Falcons bolstered by return of England four
ENGLAND quartet Adam Radwan, Trevor Davison, Jamie Blamire and Callum Chick are back in the Newcastle Falcons’ squad for tonight’s Gallagher Premiership home game against Worcester Warriors.
Winger Radwan and prop Davison will both start in the 7.45pm kick-off, with Blamire and Chick being deployed from the bench.
After a fortnight of Premiership Rugby Cup matches there are returns for Mike Brown, Pete Lucock, Ben Stevenson, Louis Schreuder, Philip van der Walt, Will Welch and Carl Fearns, while Sam Stuart takes up a place on the bench after recovering from a foot injury.
Tonight’s team is also boosted by the return of lock Sean Robinson from a knee injury following last weekend’s comeback from the bench.
Having recorded their first Premiership triumph at Exeter last time out in the league, winning 15-14, the Falcons are keen to keep things going.
Head coach Dave Walder said: “Winning down at Exeter for the first time was a great result for us.
“The nature of the victory was guys just scrapping for each other and really digging in, and we’ve got a really good group who are mad keen to fight hard for the team. They found a way to win, which was the main thing, even if it wasn’t always flowing rugby.
“That result really gave the group a good lift, and the challenge now is to make sure it wasn’t a one-off. We need to turn up against an exciting Worcester team who play the game
With an enviable selection headache at hooker, where Blamire lies in wait and George McGuigan starts, Walder said: “George has had a brilliant two or three years for us, and would consistently be up there for coaches’ player of the season. “We’re delighted for Blammy that he’s had his chance with England and taken it with both hands, but on the same note we’re also surprised that George hasn’t been part of that picture with the national squad. “Blammy’s development path has really accelerated and he’s coming back to us having started in a victory against the world champions, and it’s just great to be in a position where you have two talented and in-form players competing for the position.
“The other thing with Blammy is that he’s had a massive impact for us off the bench, and there are two or three games where he’s a made a line-break or played a vital role in a decisive late try or penalty. They both push each other on in training, and the higher your level of training the better you’re going to be on game day, so it’s good news for us whichever way you look at it.”
Asked whether the Falcons had taken opponents by surprise this season, the former England fly-half added: “I don’t think we’ve necessarily surprised teams, because speaking to guys around the circuit I think everyone knows what we’re about.
“I may be slightly biased but the Gallagher Premiership is the best league in the world, and there are no easy games. It’s a great league to coach in and a great league to watch, and we’re just a piece in the jigsaw.”