By Prop at work
September 1 2005

There’s apparently some bloke, who used to be quite good, and might be again, and who may or may not be making some sort of comeback for Newcastle on Friday. But that’s not important right now...

There’s apparently some bloke, who used to be quite good, and might be again, and who may or may not be making some sort of comeback for Newcastle on Friday.  But that’s not important right now…

 

Remember bonfire night last year?  Beautiful, clear evening, fireworks on and off the pitch (cliché #1): Charlie bagged 2 tries, 4 conversions and a couple of pens; Sheri, Schoey and Bruno all crossed the whitewash, and we took the full 5 points with a 39-25 win, in front of a sell-out crowd.  Glorious.

 

Squeaky left the pitch without a backword glance towards the red flags, with double-headed black eagle, only to be met by CE’s now immortal question in the press conference.  Priceless.

 

Remember New Year’s Day? – no, of course not, you stayed in bed all day! – but I bet you remember January 2^nd.  Kingston Park: this time Charlie kicked 19 points (4 more than his opposite number, whose name escapes me) and Robbo scored a brace (his last for many months), but all in vain as the aforeunmentioned Falcon scored under the posts in the final minute, and converted for a Newcastle victory, 30-29.  Gutted.

 

Or perhaps your thoughts go back to the previous season, and the Powergen Cup Final (Falcons won 37-33), or the home win the following week (41-16), or even the Falcons 9-8 win at their place earlier in the season.  Memories.

 

So what will happen this time?  Pre-season ‘friendlies’ as ever offer few real clues.  Sale have an impressive record of 4 wins from 4, although levels of performance have perhaps been inconsistent.  Falcons, meanwhile, have certainly been inconsistent, with a resounding 76-3 win and an embarrassing 29-24 defeat on their Japanese tour, followed this weekend by an altogether more convincing five-try showing to defeat a Glasgow team, containing several internationals, 32-11.

 

I could go through the expected line-ups and highlight the new recruits on both sides (for the record…for them: 55 cap Australian giant, Owen Finegan, is still a couple of weeks from full fitness, although ‘Pre-Faure Sale target’ Robbie Morris, Tino Paoletti and Andy Perry from Plymouth, our own James Hoyle and Mark Cueto’s former flat-mate, Anthony Elliot, via Rotherham, are all available).  Alternatively, I could even employ cliché #2, and concentrate on the Charlie v Whatsisname issue - assuming the NHS  and RFU between them allow it. 

 

But there is no need.  The point is this: Sale-Newcastle games are either (a) close or (b) high scoring.  Usually both.  Always exciting.  Always sold out.  Never disappointing.  What a way to start the season.