FALCONS U18 21 NORTH OF ENGLAND 8

Tuesday 08 January 2013 Written by: Adam


The early exchanges were evenly matched with both sides missing early chances at goal. The North were first on the score-sheet with a penalty from the 22 metre line after some powerful carries, before Falcons pressure led to an opportunist try for winger Zach Kibirige on 20 minutes.

After good phase play in the opposition third the ball spilt out of the tackle and Ampleforth-based scrum half Charlie Birkett picked and fed Kibirige who raced home down the left touchline. The Falcons driving lineout kept the North of England team on the back foot and with the last play of the half Josh Hedley went over after a quickly taken tap penalty from close range. Willis added the extras to take the half time score to 14-3.

The early exchanges in the second stanza were quite evenly matched with the only clear cut opportunity falling to Falcons captain David Nelson, who broke clear only for his Falcons teammate Tom Penny to make a superb last ditch tackle.

In the final quarter the North of England started to play a really expansive game which tested the Falcons resolve to the maximum. After sustained pressure on the Falcons line and faced with a two man overlap against him, Kibirige intercepted on his own line and ran the length of the field to take the score to 21-3. Straight from the kick-off the North of England retained the ball and scored in the left corner through centre Josh Walters. The conversion was missed and the game ended 21-8 in favour of the Falcons.

The North of England now go on to play in their divisional festival against the Midlands and the South East before the England under-18 Aspirational Squad, coached by Northumberland RDO Dave Reed, is selected. The Falcons youngsters are next in action against Leicester Tigers on Saturday 12 January at Billingham RFC (kick-off 1.30pm).

Newcastle Falcons U18 Squad:

1. Callum Sheldon (QE Kirkby Lonsdale School/Kirkby Lonsdale RFC/Cumbria)
2. David Nelson © (Durham School/Durham City RFC/Durham)
3. Mark Forster (Austin Friars School/Carlisle RFC/Cumbria)
4. Josh Hedley (Northumbria Uni/Percy Park RFC/Northumberland)*
5. Harry Snowdon (Gosforth Academy/Percy Park RFC/Northumberland)
6. George Hedgley (Giggleswick School/Wharfedale RFC/Yorkshire)
7. Stuart Cannon (Gosforth Academy/Percy Park RFC/Northumberland)
8. Ollie Hodgson (Gosforth Academy/Middlesbrough RFC/Durham)
9. Charlie Birkett (Ampleforth College/Yorkshire)
10. Craig Willis (Durham School/Durham)
11. Zach Kibirige (Yarm School/Blaydon RFC/Durham)
12. Sam Hanks (Blaydon RFC/Northumberland)*
13. Matthew Douglas (Gosforth Academy/Hawick RFC/Borders)
14. Tom Small (Hartlepool 6th Form College/Billingham RFC/Durham)
15. Jamie Guy (Blaydon RFC/Northumberland)*

16. Ben Wilkinson (Gosforth Academy/Percy Park RFC/Northumberland)
19. Glen Young (Jed Forest RFC/Borders)
20. Colin Coulson (East Durham College/Ryton RFC/Durham)
21. George Jirka-Lacina (Dame Allans School/Gateshead RFC/Northumberland)
22. Jack Blakeney-Edwards (Durham School/Cumbria)

* denotes U19 player

North of England U18 Squad:

1. Aston Whitlow (Northumberland/Newcastle Falcons)
2. Matt Beaty (Lancashire)
3. Bradley Drysdale (Lancashire)
4. Declan Dunn (Yorkshire)
5. Will Witty (Yorkshire)
6. Jon Coser (Durham/Newcastle Falcons)
7. Liam Parfitt (Lancashire)
8. Nick Cairns (Northumberland/Newcastle Falcons)
9. Jack Maplesdon (Yorkshire)
10. Tom Morton (Cheshire)
11. Rob Rekis (Yorkshire)
12. Josh Walters (Yorkshire)
13. Sam Bedlow (Lancashire)
14. Sean Brown (Durham/Newcastle Falcons)
15. Tom Penny (Northumberland/Newcastle Falcons)

16. Dom Butler (Yorkshire)
17. Dom O’Connor (Lancashire)
18. Dan Preston-Routledge (Yorkshire)
19. Brodie Wilson (Yorkshire)
20. Jake Squirrell (Lancashire)
21. Sam Allen (Yorkshire)
22. Eldon Myers (Durham/Newcastle Falcons)

The Falcons have four games remaining in the U18 Academy League and several other fixtures at various age groups before the end of the season, details of which are outlined below:

– 12/01/13 Falcons U18 v Leicester Tigers U18 @ Billingham RFC (1.30pm)
– 19/01/13 Falcons U18 @ Northampton Saints U18
– 02/02/13 Falcons U18 @ Gloucester U18
– 09/02/13 Falcons U18 v Leeds Carnegie U18 (venue TBC)
– 11/02/13 Falcons A Team v Durham Uni @ KP (7.00pm)
– 16/03/13 Falcons A Team v Newcastle Uni @ KP (7.00pm)
– 24/03/13 Falcons U16 @ Scotland U16 (Murrayfield)
– 06/04/13 Falcons A Team v Aberdeen Uni (venue TBC)
– 07/04/13 Falcons U16 @ East of Scotland U16 (Dunbar RFC)
– 07/04/13 Falcons U18 @ East of Scotland U18 (Dunbar RFC)
– 28/04/13 Falcons U15 v Sale Sharks/Leeds Carnegie @ Sedbergh School (12.30pm)
– 06/05/13 Falcons U15 @ Northern Academy 12-a-side Festival (Broadstreet RFC)