Goneva returns to Phila spot for Falcons
WINGER IS IN FOR STATESIDE CLASH AGAINST SARACENS
NEWCASTLE Falcons welcome back last season’s top tryscorer Vereniki Goneva as they face Saracens in the American city of Philadelphia tonight.
The Fijian try machine comes into the team in one of three changes from the side which defeated Sale Sharks last weekend.
Newcastle have won both of their opening league games ahead of their encounter at the Talen Energy Stadium, home of Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union.
The only other changes from last weekend see Sean Robinson and Nili Latu replace Will Witty and Calum Chick.
Head coach Dave Walder is confident his side can rise to the challenge of stopping Saracens after moving the game across the Atlantic. The former England fly-half said: “We were already a close squad but living in each other’s pockets for the full week does get you closer and we have been looked after brilliantly. “The game on Saturday is the big focus but it has been an old-fashioned tour in the sense the guys have enjoyed themselves, taken in some new experiences and just enjoyed being out here. “We have been training at the University of Pennsylvania and the facilities have been great, so there can certainly be no excuses from that point of view. We are here to win a big Aviva Premiership game and we believe we can achieve that.”
The Falcons have enjoyed a full week training in Philadelphia, Walder adding: “Everyone has been very openminded about it in terms of the local population.
“When we have been walking around in our Falcons kit they are keen to know more about the game and what we are doing over here. They have been very respectful towards us, the atmosphere has been great and people have been asking lots of questions.
“We would have been foolish to turn down this invitation and seeing the enjoyment the guys are getting out of the experience is fantastic.
“The game is the main thing, however, and I am confident we are in a good place to put in a big performance.
“This is the first time in a while we have played Saracens towards the start of the season and we hope all their big internationals play. It will be good to test ourselves against them and see where we are at.”
The atmosphere has been great ... we’d have been foolish to turn down this invitation Dave Walder