Full house Will be so special for ace Welch
NEWCASTLE Falcons’ captain Will Welch will make his 200th competitive club appearance during tomorrow’s Aviva Premiership visit of Leicester Tigers.
The 3.00 kick-off looks set to see the ‘sold-out’ signs going up at Kingston Park Stadium for the first time since May 2008.
A capacity crowd of 10,200 is expected to flock to watch the Falcons as they look to continue their storming start to the campaign.
The Kingston Park club go into the weekend fourth in the league and top of their European Challenge Cup group.
Delighted to have reached a double century at the age of just 27, Newcastle-born flanker Welch said: “It is a great honour to have played so many games for the Falcons, especially bearing in mind I used to come here as a supporter when I was a kid.
“I used to stand on the North Terrace or sit in the West Stand.
“I have seen loads of great games here as a fan and it is amazing to have been able to play in so many.
“Hopefully, I have a lot more left in me yet, but it is great to reach 200 and I count it is a privilege every time I pull on the shirt.”
Buoyed by the prospect of running out in front of a full house, Welch added: “Myself and all the lads are really looking forward to playing in front of what looks like being a sell-out crowd.
“The place is rocking when there are 7,000 people here, so it will be phenomenal to have another couple of thousand in and to have it sold out.
“Our ground is not massive but you get a heck of a noise going when it is anywhere near full and it will make a huge difference to the boys.”
Fly-half Toby Flood will start his first league game since rejoining the club, while Sinoti Sinoti, Vereniki Goneva, Sonatane Takulua and Juan Pablo Socino come back into the back line after missing last week’s 21-20 win at Bordeaux-Begles. Hooker Kyle Cooper, flanker Mark Wilson and No 8 Nili Latu also return in the pack. Welch is confident the team can take its European form back into the league after a Premiership return of four wins from six. He said: “The plan was always to keep our momentum going during the European window and we managed to do that by beating the Dragons and having a really good win against a strong Bordeaux side over in France. “We just have to keep on taking little steps in the right direction and that is what is going through our minds going into this weekend. “We have good strength in depth now, guys are really having to battle for every shirt and it is a great position to be in.” Hosting a Tigers side who were onepoint winners on their last visit to the North East, Welch added: “Leicester are coming up here on the back of good wins of their own and it is going to be a tough encounter - but hopefully one we can come out on top of.
“We have a lot of links to Leicester throughout our coaching and playing team so we know what they are about - they are a quality outfit.
“They are physical, they are abrasive up front and they have a quality back line who can play the ball.
“We have to make sure we are on the money. While it is important to understand what Leicester will bring to the table, the main thing is making sure we impose our own game on to them.
“We have shown over the past few months if we do what we talk about we are a very good side. We are more than a match for anyone.”
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Kyle Cooper, 3 Jon Welsh, 4 Calum Green, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Mark Wilson, 7 Will Welch (captain), 8 Nili Latu
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Sami Mavinga, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Will Witty, 20 Ally Hogg, 21 Michael Young, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Maxime Mermoz
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Our ground is not massive but you get a heck of a noise going when it is anywhere near full Will Welch