Newcastle vs Tigers

[Epaminondas Pules]

Leicester Tigers
15 Freddie Steward (116)
14 Adam Radwan (17)
13 Will Wand (19)
12 Orlando Bailey (6)
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins (54)
10 Billy Searle (7)
9 Tom Whiteley (47)
1 Nicky Smith (30)
2 Jamie Blamire (6)
3 Joe Heyes (167)
4 Cameron Henderson (70)
5 James Thompson (5)
6 Hanro Liebenberg (Captain, 137)
7 Tommy Reffell (142)
8 Joaquin Moro (7)

Replacements
16 Charlie Clare (131)
17 Archie van der Flier (7)
18 Ale Loman (6)
19 Harry Wells (222)
20 Joshua Manz (13)
21 Ollie Allan (9)
22 James O'Connor (3)
23 Joseph Woodward (40)

[Epaminondas Pules]

Newcastle Red Bulls v Leicester Tigers (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park, live on TNT Sports)
15 Ethan Grayson, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Max Clark, 11 Oli Spencer, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 George McGuigan (captain), 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Tom Christie, 8 Amanaki Mafi.
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Simón Benítez Cruz, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Tom Gordon.
Not available for selection: Sammy Arnold, Rhys Beeckmans, Eduardo Bello, Freddie Clarke, Joe Davis, Luan de Bruin, Connor Doherty, Hame Faiva, Joel Grayson, Callum Hancock, John Hawkins, Elvis Kitenge-Fuki, Fergus Lee-Warner, Elliott Obatoyinbo, Christian Wade.

[Puja]

Strikes me as the worst possible time to play Newcastle. They've had effectively a reset and a new preseason under their new regime, home fixture after the internationals, so possibly a rowdy crowd (cheap tickets to the students again, no doubt) and they'll be looking to prove a point.

Still think we'll have too much for them, but it is going to be a different proposition than playing them a month ago would've been.

Puja

[FKAS]

Yeah, much the same thoughts here Puja. Falcons are a banana skin waiting to happen to someone. If they can get some of their injured players back they'll be a real handful.

Interesting to see then try to combine Searle and Bailey at 10 and 12. Searle has shown himself to be a very hand general in the 10 shirt but his attacking game has limitations, Bailey has looked Flood esque ball in hand at 10 but hasn't shown the same game management and ability off the tee. Harsh on Woodward who's been excellent so far this season (unsurprisingly).

[FKAS]

I'd also not noticed until now that it's Tim Christie's debut. Meaty backrow with Lockwood alongside Mafi as well.

Be interesting to see what Liam Williams still has in the tank as well.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Newcastle really are poor. Good score when one man up, but largely very poor. Tigers defence not being challenged much. Blamire having a mare at lineout. Heyes all round play has stepped up a level. He’s really standing out.

It’s not a great watch.

[Epaminondas Pules]

That these two scrum halves have professional contracts makes me think there’s a chance for me yet! Jeez they are both awful!

[charlesdeboeuf]

Blamire… goodness me. Had high hopes for him when he signed but he’s seriously flattered to deceive (and that’s ignoring his England A appearance).

[fivepointer]

Tigers didnt exactly have to find top gear to win comfortably. Newcastle depressingly poor. Their pack might just pass muster but the backs are
horribly lacking in any kind of creativity, pace or power.

[FKAS]

Blamire… goodness me. Had high hopes for him when he signed but he’s seriously flattered to deceive (and that’s ignoring his England A appearance).

He's delivering what I expected but not what I hoped. He's a Temu Julian Montoya. Good around the park, can do a bit of everything, solid in the scrum but the lineout work is poor. I was hoping we'd help him find another level but unlikely so far.

I was really hoping we'd have used the wedge Montoya was on and the bit Vanes was on to hire a couple of decent hookers to replace the world class one. We only signed the one decent one so are definitely weaker there than last season. Similar issue at 9 where Youngs hasn't been replaced so solid third choice Whiteley is now getting a lot of game time. No wonder they've given the recruitment team a shake up, no idea where we're spending all the cap money.