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==Current squad==
==Current squad==
''2012/2013''
''2013/2014''
{{rugby squad start}}
{{rugby squad start}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=HK | name=[[Michael Mayhew (rugby union)|Michael Mayhew]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=HK | name='''[[Scott Lawson]]'''}} {{rugby squad player | nat=IRL | pos=HK | name=[[George McGuigan]] }}
⚫
{{rugby squad player | nat=IRL | pos=HK | name=[[George McGuigan]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=HK | name=[[Matt Thompson (rugby union)|Matt Thompson]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=HK | name=[[Matt Thompson (rugby union)|Matt Thompson]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=HK | name=[[Rob Vickers]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=HK | name=[[Rob Vickers]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=PR | name=[[Jon Golding]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=PR | name=[[Kieran Brookes]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=PR | name=[[James Hall (rugby union)|James Hall]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=PR | name=[[James Hall (rugby union)|James Hall]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=PR | name=[[Grant Shiells]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=PR | name=[[Grant Shiells]] }}
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{{rugby squad player | nat=ITA | pos=LK | name='''[[Carlo Del Fava]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ITA | pos=LK | name='''[[Carlo Del Fava]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=WAL | pos=LK | name=[[James Goode]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=WAL | pos=LK | name=[[James Goode]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=LK | name=[[James Hudson (rugby union)|James Hudson]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=LK | name='''[[Fraser McKenzie]]'''}} {{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=LK | name='''[[Scott Macleod]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=LK | name='''[[Scott Macleod]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=LK | name=[[Sean Tomes]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=LK | name=[[Sean Tomes]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=FL | name='''[[Ally Hogg]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=FL | name='''[[Ally Hogg]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FL | name=[[Joe Robinson (rugby union)|Joe Robinson]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FL | name=[[Joe Robinson (rugby union)|Joe Robinson]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SAM | pos=FL | name=[[Taiasina Tuifua]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FL | name=[[Will Welch]] | other = [[Captain (sports)|c]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FL | name=[[Will Welch]] | other = [[Captain (sports)|c]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FL | name=[[Mark Wilson (rugby union)|Mark Wilson]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FL | name=[[Mark Wilson (rugby union)|Mark Wilson]] }}
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{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=N8 | name=[[Chris York]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=N8 | name=[[Chris York]] }}
{{rugby squad mid}}
{{rugby squad mid}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=WAL | pos=SH | name='''[[Warren Fury]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=SH | name='''[[Mike Blair]]}}'''}} {{rugby squad player | nat=WAL | pos=SH | name='''[[Warren Fury]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=SH | name='''[[Rory Lawson]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=SH | name='''[[Rory Lawson]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=SH | name=[[Jordi Pasqualin]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=SH | name=[[Jordi Pasqualin]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=SH | name=[[Chris Pilgrim]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=SH | name=[[Chris Pilgrim]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=FH | name=[[Jimmy Gopperth]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FH | name=[[Rory Clegg]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FH | name=[[Joel Hodgson (rugby player)|Joel Hodgson]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=FH | name='''[[Phil Godman]]'''}} {{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FH | name=[[Joel Hodgson (rugby player)|Joel Hodgson]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=FIJ | pos=FH | name='''[[Waisea Luveniyali]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=FIJ | pos=FH | name='''[[Waisea Luveniyali]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=CE | name=[[Alex Crockett]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FH | name=[[Andy Saull]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=CE | name=[[Alex Crockett]] }} {{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=CE | name=[[Adam Powell (rugby union)|Adam Powell]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=CE | name=[[James Fitzpatrick (rugby)|James Fitzpatrick]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=CE | name=[[James Fitzpatrick (rugby)|James Fitzpatrick]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SAM | pos=CE | name=''''[[Jamie Helleur]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SAM | pos=CE | name=''''[[Jamie Helleur]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=CE | name=[[Tane Tu'ipulotu]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=CE | name=[[Tane Tu'ipulotu]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=WG | name=[[Andrew Higgins (rugby union)|Andrew Higgins]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=WG | name=[[Andrew Higgins (rugby union)|Andrew Higgins]] }}
⚫
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=WG | name=[[Noah Cato]]}}
{{rugby squad player | nat=TGA | pos=WG | name='''[[Suka Hufanga]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=TGA | pos=WG | name='''[[Suka Hufanga]]''' }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=WG | name=[[Ryan Shortland]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=NZL | pos=WG | name=[[Ryan Shortland]] }}
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{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=WG | name=[[Michael Tait (rugby union)|Michael Tait]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=SCO | pos=WG | name=[[Michael Tait (rugby union)|Michael Tait]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FB | name=[[Tom Catterick]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FB | name=[[Tom Catterick]] }}
{{rugby squad player | nat=ENG | pos=FB | name=[[Luke Fielden]] }}
{{rugby squad end}}
{{rugby squad end}}


