Sunday 16 March 2003, Newcastle Falcons 24 - 22 Leicester


One of the Falcons best

By Aidan Berry
October 16 2017

Kingston Park, Newcastle, Attendance 9105 Referee AJ Spreadbury       Newcastle Falcons Tries Noon, Stephenson Cons Wilkinson Pens Wilkinson 3 Drops Wilkinson                      Leicester Tigers  Tries Booth, West 2 Cons Booth, McMullen Pens Booth Drops none

 

 

 

 

 

Newcastle Team                                              Leicester Team

15        FB       Joe Shaw                                 Steve Booth

14        W        Tom May                                 Leon Lloyd

13        C         Jamie Noon                             Ollie Smith

12        C         Mark Mayerhofler                   Rod Kafer

11        W        Michael Stephenson                Freddie Tuilagi

10        FH       Jonny Wilkinson (c)                Craig McMullen

9          SH       James Grindal                         Tom Tierney

1          P          Ian Peel                                   Perry Freshwater

2          H         Nick Makin                             Dorian West

3          P          Marius Hurter                          Franck Tournaire

4          L          Mark Andrews                        Martin Johnson (c)

5          L          Stuart Grimes                          Louis Deacon

6          F          Epi Taione                               Martin Corry

7          F          Andrew Mower                      Josh Kronfeld

8          N8       Hugh Vyvyan                         Adam Balding

 

Replacements

16        Hall Charlton                                      Graham Rowntree

17        Gareth Maclure                                   Neil Back

18        Phil Godman                                       Darren Garforth

19        Micky Ward                                        Ben Kay

20        Craig Hamilton                                   Jamie Hamilton

21        Phil Dowson                                       Glenn Gelderbloom

22        Matt Thompson                                   Sam Vesty

 

Look at the hair

As we build up to the next league home game I thought I’d throw us back to 2003, pre world cup and have a look at the sides

 

The standouts in the Falcons team that day. May, Noon, Mayerhofler, Wilkinson, Stephenson and the excellent and under rated Joe Shaw. So essentially our whole backline plus Peel, Andrews, Grimes, Taoine and Mower. Sorry Hugh Vyvyan but I don’t think I ever saw you do anything of note.  Our bench had some class in it with Charltonm Godman, Ward and Dowson.

 

Now get a look at that Leicester team, a Rolls Royce of a team with the half backs being the lesser lights in their back line and then a bench of superb quality. If people said playing Sarries recently was like playing The Lions, then this Leicester line-up fits that mold also.

 

So what happened?

We only went and beat them with Tries from Noon, Stephenson. Have a look at who dropped a goal that day also.

 

As usual the best thug in the world that day had a cracker of a game but our own Mark Andrews proved his with against the Ferengi (Martin Johnson) and a monumental tussle saw the Falcons come out on top. But being outshone by these big names was acertain Stuart Grimes who was an excellent player.

 

Now does anyone remember what Kronfeld did that day because I vaguely remember feeling less than whelmed at his performance?

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Sunday 16 March 2003, Newcastle Falcons 24 - 22 Leicester
Discussion started by FalconsRugby.org.uk , 16/10/2017 11:53
FalconsRugby.org.uk
16/10/2017 11:53
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Bedlington Lad
16/10/2017 12:33
Epi was wasted in the pack

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aidanb
16/10/2017 12:49
Quote:
Bedlington Lad
Epi was wasted in the pack

but he'd grown too big to play on the wing and thus was too slow

Reply Quote Report
Bedlington Lad
16/10/2017 12:56
I would still have rather seen him on the wing than in the pack though he looked totally out of his depth. Ah well it's all history now

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aidanb
16/10/2017 13:07
It's odd how the decision to move him caused the same arguments back then as have just done now

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Bedlington Lad
16/10/2017 13:29
Some things never change smiling smiley

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aidanb
16/10/2017 21:08
I would love it if someone would show Mickey ward that haircut

Reply Quote Report
Robs
17/10/2017 06:31
(Now does anyone remember what Kronfeld did that day because I vaguely remember feeling less than whelmed at his performance?)

I don't
What did he do?

Reply Quote Report
Monkey1
17/10/2017 07:18
Interesting that the drop goal has gone out of fashion these days, yet when we had a reliable DG kicker we harvested a good number of points just by getting up to the opposition 22. It also disrupted the opposition defence as they had to defend against both the potential try and also the drop goal, so those who criticise the DG as potentially 4 points wasted forget that it makes scoring tries more likely, not less likely.

If we could put some serious effort into training up a DG expert then could we harvest more points?

Reply Quote Report
Leipziger
17/10/2017 07:49
I don't think we've actually scored a drop-goal in the Premiership since getting promoted in 2013 - or maybe in any game.

Thanks for the article Aidan, this was a very memorable game. It was a fantastic atmosphere, I seem to remember Leicester battering the south tryline in the second half but our defence held out, backed by a very loud and vocal crowd. Good memories!

Reply Quote Report
Monkey1
17/10/2017 12:04
Quote:
Leipziger
....backed by a very loud and vocal crowd. Good memories!

Interesting to note the attendance figure of over 9000, and this was before the hype of the World Cup. It would be nice to think that we could get regular crowds of this size if the Falcons continue to do well. Next home game being against Leicester will be a good indicator.

Reply Quote Report
markismith50
17/10/2017 12:20
Seats are virtually sold out for Leicester (only 50 or so left this morning and they were expected to go today).

Should hopefully be getting towards 8.5k to 9k for that game based on current sales patterns.

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Monkey1
17/10/2017 14:37
That's good news, thanks Smithy.

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Wensleydale Falcon
17/10/2017 14:41
It would be fantastic if we could get a sell out!

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Cantabrian
18/10/2017 20:06
Popped in to the shop this afternoon to get a couple extra tickets. only a handful of seats left in both Stands, south and north also going well. Car park fully booked.

Glad its the Tigers, will be a cracking atmosphere!! Big time rugby back in the North. Woohoo!!

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tigerburnie
23/10/2017 10:26
Johnno wasn't a thug, now Louis "silent but violent" Deacon was a different beast altogether. I had hoped to make the trip down from Scotland, but can't make it. Enjoy.

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aidanb
23/10/2017 11:43
Quote:
tigerburnie
Johnno wasn't a thug, now Louis "silent but violent" Deacon was a different beast altogether. I had hoped to make the trip down from Scotland, but can't make it. Enjoy.

did you really just say Johnno wasn't a thug - he was a pretty handy nursery nurse then.

Shame you can't make it cos it will be a cracker of a match

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tigerburnie
23/10/2017 18:49
It has the makings of a belter, waiting on some injury news before making any rash statements about winning or not.

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aidanb
23/10/2017 18:58
Quote:
tigerburnie
It has the makings of a belter, waiting on some injury news before making any rash statements about winning or not.

Ii Like how the falcons have now improved to the point where other teams have to be on their metal in order to be confident.

That’s good for all of us.

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alas
24/10/2017 02:54
Joe Shaw had some good games, most notably the cup final against Sale, but he was too inconsistent to be described as excellent.Must have been a rare day to have both Andrews and Mayerhofler fit.

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aidanb
24/10/2017 09:38
Quote:
alas
Joe Shaw had some good games, most notably the cup final against Sale, but he was too inconsistent to be described as excellent.Must have been a rare day to have both Andrews and Mayerhofler fit.

he was also described as under-rated

which sort of proves my point

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