By Chris Chaplin
March 31 2004

With Falcons having failed to gain the points they needed last weekend they have landed down in ninth spot in the league just behind Tigers who secured another away victory making this Sunday’s meeting between the sides a true mid-table battle with much at stake.
There will be shadow cast over the proceedings on Sunday as we all remember Soa Otuvaka the Falcon’s back row player who very recently sadly passed away at the too young age of just 25. The thoughts of all rugby supporters will I am sure be with his wife and young family at this terrible time.

Falcons of course still have silverware in their beady sights with the Powergen Cup Final just a couple of weeks away although by winning that pot it would appear that they are not necessarily guaranteed a place in the Heineken Cup next season so the belt and braces of the Wildcard will surely have kept it’s allure for the North Easterners.

Tigers, having dogged out a victory at The Stoop, have no such distractions it being a case of taking the chance that the Wildcard presents of participation in the senior European competition or otherwise the delights of the Parker Pen beckon for sure next term. As it is with both sides level on points this match could be the defining moment for both clubs as far as their Wildcard aspirations are concerned.

With Quins and Irish playing each other and on the same 42 points the winner of the Kingston Park encounter will see themselves level on 42 points with the loser of that contest, disregarding the potential for losing bonuses of course or even a draw at the MadStad, maybe the victor at Kingston Park could find themselves level with Sale on 43 who are unlikely to get much change from their visit to Bath.

Of those behind Sunday’s contestants Leeds are likely to get five points at the expense of Rotherham which will move them onto 36 points while Sarries are at home to Gloucester, both having to win to keep in touch with the sides ahead of them especially if Saints keep their recent form going and, in an admittedly unlikely scenario, beat Wasps. A loss for Sarries would see Rod Kafer’s charges 6 points adrift of Leeds although the London side have the easier run in to the end of the season but if they succumb to the West Countrymen their challenge for the Wildcard will surely be pretty much over.

Unfortunately I saw neither the Falcons’ or Tigers’ matches last weekend the last time I saw Falcons was a couple of weeks ago against the Pertemps Bees on a horrible windy day and when they eventually overcame the Midland employment agency backed club as the part-timers ran out of puff in the second half, however in the first half the National One side gave a good account of themselves against what was pretty much a full strength Falcons side.

I was, however, at Welford Road to see Quins lose the first part of the double header against Tigers and while Tigers were up against an under strength Quins and it was a far from an error free performance from our hitherto struggling side it was good to see the fight back and them by and large looking like they really wanted to win no matter what. As at The Stoop a week later some of the tackling was less than perfect and at times looked a little disorganised but by and large there were signs that the travails of the last six weeks were largely behind them and morale had at last improved with the downcast bunch that had been on parade for so much of the season seemingly rejuvenated.

Of course there are still uncertainties, doubts and worries amongst the employees and supporters of the club alike and as I write this preview the announcement of Tigers’ new head honcho is eagerly awaited, although whether by the time this is published the big announcement will have been made, as has been widely predicted, remains to be seen. The weekly press conference has been delayed by a day. Is this to break the big news or just because the Falcons’ match is not until Sunday?

With the Six Nations finally behind us the clubs can at last get down to demonstrating where they are really at with just the usual injury problems that are part of the warp and weft of the Premiership to disrupt them.

In the pack I am sure that Tigers will welcome back Julian White who again showed what an effective, aggressive and disruptive scrummager he is when he made two appearances from the bench for England and we are left to wonder who the Six Nations Champions would have now been had he and Mike Catt started against the French last Saturday rather than be called on in a belated last ditch attempt to repel the blue tide.

It will be hard lines on the deceptive Darren Morris who vies with Henry Tuilagi for my “Most Improved Player” award but Whitey must start in my view as in company with Dorian West and Graham Rowntree this must surely be the best front row England never had.

Falcons started with Ian Peel, Nick Makin and Ward against Leeds with the experienced thirteen time Springbok Marius Hurter replacing Peel on the half hour and young Matt Thompson taking over from Makin soon after half time. I would expect to see the very experienced Hurter preferred in an attempt to combat the Tigers front row and join with Makin and Peel in a settled combination. Although Hurter aside the Falcons front row lacks the exposure at the very highest level seen by the Tigers trio and indeed their bench supporter Lion Darren Morris, they are a good unit but it would take a brave man to bet on them having anything other than a torrid time against Rowntree, West and White.

Craig Hamilton and John Dunbar featured against Tykes with Stuart Grimes otherwise engaged with Scotland in their ill starred quest for credibility in the Six Nations. Young Dunbar is perhaps better known for his exploits on the blind side of the back row and although Taione is supposed to be fit again I rather expect to see Dunbar making way for Grimes and returning to the #6 spot. Mark Andrews is seemingly still out with a chest injury so presumably if fit the feisty Archer will be restored.

Louis Deacon has been Johnno’s regular partner at lock in Ben Kay’s absence the youngster’s stature having grown immeasurably from the experience and with Kay having a very quiet Six Nations I expect to see him start on the bench. If Grimes and Archer do start for the Falcons it could be quite a confrontation in the line out and unless Johnno and his young colleague are on top form then ball could be messy at best and lost at worst. Of course with a World Cup lock waiting in the wings there is a plan B and as Corry will be around to add his own special brand of lineout work I anticipate Tigers getting the best of the set pieces overall.