===Internationally capped players===
===Internationally Capped Players===
* {{flagicon|FIJ}} [[Waisea Luveniyali]]
* {{flagicon|FIJ}} [[Waisea Luveniyali]]
* {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Carlo Del Fava]]
* {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Carlo Del Fava]]

Revision as of 10:40, 21 May 2013

For Australian basketball team, see Newcastle Falcons (basketball).

Newcastle Falcons
File:Newcastle falcons badge.png
Full nameNewcastle Falcons
UnionRugby Football Union
Nickname(s)The Falcons
Founded1877; 147 years ago (1877) [1]
LocationNewcastle upon Tyne, England
Ground(s)Kingston Park (Capacity: 10,200[2])
ChairmanEngland Semore Kurdi
Coach(es)New Zealand Peter Russell
Captain(s)England Will Welch
League(s)RFU Championship
2012–131st
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk

The Newcastle Falcons (formerly Gosforth FC/Newcastle Gosforth until 1996) is an English rugby union team currently playing in the RFU Championship,[3] as of 30 June 2012. The club was established in 1877[1] and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne. At the start of the professional era the club adopted its current name of Newcastle Falcons.

The Falcons are currently the only professional rugby club in north east England, with one Premiership and four domestic cups to their name. They also boasted a number of home-grown former players such as World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson.

History

Early years The original Gosforth Football Club was founded in 1877 by a group of Old Boys of Durham School,[1] in whose colours of green and white hoops the club played until the mid-1990s. The name Gosforth came from one of the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1955, the club moved to a new ground at North Road which was to be its home until 1990. During that time and particularly in the late 1970s Gosforth enjoyed tremendous success both on and off the field winning the John Player Cup in seasons 1975/76 and 76/77.

Gosforth supplied innumerable players to all counties over the years, to the North of England sides and to the full international and British Lions teams. These include Arthur Smith, Ray McLoughlin, Malcolm Young, Roger Uttley, Peter Dixon, Duncan Madsen, Dave Robinson, Richard Breakey, Jim Pollock and Colin White.

In 1990 the club name was changed to Newcastle Gosforth and they moved to Kingston Park. Gosforth Rugby Football Club continued as an amateur side working in partnership with Northumbria University, and currently play at the training ground of the Newcastle Falcons, Druid Park.

For the 1996/7 season the new name of Newcastle Falcons and new black-and-white colours were adopted, after local businessman Sir John Hall took control and attempted to create a sporting club in Newcastle that would emulate the success of the Barcelona model. The four teams that made up that sporting club were the football team, nicknamed the Magpies, the Newcastle Eagles basketball team, the Newcastle Wasps (later Riverkings, Jokers, Vipers) ice hockey team and the Newcastle Falcons rugby union team.

Newcastle was the first fully "professional" club in the world. In 1995, Sir John Hall installed former Wasps captain Rob Andrew as his salaried Director of Rugby and saw the club earn promotion from the national Second Division to the Premiership. The following season, Newcastle became English champions at their first attempt. During the following season Newcastle didn't play in Europe as English teams did not take part but they did go onto the Tetley's Bitter Cup final against Wasps which they lost 29-19.

