
Team news: Palframan hits half-century v Harlequins
Richard Palframan makes his 50th appearance for Newcastle Falcons on Friday when they host Harlequins in Gallagher Premiership action.
The prop-forward has started all nine league games for the Falcons this term, with the South African having arrived from Worcester Warriors three and a half years ago.
He forms part of a side showing just two changes for the 7.45pm Kingston Park kick-off, with full-back Ben Redshaw and hooker Jamie Blamire having both been late withdrawals from last weekend’s trip to Northampton Saints.
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Max Pepper is added to Newcastle’s bench for their first game of the new year, with director of rugby Steve Diamond determined to see a big improvement on last weekend’s defeat in the East Midlands.
“We can come out with all the excuses you like, but we’re not going to do that,” said Diamond, who fields an all-English back line.
“The truth of the matter is that everyone – players and management alike – were off the boil. We were 10 to 15% under where we should be, and at this level you get exposed and destroyed. That’s what happened to us.
“We were comfortably beaten within 15 minutes, and that’s what really disappointed me. We’ve just got no consistency at the moment, and if we’re going to get beaten by a better team we need to tough it out and stay in the fight. Clearly we didn’t do that, and it’s feast or famine for us.
“We’ve sat down as a squad and discussed how we can stop this happening, because we’re a good team and we’ve got talented and committed players. We’ve got a lot going for us, especially at home, and it’s about trying to keep that positive mind-set after what was obviously a big blow last weekend.
“You have to quickly get over it, because in a league as good as this there’s always a big game around the next corner. In our last few home league matches we’ve been highly competitive, and I can only put last week down to a blip. We need a reaction, and we need to show our supporters that it means more to us than we demonstrated at Northampton.”
Buzzing at the prospect of kicking off the new year in front of the Falcons faithful, Diamond said: “Home advantage is big for us and I’m not going to pretend otherwise, but at the same time you’ve still got to turn up with the right mind-set, show high degrees of basic skill and play a game of rugby with aggression and precision.
“It doesn’t automatically happen just because you’re at home – you’ve still got to want it and work for it. We’re all in it together, though, and I’m not going to hammer the players for last weekend. I take my own share of the responsibility along with the entire staff, and we’ve just got to put together a much better performance on Friday.
“Bristol and Saracens both took batterings last week as well, so it can happen to anybody, and it’s how you respond that’s really important.”
Expecting a stern test against a Harlequins side who drew with Leicester Tigers at Allianz Stadium last time out, the Falcons boss said: “Quins have got threats all over just like Northampton did last weekend, and we can’t aimlessly kick the ball to their back three for the second week in a row.
“We can’t allow their fly-half to play with a dinner jacket on like Fin Smith did on Saturday, and we can’t be lured into a game of sevens.
“If we do kick the ball we kick to compete and get it back, we’re ferocious on the floor and compete for turnovers, we hold our discipline in defence, and then when we get possession we’re patient in building the phases.
“It’s easy to say and harder to do, but the lads have responded well this week and I’m sure they’ll bring a real aggression and positivity to Friday’s game.”
With prop-forward Palframan reaching the 50-game mark, Diamond was also keen to highlight the contribution of his tight-head stalwart.
“Palf is one of those guys who just gets on with it, works hard and does his best for the team,” said the director of rugby.
“He’s played big minutes this season, he always fronts up and he’s a guy we really value and appreciate. I’m sure he’ll get a great reception when he runs out on Friday, and it will be thoroughly deserved.”
Tickets for Friday’s game are available by clicking here.
Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park Stadium, live on TNT Sports)
15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Connor Doherty, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Murray McCallum, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Callum Chick (captain).
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Callum Hancock, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Philip van der Walt, 21 Max Pepper, 22 Louis Brown, 23 Oli Spencer.
Not available for selection: Sammy Arnold, Eduardo Bello, Adam Brocklebank, Tim Cardall, Luan de Bruin, Cameron Hutchison, Isaac Keller, John Kelly, Cameron Neild, Elliott Obatoyinbo, Jacob Oliver, Pedro Rubiolo, Adam Scott.
Harlequins: 15 Nick David, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Luke Northmore, 11 Cadan Murley (captain), 10 Marcus Smith; 9 Will Porter, 1 Fin Baxter, 2 Jack Walker, 3 Titi Lamositele, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Dino Lamb, 6 Jack Kenningham, 7 Will Evans, 8 James Chisholm.
Replacements: 16 Sam Riley, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Irne Herbst, 20 Alex Dombrandt, 21 Lucas Friday, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Ben Waghorn.
Referee: Sara Cox.