Taione may appear but I wonder, as much as I like his rampaging style, whether Falcons will want to take the chance that he’ll have one of his good days so perhaps the safety first option of Dunbar will be that taken.

With the fine openside Mower still on the treatment table the South African Warren Britz look set to continue and to add to the five tries that he’s scored in the Premiership this season, what a good signing this player has been. Instrumental in Tom May’s try against Leeds last weekend he could link up with Dunbar and Sarries bound Hugh Vyvyan, who has been very evident for Falcons and during his premiership career managing to attract 4 yellow cards for his trouble, in a very mobile and dynamic back row.

I understand that Henry Tuilagi is likely to be fit and if so he will surely, given the massive improvements he has made in his game since the early days of the season, continue at #8 with Neil Back and Martin Corry at open side and blind side respectively. Backy has been in something of a purple patch since he became the latest victim of Sir Clive’s hubris and the mix up with Henry at The Stoop aside the back row has worked well and the Falcons will find him a difficult obstacle as they will his back row partners. Here again I see the Tigers having the edge around the breakdown and tackle areas but the Falcons trio may prove to be the more dangerous if play becomes unstructured.

Overall then it’s hard to go against a dominant performance from the all star Tigers pack in the set pieces at least.

Erstwhile Tiger James Grindal started against Leeds before being replaced by sometime fly-half, young Phil Godman, for the final quarter. However if he is fit I rather expect to see Hall Charlton in a match up with Harry Ellis for bragging rights as to who is the true heir apparent for the England #9 shirt. This will be a hard contest to call as both are good young prospects but I suspect that Ellis may get the better service from his pack and be able to make Charlton’s life difficult on Falcon’s ball.

With it looking increasingly likely that Jonny Wilkinson will be sidelined for the rest of the season Dave Walder is making the most of his opportunity to impress. I must say that Walder looks good in attack but can be a bit statuesque when defending in this more forward position and even if Jaco is excluded by Andre Vos’ accidental kick in his lower back in the dying seconds of last week’ encounter replacement Andy Goode may be able to find a way through the 10/9 channel where Walder can look exposed on occasion. All the likely occupants of the #10 shirt can kick well from hand and Walder is especially adept at the drop goal so the half backs contest could be fascinating.

If consistency is the measure of a good player then Daryl Gibson gets that plaudit his having been a great signing from Bristol at the end of last season and he will surely form part of the 2004/5 first choice squad. Strong in attack and defence he is a truly rounded centre, which he will need to be against another excellent signing by Rob Andrew in his attempt to rescue the 2002/3 season, a compatriot of Gibson, one Mark Mayerhofler, the six time All Black who has put both steel and invention into the Falcon’s midfield since his arrival.

Partnering him will, unless something truly untoward has occurred, be Jamie Noon who will, should he indeed start, equal the record held of 46 consecutive starts in the Premiership a record that is currently the sole preserve of a Mr Patrick Howard late of Leicester Tigers. Noon rarely puts a foot or hand wrong and how Woodward has managed to exclude him and our own Ollie Smith from his misguided thinking over the troublesome centre of England’s attack just mystifies me.

With Leon Lloyd due to undergo a late fitness test on his injured hip and Ollie Smith still a week away from fitness we may yet see the more cerebral talents of Glenn Gelderbloom on display who I personally believe far better compliments Gibson’s robust talents than do those of Lloyd, who’s style remains that of a winger playing out of position and endlessly going into contact. The battle of the midfield could be pivotal and with the Noon, Mayerhofler partnership being similar to that of Gibson, Gelderbloom it will be a close run thing. If Lloyd plays at 13 though I think Noon will have the better of the contest.

Out wide Falcons will presumably stick with the low flying Stephenson who has pace to spare and the equally excellent Tom May. Both have not only pace but are clever players in their support and decoy running. Healey appears to be getting back to fitness now and aside from missing the odd tackle has done nothing to suggest a return to the bench or the stand so I expect to see him remain to oppose Stephenson. Similarly John Holtby, having been released from an unjustified exile following the away match against Stade Francais, when his defensive error seemed to make him the whipping boy for the defeat, should keep his place. Both sets of wingers will need to be on their guard but the Falcons pairing certainly has the edge on pace and so will need to be closed down quickly if they are not to prosper.

Finally – he’s fit, he’s back and he’s all ours – yes Geordan is back and with Stimpson now gone he has an unfettered run at full back where he will bring some much needed invention into the Tigers’ back play and the crowd will once again hold their collective breath, albeit for very different reasons, when he gets the ball.

Although Brummie Joe Shaw has made eleven premiership starts for Falcons this season and looks good coming forward I rather feel that he gives his team mates the odd palpitation in defence and should he start I expect him to be the subject of close scrutiny by the Tigers and for this reason I wonder if Rob Andrew will feel that recent signing New Zealander Daryl Lilley should start and add to his three appearances in the Premiership for the North Easterners during which he has managed to provide 10 points with try, penalty and a conversion all demonstrating his versatility.

A key match then. Kingston Park is never an easy place to go and get points but Tigers must do so if they are to keep their European ambitions alive.

Will Falcons have one eye on Saturday week when they play Sale in the Powergen Cup Final and play a less than full strength team? I doubt it.

All in all I think the Tigers will be able to secure enough decent possession through the pack to nick it although I don’t expect five points!!