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Mike Brown to make Newcastle Falcons debut
By Kim Ekin
Mike Brown will make his Newcastle Falcons bow on Friday night when the side travel north to open their pre-season campaign away to Glasgow Warriors.
It will be the first time the 35-year-old has played a professional club game for anyone other than Harlequins.
The former England fullback two-time Gallagher Premiership title winner starts at full-back for the Scotstoun Stadium clash.
He isn't the only former Quin set to debut for Newcastle, with GB Sevens star Ollie Lindsay-Hague named on the wing.
Former rugby league wing Iwan Stephens makes his first team debut on the other wing.
The Falcons’ bench includes potential club debuts for former Connacht prop Conor Kenny, ex-Ulster back-five forward Matthew Dalton and former Worcester lock George Merrick, while senior academy players James Blackett, Oscar Caudle, Mark Dormer, Marcus Tiffen, Ewan Greenlaw and Louie Johnson are all in line to make their first-team bows.
“We know we can expect a good, hard test up in Glasgow, and it’s the ideal way in which to start our schedule of pre-season matches," said Newcastle Falcons Director of rugby Dean Richards
“This time of year is less about results and more about putting the parts of our game into practice - ensuring we’re ready for the start of the Premiership season.
“The boys have been working hard during pre-season training, we’re putting some building blocks in place and it’ll be great to see how we can knit it all together against a good side in a match scenario.”
The march kicks off at 7pm on Friday at Scotstoun Stadium.
Newcastle Falcons team vs Glasgow Warriors
15 Mike Brown, 14 Ollie Lindsay-Hague, 13 George Wacokecoke, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 Marco Fuser, 5 Philip van der Walt, 6 Josh Basham, 7 Will Welch, 8 Callum Chick.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Smith, 17 Kyle Cooper, 18 Conor Kenny, 19 Matthew Dalton, 20 Carl Fearns, 21 James Blackett, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Ben Stevenson, [blank shirts]: Mark Dormer, Oscar Caudle, George Merrick, Freddie Lockwood, Marcus Tiffen, Ewan Greenlaw, Louie Johnson.
The match is the first of two games in two days for Newcastle, who play host to Doncaster Knights on Saturday at Kingston Park Stadium (kick-off 3pm).
Newcastle Falcons team to face Doncaster Knights
15 Alex Tait, 14 Chidera Obonna, 13 Zach Kerr, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Adam Radwan, 10 Will Haydon-Wood, 9 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti; 1 Logovi’i Mulipola, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 George Merrick, 5 Will Montgomery, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Connor Collett, 8 Tom Marshall.
Replacements: Ollie Fletcher, Robbie Smith, Kyle Cooper, Mark Dormer, Oscar Caudle, Matthew Dalton, Marcus Tiffen, Matt Deehan, Louis Schreuder, James Blackett, Ewan Greenlaw, Louie Johnson.
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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