who joined the club midway the 22/23 season as Senior Academy Coach before taking on a permanent senior role in December 2022, is the Defence Coach.
After representing Tigers, Wasps and Nottingham as a player, Everard moved into coaching with The Archers before returning to Wasps as Academy Coach and moved into the senior coaching team ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
Alan Dickens, Dan Palmer and Ollie Richardson are the additions to the club ahead of the new season.
Dickens will take charge of the Attack & Backs, Palmer is the Scrum Coach and Richardson joins as Head of Physical Performance.
Read more on the appointments of the trio here:
Matt Smith will be the Skills Coach for the senior squad and take on the newly-created Lead Academy Coach role which sees him responsible for the Senior Academy Squad and transition of players from junior to senior rugby.
Smith made 228 appearances for Tigers before coaching the club’s academy side after retiring from playing in 2019, and joined the senior coaching team ahead of the 20/21 season.
Speaking about his coaching team, incoming Leicester Tigers Head Coach Dan McKellar said: “I am excited by the group we have put together, which has a great balance of continuity and new voices who will bring fresh ideas.”
“It was important to me that there was a mix of people who not only understand the Premiership, but vital that they understand Leicester Tigers and we have got that in Brett Deacon, Matt Everard and Matt Smith, as well as the majority of our performance staff who remain with the club.
“In addition, to have Alan Dickens and Ollie Richardson’s knowledge of the English game, players and competitions we compete in is of great value, and Dan Palmer’s expertise is very exciting for the club moving forward.
“What is most pleasing for me is that this coaching team are excited by the squad we have to work with from next season at Leicester Tigers, because of where they are at currently and work they have done but, importantly, how it can evolve.”
Leicester Tigers 23/24 Coaching Team
- Dan McKellar, Head Coach
- Brett Deacon, Assistant Coach
- Alan Dickens, Attack & Backs Coach
- Matt Everard, Defence Coach
- Dan Palmer, Scrum Coach
- Ollie Richardson, Head of Physical Performance
- Matt Smith, Skills Coach & Lead Academy Coach
The club can also confirm that Richard Wilks has been appointed General Manager.
Wilks joined Tigers during the 20/21 campaign as a consultant before being appointed Head of Performance Recruitment in November 2021.
Discussing the appointments, Leicester Tigers CEO Andrea Pinchen said: “I believe we have put together a world class coaching team, headed up by Dan McKellar, to lead Leicester Tigers from next season into this exciting new chapter of the club’s history”
“A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to bring this impressive group who all offer their own unique skills, experience and knowledge from diverse backgrounds in the game.
“Most pleasing for me in this group is a shared desire to see this club continue to be successful but, even more so, strive to reach new heights together.
“After a turbulent year for all involved with Leicester Tigers, to be able to confirm our senior coaching team now is a great pleasure for me and I hope our supporters are as excited as I am about them leading this club into the future.”
The Leicester Tigers squad will commence pre-season training in July ahead of the 23/24 campaign.
Content & Images from – Leicester Tigers Rugby
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