Hall sold the Falcons for a 'nominal' sum in 1999 to local businessman Dave Thompson, under whom the Falcons won two Powergen Cups: in 2001 the Falcons beat Harlequins FC 30-27; and in 2004 the Falcons beat 37-33 against Sale Sharks. The following season the Falcons recorded their best ever Heineken Cup performance to date by winning their pool and progressing to a quarter-final tie against Stade Français in the Parc des Princes.[4]

In August 2005 Falcons toured Japan pre-season. They beat NEC Green Rockets easily but lost to a fired-up Toyota Verblitz.[5]

In August 2006 Rob Andrew left the Falcons to take charge of the England set-up ahead of the 2007 World Cup in a wide-ranging role that encompasses all aspects of the professional representative game in England.[6] John Fletcher succeeded Rob Andrew as director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons with immediate effect. Fletcher, a former England A centre, had been the club's academy boss and he headed up a team of Peter Walton, Steve Black and Bob Morton, with ex-Falcons prop Ian Peel taking over as acting academy manager.

2007–08 season

On 11 March 2008, Fletcher and Walton left the club, officially by mutual consent,[7] following Black who had left a couple of months earlier. Steve Bates took over as interim director of rugby until summer 2008 when the post was reviewed.[8] Dave Thompson stated at that time that nine years of underachievement were the reason for the departure of John Fletcher and Peter Walton.

Having said this, Bates guided the Falcons to a record-equalling run of seven consecutive Premiership defeats by April 2008 with home games against Leicester Tigers and London Wasps plus a season-concluding away trip to Worcester Warriors yet to come. Defeat in the European Challenge Cup semi-final against Worcester Warriors on 25 April 2008 may well have sounded the death knell for Steve Bates' tenure as interim DoR. However, on Tuesday 20 May 2008 Steve Bates was confirmed as Newcastle's Director of Rugby on a full-time basis.[8]

2008–09 season

In November 2008 Chairman Dave Thompson put an end to speculation of a takeover of the club after rejecting three bids.[9] He held talks with a number of different consortia and reportedly turned down one offer of a full take over as the bidding consortium wanted to relocate the club to Darlington. Furthermore, he said the speculation had led to instability in the club which was unsettling players and fans alike. On the pitch the Falcons reached another European Challenge Cup quarter-final going down to Saracens away from home and finished 10th in the Premiership.

2009–10 season

After a disappointing season the pressure mounted on Steve Bates and on 4 May 2010, the club announced that Bates' contract had been terminated and he was being replaced by first team coach Alan Tait.[10] The decision came after Newcastle went on an unbeaten run to quash any doubts of relegation largely due to an inspirational Carl Hayman. But a crushing home European Challenge Cup Quarter Final defeat by Cardiff Blues signalled the end of the Bates era.

2010–11 season

Towards the end of the previous season Chairman Dave Thompson had to seek investment for the club due to increasing debts following the Nationalisation of Northern Rock, the club's main sponsor. After months of speculation, it was announced that local businessman Semore Kurdi had purchased a 40% stake in the club in September 2010, easing the club's financial difficulties.[11] On the pitch in Alan Tait's first season the Falcons reached the Anglo-Welsh Cup final, losing to Gloucester 34-7. Despite this relative success the Falcons finished their worst ever Premiership season with just 23 points (four wins), only escaping relegation thanks to the inferior points difference of Leeds Carnegie.

2011–12 season

The 2011-12 season saw Newcastle Falcons relegated from the Premiership. The Falcons started the season badly but rallied midway through as Gary Gold took over. After changing the set up at Kingston Park, the club nearly escaped relegation, but Wasps held on to secure their premiership status by a point. Despite finishing with a higher points total than the year before (32) it was not enough to keep them up. The Falcons still had a small hope that London Welsh may be refused premiership status, however they were promoted after an appeal.

