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TEAM NEWS: PALFRAMAN RETURNS AGAINST SHARKS
Richard Palframan is among the returning players for Newcastle Red Bulls on Saturday when they host Sale Sharks in their final home game of the Gallagher PREM season.
The fit-again prop (pictured) packs down as one of six personnel changes for the 7.45pm kick-off at Kingston Park, as the league’s two northern clubs do battle.
Elsewhere in the forwards Amanaki Mafi starts at No.8 after a pair of explosive cameos from the bench, forming part of a back row which sees Ollie Leatherbarrow returning from suspension.
Jamie Hodgson comes in at second row, while the back division sees Ethan Grayson and Christian Wade in the starting XV having come on from the bench at Bath a fortnight ago.
Freddie Lockwood returns from injury to take up a place on the bench, with head coach Stephen Jones determined to give the Newcastle Red Bulls faithful some positive memories from a difficult season.
He said: “We desperately want to finish our home campaign with a positive performance and a win for our supporters, who have stuck with us magnificently throughout the year.
“There’s a burning desire within the group to do that, everybody has been really professional in their preparation and we’re excited to get out there in front of our home crowd for the last time this campaign.”
On the challenge posed by Saturday’s northern rivals, Jones said: “Sale are a quality side with internationals in key positions, and we are very respectful of the threats they’ll pose to us.
“George Ford likes to pull the strings and everything runs through him, with a strong forward pack and good options out wide. We are aware of all that, but for us it’s more a case of getting our own game firing and working on the things which are under our own control.
“We know how Sale like to carry and generate that front-foot ball, and we’ve got to match that physicality in terms of our own carrying and defensive work.”
Insisting that a busy period of squad re-building will not enter into their thoughts this weekend, the Newcastle boss added: “There have obviously been a few headlines about the number of guys who are leaving us at the end of the season, but we aren’t looking beyond the here and now.
“We always pick what we feel is the best available team for each particular game, and it makes no difference to us whether that’s a guy who is moving on or staying with us. The truth of the matter is that all the players have known for a while now whether or not they will be here next season, and it’s not an excuse that anybody is looking to use in relation to performance or selection.
“What I will say is that every single player here has been really professional in terms of how they have conducted themselves, and for the guys who haven’t made it into the match-day 23 they’ve been doing absolutely everything to ensure the team are supported and prepared as best we can.”
Tickets for Saturday’s game are available by clicking here, with supporters advised the Champions League football final will be screened in the Tap & Tackle bar from 4.30pm.
Newcastle Red Bulls v Sale Sharks (Saturday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park, live on TNT Sports)
15 Ethan Grayson, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Harrison Obatoyinbo, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz; 1 Connor Hancock, 2 George McGuigan (captain), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Jamie Hodgson, 5 Adam Scott, 6 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 7 Tom Christie, 8 Amanaki Mafi.
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Jamie Clark, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Tim Cardall, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 James Elliott, 22 Ben Healy, 23 Cameron Hutchison.
Not available for selection: Rhys Beeckmans, Eduardo Bello, Max Clark, Joe Davis, Luan de Bruin, Seb de Chaves, Jack Dickens, Connor Doherty, Joel Grayson, Nathan Greenwood, Callum Hancock, Josh Hodge, Cameron Neild, Elliott Obatoyinbo, Reuben Parsons, Micky Rewcastle, Oli Spencer, Oscar Usher, Sam Waugh.
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Luke James, 12 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr; 1 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Alfie Longstaff, 3 James Harper, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 5 Ben Bamber, 6 Sam Dugdale, 7 Seb Kelly, 8 Reuben Logan.
Replacements: 16 Wills Austin, 17 Ralph McEachran, 18 Patreece Bell, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Tristan Woodman, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 Ollie Davies, 23 Tom O’Flaherty.
Referee: Christophe Ridley.
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