FALCONS V LONDON IRISH TEAM NEWS
Mayhew gets the nod at blindside flanker, his first start of the season after recovering from a foot injury which has kept him out of action for the first two months of the campaign.
The Kiwi back-row came on as a second half replacement during last week’s Aviva Premiership trip to Saracens, and is one of 11 changes as Dean Richards’ men look to get off to a winning start in the cup opener.
Exciting prospect Zach Kibirige is also back to fitness, with the Teeside flyer putting to bed the torment of a hamstring injury sustained during pre-season to start on the wing, while James Fitzpatrick and Rory Clegg are named at centre and fly-half respectively. Clegg partners scrum-half Warren Fury, whose last start was as skipper in the Amlin Challenge Cup clash at Brive. Tom Catterick dons the No.15 jersey, a position he played at against Bucharest last month.
Meanwhile, it is all change in the pack with six new faces stepping up to the mark. Loose-head prop Grant Shiells and hooker George McGuigan partner Kieran Brookes in the front-row, while Fraser McKenzie and Scott MacLeod partner one another in the engine room. Mayhew and Chris York round off the changes in the back-row.
“The LV= Cup provides a lot of our lads with the chance to stake a claim for a regular first team place,” said Falcons boss Richards.
He added: “London Irish will bring a lot of physicality and go-forward to proceedings, and it will undoubtedly be a tough test for us.
“But the lads have trained well this week, and are champing at the bit to show what they can do in front of a home crowd.
“I’m really looking forward to the game.”
Starting at full-back after missing last week’s trip to the capital, Catterick reveals his side are itching to lock horns with Irish.
He said: “There’s been a lot of contact stuff in training this week and we’re certainly not taking our foot off the pedal for this game.
“It’s been full on in training, and if we’re doing it to one another in training, I’m sure we can do it to London Irish on Sunday.”
Members of the Armed Forces can gain free entry to the game upon showing their ID.
**Newcastle Falcons:** 15 Tom Catterick, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Danny Barnes, 12 James Fitzpatrick, 11 Zach Kibirige, 10 Rory Clegg, 9 Warren Fury, 1 Grant Shiells, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Fraser McKenzie, 5 Scott MacLeod, 6 Richard Mayhew, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Chris York
**Replacements:** 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Gary Strain, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Glen Young, 20 Harrison Collins, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Tom Penny