2012–13 season

The Falcons' season in the Championship sees the much changed side coached by director of rugby Dean Richards. They won their first game of the season 37-20 against Bristol [12] and went on to win their second 49-32 against London Scottish. At the half way point of the season the Falcons were maintaining their unbeaten run, including a 24-13 score against a touring Tongan national side during the first international game to be held at Kingston Park since 1990.

The Falcons confirmed their place in the Championship play off semi-final with a bonus point win at home to Cornish Pirates on 22 February 2013 and their position as league leaders was confirmed early the following month.

Club information

Kingston Park

Stadium

Newcastle Falcons play at Kingston Park which holds 10,200.[2] Kingston Park is the third biggest stadium in the RFU Championship but the club's average attendance currently sits at approximately 4,000. The stadium has three modern stands; the open air North standing Terrace, the enclosed South Stand Terrace - where the loudest fans traditionally stand and sing, and the all-seated West Stand. However, the Falcons also retain the original Gosforth East stand complete with green and white seating (Gosforth colours).

Kits

Gosforth Rugby Strip.

For the 2012/13 season, the team are wearing a black strip with a red and white band across the chest for home games, and a white strip with a red and black band across the chest for away games. Orion Teamwear is the current strip provider although the team kit has previously been supplied by Kooga, Nike, and Cotton Traders. During the years known as Gosforth the club played in green and white hoops, colours that are still retained by the existing Gosforth Rugby Club.

Historic league positions

Season Final Position Points
1997–1998 – Allied Dunbar Premiership 1st 38
1998–1999 – Allied Dunbar Premiership 8th 28
1999–2000 – Allied Dunbar Premiership 9th 20
2000–2001 – Zurich Premiership 6th 57
2001–2002 – Zurich Premiership 6th 56
2002–2003 – Zurich Premiership 10th 40
2003–2004 – Zurich Premiership 10th 40
2004–2005 – Zurich Premiership 7th 47
2005–2006 – Guinness Premiership 7th 47
2006–2007 – Guinness Premiership 9th 44
2007–2008 – Guinness Premiership 11th 37
2008–2009 – Guinness Premiership 10th 44
2009–2010 – Guinness Premiership 9th 37
2010–2011 – Aviva Premiership 11th 23
2011-2012 – Aviva Premiership 12th 32
2012–2013 – RFU Championship 1st 98

Club honours

Records

  • Record Win: 156 – 5 vs Rugby Lions (Courage League 1996)
  • Record Loss: 10 – 83 vs Leicester Tigers (2005)
  • Best League Position: 1st (Premiership, 1997–1998)
  • Worst League Position: 12th (Division Two, 1989-1990)
  • Most Premiership Appearances: Tom May - 193
  • Top Premiership Try Scorer: Tom May - 47
  • Top Premiership Points Scorer: Jonny Wilkinson - 1489

Current standings

2012–13 RFU Championship table
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Newcastle Falcons (CH) 22 21 0 1 677 252 +425 13 1 98 Promotion place
2 Nottingham (SF) 22 15 0 7 624 409 +215 10 4 74
3 Bedford Blues (RU) 22 14 1 7 664 485 +179 11 2 71
4 Leeds Carnegie (SF) 22 13 0 9 585 480 +105 9 6 67
5 Bristol 22 14 0 8 524 481 +43 6 3 65
6 Cornish Pirates 22 10 2 10 435 480 −45 5 3 52
7 Rotherham Titans 22 10 1 11 503 569 −66 6 3 51
8 London Scottish 22 10 0 12 456 610 −154 4 4 45[a]
9 Plymouth Albion 22 7 0 15 419 518 −99 4 8 40
10 Moseley 22 6 1 15 377 542 −165 1 6 33
11 Jersey 22 6 0 16 385 595 −210 2 5 31
12 Doncaster Knights (R) 22 3 1 18 364 592 −228 2 7 23 Relegation place
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2013. Source: itsrugby.co.uk
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
    Notes:
  1. ^ London Scottish were deducted 3 competition points for fielding an ineligible player.[13]

