Preview: Newcastle Falcons (a) EDF

By Worried of Whitton
December 1 2006

NEC Harlequins return to the North again this weekend to play their final match Group C of the Anglo Welsh Cup. This is certainly a red letter day for Rugby Union in the North as the two stalwarts of Friday night rugby this season, are having to play on a Saturday afternoon!

The Falcons supporters’ website shows that “our friends in the North” are also none too pleased about Friday night rugby either. That is about as much excitement as I can muster for this match which is essentially a meaningless match for both Harlequins and Newcastle, as neither team are able to progress any further in the Anglo Welsh Cup competition, as the table below shows. Mathematically Newcastle have a slight chance to qualify, but they would need to win by a large score, picking up a bonus point, and for Llanelli to beat Sale without a bonus point.

 

Group C Table

 

Quins and Newcastle are playing for the wooden spoon in Pool C, whereas the Sale and Llanelli are playing for a semi final place. In their previous match in this competition Newcastle were surprise winners in round 2 against Llanelli who had comprehensively beaten Harlequins 26 -7 the week before. Quins themselves bounced back and played their part in one of the most exciting matches seem at The Stoop this season, when they lost by the narrowest of margins 27-28 to Sale. Ironically Sale beat Quins again last week in the Premiership, in another match that Quins could and should have won. It is Llanelli who travel to Edgeley Park this weekend, and spurred on by their home win last weekend, playing against a Welsh team that doesn’t travel it is likely that Sale will win the Pool.

Having stated that this is a meaningless match, of course there is pride to play for, and of course we will still expect to see a win for Quins but it does allow for a breathing space from the frenetic pace of the Premiership, and as both teams lost last weekend they will welcome the break. Quins have won five of their last six games and seen their position in the Premiership improve as they moved away from the bottom. The team have given a lot in the past six weeks, with a stable starting line up, there is bound to be some weary limbs and fatigue. The prospect of a third long return journey to the North in four weeks is unlikely to be looked on with much enthusiasm, by players and supporters alike. This weekend therefore gives the opportunity to dabble with the team selection, and allow a number of players a well deserved break, ahead of back to back European Cup matches against Bath, and with Harlequins on top of their pool there have a very good chance to qualify for the quarter finals of that competition.  A splendid win by the “A” team last Monday night against Gloucester saw the return from injury of our other promising fly half Andrew Mehrtens alongside Steve So’oialo. It also marked the return of our two young props, Alex Rogers and Mark Lambert, and I’m sure we can expect all four to be present when the squad is announced this week, as they need to build match fitness and I expect Gomarsall, Jarvis, Jones and Cross all to be rested. I also expect to see Tani Fuga rested along with most of the regular pack allowing Robson, Miall and Guest to start.  With the crucial “A” game against Wasps postponed next week it is likely that a high proportion of last Monday’s team will feature in favour of the names that are becoming regular. It is of concern that neither Abbott nor Skinner featured in “A” Squad game and we are all eagerly awaiting their return.

It will also be interesting to see how Newcastle approach this match with their team selection. They too were battered by defeat last weekend at Bath, and they also have the return of their bruised England triumvirate of Flood, Tait and Noone available. I would expect Newcastle who also have European Challenge Cup ambitions, to also give returning players and their better “A” squad players a game this weekend, ahead of their back to back matches against Montauban.

Another point of interest will be the size of the crowd for this match.  Unlike Quins, Newcastle did not include their Anglo Welsh Cup games as part of their Season ticket deal as it would lead to a “proportional increase in their season ticket prices in a year where they wanted them to remain static. Having played Newcastle so recently in the Premiership it is unlikely that there will be much travelling support, although we are grateful that AlanQuin who is providing the match report, which we will eagerly await next Monday.

 

Come On Quins!

NEC Harlequins:
15. Tom Williams, 14. Adam Thompstone, 13. Mel Deane, 12. Stuart Abbott, 11. Simon Keogh, 10. Andrew Mehrtens, 9. Danny Care, 1. Aston Croall, 2. Jimmy Richards, 3. Lorne Ward, 4. Jim Evans, 5. Simon Miall, 6. Luke Sherriff, 7. Will Skinner, 8. Tom Guest
Replacements: 16. James Hayter, 17. Ricky Nebbett, 18. George Robson, 19. Phil Burgess, 20. Steve So'oialo, 21. Craig McMullen, 22. Seb Jewell

Newcastle
15 Loki Crichton, 14 Anthony Elliott, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Joe Shaw, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Toby Flood, 9 James Grindal, 1 Joe McDonnell (captain), 2 Matt Thompson, 3 Micky Ward, 4 Mark Sorenson, 5 Jason Oakes, 6 Brent Wilson, 7 Cory Harris, 8 Russell Winter
Replacements: Jon Golding, Andy Long, Mike McCarthy, Eni Gesinde, John Rudd, Lee Dickson, Tom Dillon

 

Referee: Dean Richards (England)
Touch judges: Robin Goodliffe, Don Helme