Falcons ‘buzzing’ for physical Tigers test, says Easter
NICK Easter insists Newcastle Falcons are capable of ending Leicester Tigers’ perfect start to the Premiership campaign.
The former England number eight also said the Falcons players are ‘buzzing’ at the prospect of a physical battle ‘in a cauldron of an atmosphere’ at Welford Road tomorrow.
Steve Borthwick’s men have won all 10 of their league fixtures thus far while no-one else in the top tier has won more than seven.
Newcastle will return to action for their first game since December 10 – a 31-26 European Challenge Cup win over Worcester Warriors – with a point to prove.
Defence coach Easter said: “Nobody outside of our group will be expecting us to get a result but the expectation within the club is really strong that we can go down there and get the win.
“Discipline will be a big focus for us. We are away from home and there will be a big Welford Road crowd in.
“The physicality Leicester bring – our boys have been watching that and will be absolutely buzzing at the opportunity of going down there in a cauldron of an atmosphere and getting into a proper battle.
“That is what we love and the characters I have come to know here love working hard for each other and embracing that physical combat element of the sport.
“They know theya are representing the North East and Cumbria in terms of our patch and it is the perfect game for us to get back into it after three weeks without a match.
“We don’t want to be caught cold because Leicester are an extremely intense and physical team. You don’t get to be top of the league and win 10 out of 10 without having that as your number one attribute and Leicester have that.”
Full-back Mike Brown will make his 250th Premiership appearance tomorrow, becoming only the sixth player in the league’s history to reach the 250-game milestone.
He was denied the opportunity on Boxing Day following the cancellation of the Falcons’ match against Sale Sharks.
He forms part of a side which sees a first appearance of the season for Matias Orlando, the experienced Argentina centre back after sustaining a groin injury.
Fellow Puma Mateo Carreras is also back in the team having scored tries for his country against France and Ireland during the November internationals, joining a back-line which sees the return of Joel Hodgson at fly-half.
Charlie Maddison makes a first appearance of the season at hooker, while Will Welch returns to captain the side.
Crediting Tigers for the way in which they have turned round their fortunes in recent times, Easter added: “Steve Borthwick will have been at Saracens when Brendan Venter came in and did a similar job more than 10 years ago and it looks like the same foundation – strong pack, good kicking game and physical in defence.
“Steve was part of the England coaching set-up which lost the World Cup final to a pragmatic Springbok side and it is a very South African slant he has put on things with the way they play.
“They have signed a few South African guys, too, and you would have to say it has worked for him.”
NEWCASTLE FALCONS TEAM V LEICESTER TIGERS (TOMORROW, 3.00, WELFORD ROAD): 15 Mike Brown, 14 Mateo Carreras, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Adam Radwan, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Louis Schreuder; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Charlie Maddison, 3 Trevor Davison, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Philip van der Walt, 7 Will Welch (captain), 8 Carl Fearns.
REPLACEMENTS: 16 Robbie Smith, 17 Kyle Cooper, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Callum Chick, 20 Gary Graham, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Tom Penny.