Current squad

2013/2014 Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Scott Lawson Hooker Scotland Scotland
George McGuigan Hooker Ireland Ireland
Matt Thompson Hooker England England
Rob Vickers Hooker England England
Kieran Brookes Prop England England
James Hall Prop England England
Grant Shiells Prop Scotland Scotland
Oliver Tomaszczyk Prop England England
Carlo Del Fava Lock Italy Italy
James Goode Lock Wales Wales
Fraser McKenzie Lock Scotland Scotland
Scott Macleod Lock Scotland Scotland
Sean Tomes Lock Scotland Scotland
Ally Hogg Flanker Scotland Scotland
Joe Robinson Flanker England England
Will Welch (c) Flanker England England
Mark Wilson Flanker England England
Richard Mayhew Number 8 New Zealand New Zealand
Chris York Number 8 England England
Player Position Union
Mike Blair Scrum-half Scotland Scotland}}
Warren Fury Scrum-half Wales Wales
Rory Lawson Scrum-half Scotland Scotland
Jordi Pasqualin Scrum-half England England
Chris Pilgrim Scrum-half England England
Rory Clegg Fly-half England England
Phil Godman Fly-half Scotland Scotland
Joel Hodgson Fly-half England England
Waisea Luveniyali Fly-half Fiji Fiji
Andy Saull Fly-half England England
Alex Crockett Centre England England
Adam Powell Centre England England
James Fitzpatrick Centre England England
'Jamie Helleur Centre Samoa Samoa
Tane Tu'ipulotu Centre New Zealand New Zealand
Andrew Higgins Wing England England
Noah Cato Wing England England
Suka Hufanga Wing Tonga Tonga
Ryan Shortland Wing New Zealand New Zealand
Alex Tait Wing England England
Michael Tait Wing Scotland Scotland
Tom Catterick Fullback England England

Internationally Capped Players

Transfers 2013-14

Players In

Players Out

Current Coaching Staff

Notable former players

References

  1. ^ a b c History of the Club, Newcastle-Falcons.co.uk
  2. ^ a b Kingston Park Stadium (Newcastle Falcons), RugbyStadiums.co.uk
  3. ^ Brown, Steve. "Newcastle Falcons relegated from Premiership". ChronicleLive.co.ul. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Stade Français 48-8 Newcastle Falcons". www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk. 3 April 2005.
  5. ^ Falcons fall to narrow defeat in Japan, Guinness Premiership, 23 August 2005.
  6. ^ Falcons pay tribute to Andrew, Newcastle-Falcons.co.uk, 18 August 2006
  7. ^ Boss Fletcher Leaves Newcastle, BBC Sport, 11 March 2008
  8. ^ a b Steve Bates given Newcastle Falcons job, Telegraph, 20 May 2008
  9. ^ "Thompson Ends Takeover Talk". www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk. 25 November 2008.
  10. ^ "Falcons Club Statement". www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  11. ^ "Kurdi buys stake Newcastle Falcons". www.guardian.co.uk. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  12. ^ "Bristol 20 Falcons 37". http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "RFU Upholds London Scottish Verdict". London Scottish. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  14. ^ "Newcastle Falcons: Adam Powell and Kieran Brookes commit future". BBC Sport. 3 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Newcastle Falcons re-sign Rory Clegg from Harlequins". 17 April 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Newcastle Falcons sign Andy Saull". BBC Sport. 18 April 2013.
  17. ^ "New Blue: Here's what you can expect from Jimmy Gopperth, Leinster fans". 4 March 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  18. ^ "Newcastle lock James Hudson sign Gloucester contract". BBC Sport. 19 March 2013.
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